SAGE Standard: “We cook with trans-fat free oils and MSG-free seasonings.”
What We Do
We enhance the flavor of our food with a variety of fresh, natural herbs and spices—ranging from those grown in our own campus gardens to those harvested across the globe. We make many of our own salad dressings, Asian sauces, and other prepared condiments specifically to avoid added trans fats and MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Why We Do It
Trans fats have been chemically altered to allow foods to have a longer shelf life. They raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower “good” HDL cholesterol, thus contributing to heart disease. The FDA has determined that added trans fats are no longer safe for use in human food and must be out of food formulations by 2018. Our foods don’t need these preservatives—because they’re prepared and served fresh.
MSG is an artificial flavor enhancer that contains very concentrated levels of glutamate compounds. It’s been linked to headaches and allergic reactions in many individuals. Additionally, added MSG is a clear indicator of low-quality food. SAGE achieves the same flavor levels simply by using real spices and seasonings.
The exclusion of added trans fats and MSG in SAGE dining halls is a direct boon to our communities’ heart health, and eliminates a needless cause of adverse food reactions. Even if there were nothing harmful about either substance, the fact remains: the high-quality, fresh foods we make at SAGE simply don’t need them.
Photo courtesy of Sid Wainer & Son, Inc.
