Let’s face it, a bowl of ice cream is more enticing and filling than a carrot. The moistness and consistency of fat draws us to the calorie counter.

We know it makes sense to cut down fat intake for our health. In early 1997, it was reported that nearly ninety percent of adult Americans now eat reduced-fat products---about twice as many as did ten years ago.

Knowing the elements of fat (creamy texture, palatability, taste) are important to consumers, companies began researching a no-fat, high-taste alternative more than twenty years ago. Procter and Gamble to the rescue. Their answer; Olestra.

Olestra (brand name Olean) is a synthetic compound of oils and sugars that provide the consistency, flavor and feel of fat without the calories. That’s right, only your mouth will think it’s eating fat. The rest of your body basically says, "What is this? I don't know. Ship it out!" And that’s what it does.

Olestra passes through your intestines without being absorbed. It doesn't leave empty handed though. Unfortunately, it takes fat soluble vitamins and cartoenoids (like the health-promoting beta carotene, found in fruits and vegetables) right along with it. It also can cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. So, you can either wear diapers when you eat this fat substitute or know where the nearest bathroom is.

Olean is currently being introduced nationally in Frito-Lay chips (WOW! Was the brand name just introduced into our market.) Other chip products you will find Olean in are Ruffles, Lay’s MAX chips, Tostitos and Doritos· It can convert 14 potato chips that formerly had 150 calories and ten grams of fat to a seventy calories, zero-fat snack.

Some people think a stomachache and diarrhea are worth it to eat no-fat chips. My preference would be to eat the carrot, or at least, to eat a smaller amount of the 'real thing" in a lite or baked version. At least my body knows what to do with those foods.

If I sound pretty down on Olean, it’s because I am. In as few words as I can, let me explain my caution.

In 1983 G.D. Searle introduced aspartame (a.k.a. NutraSweet & Equal) into the markets as a sweetener in soda (pop depending on your part of the country). It has since become a sugar substitute in hundreds of other products such as yogurt, gelatin, juices, hot chocolate, ice cream, vitamins and gum. There are now more than 8,000 complaints before the FDA arguing against the health safety of aspartame. For some individuals, aspartame has serious side effects. Why would we eat a product with so many negative symptoms related to it. To lose weight? To reduce sugar consumption? Nope.

Instead of reducing our consumption of sugar annually, it has risen. Instead of losing weight, Americans have become heavier. According to the Agriculture Research Service, we consume on average 19 teaspoons of sugar every day. (When I began speaking on this topic nine years ago, our consumption of sugar was listed as 129 pounds per person per year, I recently saw a statistic of 149 pounds per year.)

If a sugar substitute didn't reduce sugar consumption, what would make us reduce our fat intake, especially if we could eat "fat-like" foods without the calories? I predict more Americans will opt to eat larger quantities of non-healthy, non-life producing, vitamin robbing food substitutes in larger quantities. Fat isn't bad, it needs to be eaten in smaller quantities.

Twenty years ago, I worked for Bakers Square (Poppin' Fresh at the time). People would order "A Tab with a hot pecan a la mode." (Hoping, I'm sure the Tab to offset the 1000 calorie dessert.) Soon, they will order, "A diet pop (with aspartame) and no-fat pie with no-fat or sugar ice cream (olean and aspartame together)." I hope the server thinks to point the direction to the nearest bathroom as well.

To get the most recent information on Olestra, check out CSPI’s web page at www.cspinet.org.

CALL US: 888.LIF.WALK

Kate is a senior partner with CLC, Inc.