Why Restaurants Should Show Calories on Their Menus

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1. 01Why Restaurants Should Show Calories

   Good afternoon. I'm a family doctor in Toronto. When we buy food at a supermarket, the package tells us what's inside. But in many restaurants, we have no idea. Today, I'll argue that restaurants should show calories on their menus.

   午安。我是多倫多的一名家庭醫生。我們在超市買食品時，包裝上會告訴我們裡面有什麼。但在很多餐廳，我們完全不知道。今天，我要論證的是：餐廳應該在選單上標註卡路里。

2. 02Some Countries Already Do This

   This isn't a new idea. In the United States, chain restaurants with twenty or more locations have had to show calories on menus since May 2018. In England, large food businesses with two hundred and fifty or more employees have had to do the same since April 2022.

   這並不是一個新想法。在美國，擁有二十家或以上門店的連鎖餐廳，從2018年5月起就必須在選單上標註卡路里。在英格蘭，擁有二百五十名或以上員工的大型餐飲企業，從2022年4月起也必須這樣做。

   Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "Menu Labeling Requirements" (compliance date: May 7, 2018); The Calorie Labelling (Out of Home Sector) (England) Regulations 2021, in force April 6, 2022

3. 03Reason 1: The Right to Know

   My first reason is simple: people have a right to know what they're eating. We already accept labels on packaged food. Why should a sandwich in a café be different from a sandwich in a shop?

   我的第一個理由很簡單：人們有權知道自己吃的是什麼。我們已經接受了包裝食品上的標籤。為什麼咖啡館裡的三明治就應該和商店裡賣的三明治不一樣呢？

4. 04Reason 2: Surprising Numbers

   Second, the numbers can surprise us. A salad covered in creamy dressing may not be as light as it looks. Without labels, even careful eaters can guess wrong.

   第二，數字可能會讓我們大吃一驚。一份淋滿奶油醬汁的沙拉，可能並不像看起來那麼清淡。沒有標註，即使是很注意飲食的人也可能判斷錯誤。

5. 05Reason 3: Better Choices From Restaurants

   Third, labels don't only change customers. They can push restaurants, too. When a number is printed on the menu, a company may decide to offer smaller portions or lighter options.

   第三，標註改變的不只是顧客，它也能推動餐廳改變。當一個數字印在選單上時，公司可能會決定推出份量更小或更清淡的選擇。

6. 06"Calories Aren't Everything"

   Critics say calories aren't everything, and they're right. Nutrition is more than one number. But a simple number is better than no information at all, and customers can still ignore it if they want.

   批評者說，卡路里並不代表一切，他們說得沒錯。營養不是一個數字就能概括的。但一個簡單的數字總比完全沒有資訊要好，而且顧客如果不想看，仍然可以忽略它。

7. 07Small Restaurants

   What about small family restaurants? I agree we shouldn't push costs onto them. That's why both the US and England started with large businesses. Small places can join later, with support.

   那麼小型的家庭餐館呢？我同意我們不應該把成本強加給他們。正因如此，美國和英格蘭都是從大企業開始的。小店可以以後在獲得支援的情況下再加入。

   Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "Menu Labeling Requirements"; The Calorie Labelling (Out of Home Sector) (England) Regulations 2021

8. 08Conclusion

   In conclusion, calorie labels don't tell anyone what to eat. They simply give people information to make their own choices. That's why I support them. Thank you.

   總之，卡路里標註並不是告訴任何人該吃什麼。它只是給人們提供資訊，讓他們自己做選擇。這就是我支援它的原因。謝謝大家。