JULIS NAVARRO
Staff Writer
Pepperdine Dining Services will continue to serve double cheeseburgers with hefty portions of french fries, but a move toward healthier food options is under way.
To provide students healthier food choices, the Waves Café menu is continuously being updated and changes have also been made to reduce trans fats, according to Gene Perkins, general manager of Pepperdine Dining Services.
“We are always updating our menus,” Perkins said. “Many of these menu items feature healthier choices. We believe that students should have the option of deciding for themselves what items they prefer to eat.”
Following the health trend of many fast-food restaurants across the nation, Pepperdine Dining Services has switched to canola oil in cooking to reduce trans fats.
Trans fat is formed during a chemical process called hydrogenation when hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils, according to the Web site of the American Heart Association. These fats are used because they allow for longer shelf-life and add to the taste, shape and texture of food.
In this movement toward banning trans fats, the number of restaurants using healthier alternatives has steadily increased.. Fast-food restaurant KFC recently announced that it will no longer use trans fats, and Burger King has also said it hopes to start testing trans fat-free cooking in some of their restaurants.
Sheila Koek, retail manager of Pepperdine Dining Services, said that sometimes it is difficult to completely phase out the use of trans fat in dining, because they use products from other purveyors.
“We try to become aware of who we’re buying from and what they’re doing,” Koek said.
Perkins added that one of the ways they help students make healthy choices is to label the menu items. The categories are vegetarian, vegan, carb friendly and well-balanced. Nutritional information for each item is also available at the Caf.
“I believe that students are very concerned with their health,” Koek said. “They’re seeing their bodies in a healthier way, and that’s great. We want them to be 100 percent healthy, mind, body and soul. That’s what we strive for.”
Koek also added that she has seen students buying more juices and bottled water rather than soda.
Andrew Ishibashi, who heads the SGA Dining and Housing Committee, said the Caf and Oasis serve a good variety of options at every meal, including vegetarian options and “balanced” meals.
“I believe that the dining services are doing their best to adequately provide students with a balanced meal,” Ishibashi said. “Stations like the salad bar give students the flexibility of a fresh choice.”
Junior Jonathan Younger said although the Pepperdine cafeteria is better than a lot of others, it lacks in variety of food options.
“For healthy food, it’ll usually be sushi or a salad,” Younger said.
Younger said that he supports a move toward reducing trans fats and more food options.
“A lot of meats need to be a little bit leaner,” Younger said.
Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol levels and lowers HDL cholesterol levels. In other words, it decreases “good” cholesterol while increasing “bad” cholesterol. It causes clogged arteries and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
11-09-2006