Study: Fat substitutes toogood to be true
DALLAS, (UPI) -- Fat substitutes have gainedpopularity in recent years among dieters but may not actuallyhelp prevent people from gaining extra pounds, a new report fromthe American Heart Association said Monday.
Author Judith Wylie-Rosett, a registereddietitian and a member of the American Heart Association's NutritionCommittee, looked at 13 types of different fat substitutes --six derived from carbohydrates, two from proteins and five fromfats.
The fat substitutes formulated from carbohydratesare types of gums and polydextrose. Those from proteins were modifiedwhey, frequently used in low-fat baked goods and dairy products,such as ice cream. These substitutes, some with names like salatrimand caprenin, have a minimal effect on digestion or on the metabolismof important vitamins and minerals.
One of the fat substitutes studied, Olestra,did appear to interfere with the absorption of some antioxidantvitamins, according to the report. Olestra, which is one of thefat-derived fat substitutes commonly used in snack foods, reducedthe absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamins A and E arekey antioxidants associated with decreased risks of heart disease.Vitamin K is critical to the blood clotting process and vitaminD is necessary to maintain calcium levels in the body.
"With Olestra it's not in that manyproducts and it tends to be in products with large serving sizes,"Wylie-Rosett told United Press International. The risk, she explained,is that when consuming these large portions, people are gettingtoo much Olestra in their system, and that puts their abilityto metabolize certain vitamins at risk. Olestra also might havedetrimental effects on bowel movements, the report said.
It said about 90 percent of the U.S. populationconsumes low-fat food products containing fat substitutes, yetthe obesity rate continues to rise among both adults and children,with approximately 60 percent of all Americans now consideredclinically overweight or obese.
Americans might think they are doing themselvesa favor by eating low-fat foods containing fat substitutes, Wylie-Rosettsaid, but they could actually be doing themselves a disservice.
"We tend to be dichotomous in our foods,"she said. "It's either good or bad."
Regular fat can fit into an overall healthydiet. The message on the fat substitutes is "more of a stopand think of what you're overall eating," Wylie-Rosett said.And learn how to read nutrition labeling when shopping for foods.
"People have to look at labels,"she added.
The report is published in the June 11 issueof Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association.
Fat substitutes became widely used in thepast two decades as people became more interested in reducingtheir fat intake. They are used to maintain taste and consistencyof some products and are found in many products, from cookiesto potato chips to ice cream -- foods that typically are not recommendedfor healthy eating.
"Consumers' No. 1 choice for foodsthey select is taste and nutrition kind of follows that,"Cindy Moore, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Associationand director of nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation inCleveland, Ohio, told UPI. "There is that disconnect thatconsumers think they're eating a product that has a low-fat, fat-freetype of label so they're free to consume how much they want."
Although questions have circulated aroundOlestra's possible side effects, Moore said "the sciencesupports the safety of Olestra, and again, within reasonable amountsin the diet." However, "products that contain Olestraaren't really big hits in the grocery store."
Moore said while monitoring fat intake isimportant, people need to be aware of their overall caloric intake,too.
"Most of the time, individuals don'tpay attention to the amount of calories in a serving," shesaid.