Why Aren't Girl Scouts Leading the Charge to Eliminate Trans Fats?

Girl Scout dressed in cookie boxes.

I’ve been considering getting my daughter into Girl Scouts. I loved my brief experiences with scouting, early on with Brownies and later in middle school, when we did loads of camping.

I wasn’t particularly focused on earning badges (though foursquare seems to be rekindling that interest). But I enjoyed the activities and my fellow scouts. And, even though I’m betting my mom didn’t love this part, I didn’t mind selling cookies.

Selling cookies is still a signature Girl Scout fundraiser and activity. If Future Farmgirl signs up, she’ll be asked to sell those familiar boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.

But would I buy any?

I’d have to say no until the Girl Scouts finally eliminate trans fats from their recipes. I’ve been amazed that the scouts haven’t been leaders in the anti-trans fat effort.

There is now no dispute that any amount of trans fat is harmful. Not just unhealthy, but harmful. I’ve seen popular brand after popular brand nix all traces of trans fats from their ingredients lists. I’ve learned to look carefully at the full ingredient list because some manufacturers have simply adjusted their serving sizes. The FDA allows this labeling slight-of-hand.

Monica Eng over at the Chicago Tribune is onto this trick and reported last week that eating just two Samoas (my favorite GS cookie) would add two grams of trans fats. [See “Girl Scout Cookies and other sweets offer confusing labeling on trans fats.”]

What’s worse is that the scouts don’t appear to have a plan or a goal (even Wal-Mart is getting out of the trans fat business) to retool their recipes.

The Girl Scouts’ spokeswoman has this non response to Eng:

“We are always looking for ways to make healthier cookies that still appeal to our audience….Our bakers are constantly tweaking the recipes, but we do know that our girls are selling a beloved American treat that is to be enjoyed in moderation.”

The Girl Scouts website also uses the “zero trans fat per serving” justification. “All varieties contain less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving, which meets or exceeds the FDA guidelines for the ‘zero trans fat’ designation,” the site boasts.

Ugh. I read that to mean that the scouts, like so many companies, aren’t planning to change until they’re required to. That’s a shame and a waste of their influence.

Photo of Girl Scouts selling cookies from FrankFarm’s Flickr photostream.