Last year we wanted to court martial Colonel Sanders but today we salute him.

KFC has now completed its conversion from partially hydrogenated frying oil to heart-healthy soybean oil, and now KFC’s fried chicken is trans-fat-free. This is a big, bold move by the company, and whether it’s due in some small part to our litigation or not, we welcome it with open arms. KFC’s fried chicken still has some saturated fat and way too much sodium, but being trans-fat-free, it is much healthier for hearts and arteries. That said, the company needs to get the trans fat out of its pot pies and biscuits, and reduce sodium across the board.

I also hope that positive consumer response to this announcement hastens the speed with which Burger King, McDonald’s, and other fast-food companies abandon partially hydrogenated oils in favor of healthy alternatives. If KFC, which deep-fries practically everything on its menu, can make this important change, anyone can—and should.