(Olean) ... Fat substitute: Chips, crackers. Olestra is
Procter & Gamble's synthetic fat that is not absorbed by the
body, but runs right through. Procter & Gamble suggests that
replacing regular fat with olestra will help people lose
weight and lower the risk of heart disease.
Olestra can cause diarrhea and loose stools, abdominal
cramps, flatulence, and other adverse effects. Those
symptoms are sometimes severe.
Even more importantly, olestra reduces the body's ability to
absorb fat-soluble carotenoids (such as alpha and beta-
carotene, lycopene, lutein, and canthaxanthin) from fruits
and vegetables. Those nutrients are thought by many experts
to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Olestra
enables manufacturers to offer greasy-feeling low-fat
snacks, but consumers would be much better off with baked
snacks, which are perfectly safe and just as low in
calories. Products made with olestra should not be called
"fat free," because they contain substantial amounts of
indigestible fat.