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Health Department Highlighting Trans Fat-Free Restaurants

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Whether you're cooking up some fries, sautéing vegetables, or frying some fish, what you cook it in can make a big difference for your health.

"Trans fats really were something that really contributed to heart disease. Therefore, reducing trans fats is very important," Acting Director of the Allegheny County Health Department Dr. Ronald Vorhees said.

Dr. Vorhees said using trans fat-free cooking oils reduces the bad cholesterol, raises the good cholesterol, and reduces heart disease. Now, the Health Department is reporting which new local restaurants use trans fat-free cooking oils.

"We want to single out the restaurants that are really taking that positive step for providing healthier foods for consumers," Dr. Vorhees said.

The Micro Diner on Mount Washington just opened in November and is trans fat free.

"If it's better, why not? If it's better, always looking to improve, right?" owner Heather Nally said.

Chef Tony Folino said healthy is the trend for many restaurant-goers.

"We do have a lot of customers who are health conscious up here. We do have the egg whites, the veggies, and everything so it's a big trend now, really is, but it's the health conscious thing to do," Folino said.

So, how does food cooked in trans fat-free cooking oil taste? KDKA-TV's Jon Delano tried the French fries at the Micro Diner and said they're great.

While New York City requires all restaurants to go trans fat-free, that's not the case here where the public decides.

Dr. Vorhees hopes to post the trans fat-free restaurants on the Allegheny County Health Department's website.

""If it's something we want to promote, then we should make it easier for people to find out," Dr. Vorhees said.

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