A Consumer's Guide to Fats

                          by Eleanor Mayfield



Once upon a time, we didn't know anything about fat except that it made
foods tastier. We cooked our food in lard or shortening. We spread
butter on our breakfast toast and plopped sour cream on our baked
potatoes. Farmers bred their animals to produce milk with high butterfat
content and meat "marbled" with fat because that was what most people
wanted to eat.

But ever since word got out that diets high in fat are related to heart
disease, things have become more complicated. Experts tell us there are
several different kinds of fat, some of them worse for us than others.
In addition to saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats,
there are triglycerides, trans fatty acids, and omega 3 and omega 6
fatty acids.

Most people have learned something about cholesterol, and many of us
have been to the doctor for a blood test to learn our cholesterol
"number." Now, however, it turns out that there's more than one kind of
cholesterol, too.

Almost every day there are newspaper reports of new studies or
recommendations about what to eat or what not to eat: Lard is bad, olive
oil is good, margarine is better for you than butter-- then again, maybe
it's not.

Amid the welter of confusing terms and conflicting details, consumers
are often baffled about how to improve their diets.

FDA recently issued new regulations that will enable consumers to see
clearly on a food product's label how much and what kind of fat the
product contains. (See "A Little  Lite  Reading" in the June 1993 FDA
Consumer.) Understanding the terms used to discuss fat is crucial if you
want to make sure your diet is within recommended guidelines (see
accompanying article).

Fats and Fatty Acids

Fats are a group of chemical compounds that contain fatty acids. Energy
is stored in the body mostly in the form of fat. Fat is needed in the
diet to supply essential fatty acids, substances essential for growth
but not produced by the body itself.

There are three main types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated. All fatty acids are molecules composed mostly of
carbon and hydrogen atoms. A saturated fatty acid has the maximum
possible number of hydrogen atoms attached to every carbon atom. It is
therefore said to be "saturated" with hydrogen atoms.

Some fatty acids are missing one pair of hydrogen atoms in the middle of
the molecule. This gap is called an "unsaturation" and the fatty acid is
said to be "monounsaturated" because it has one gap. Fatty acids that
are missing more than one pair of hydrogen atoms are called
"polyunsaturated."

Saturated fats (which contain saturated fatty acids) are mostly found in
foods of animal origin. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (which
contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) are mostly
found in foods of plant origin and some seafoods. Polyunsaturated fatty
acids are of two kinds, omega-3 or omega-6. Scientists tell them apart
by where in the molecule the "unsaturations," or missing hydrogen atoms,
occur.

Recently a new term has been added to the fat lexicon: trans fatty
acids. These are byproducts of partial hydrogenation, a process in which
some of the missing hydrogen atoms are put back into polyunsaturated
fats. "Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils," such as vegetable
shortening and margarine, are solid at room temperature.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is sort of a "cousin" of fat. Both fat and cholesterol
belong to a larger family of chemical compounds called lipids. All the
cholesterol the body needs is made by the liver. It is used to build
cell membranes and brain and nerve tissues. Cholesterol also helps the
body produce steroid hormones needed for body regulation, including
processing food, and bile acids needed for digestion.

People don't need to consume dietary cholesterol because the body can
make enough cholesterol for its needs. But the typical U.S. diet
contains substantial amounts of cholesterol, found in foods such as egg
yolks, liver, meat, some shellfish, and whole- milk dairy products. Only
foods of animal origin contain cholesterol.

Cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream in large molecules of fat
and protein called lipoproteins. Cholesterol carried in low-density
lipoproteins is called LDL-cholesterol; most cholesterol is of this
type. Cholesterol carried in high-density lipoproteins is called
HDL-cholesterol. (See "Fat Words.")

A person's cholesterol "number" refers to the total amount of
cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per
deciliter (mg/dl) of blood. (A deciliter is a tenth of a liter.) Doctors
recommend that total blood cholesterol be kept below 200 mg/dl. The
average level in adults in this country is 205 to 215 mg/dl. Studies in
the United States and other countries have consistently shown that total
cholesterol levels above 200 to 220 mg/dl are linked with an increased
risk of coronary heart disease. (See "Lowering Cholesterol" in the March
1994 FDA Consumer.)

LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol act differently in the body. A high
level of LDL-cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of fatty
deposits forming in the arteries, which in turn increases the risk of a
heart attack. Thus, LDL-cholesterol has been dubbed "bad" cholesterol.

On the other hand, an elevated level of HDL-cholesterol seems to have a
protective effect against heart disease. For this reason,
HDL-cholesterol is often called "good" cholesterol.

In 1992, a panel of medical experts convened by the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) recommended that individuals should have their level of
HDL-cholesterol checked along with their total cholesterol.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a
component of NIH, a healthy person who is not at high risk for heart
disease and whose total cholesterol level is in the normal range (around
200 mg/dl) should have an HDL-cholesterol level of more than 35 mg/dl.
NHLBI also says that an LDL- cholesterol level of less than 130 mg/dl is
"desirable" to minimize the risk of heart disease.

Some very recent studies have suggested that LDL-cholesterol is more
likely to cause fatty deposits in the arteries if it has been through a
chemical change known as oxidation. However, these findings are not
accepted by all scientists.

The NIH panel also advised that individuals with high total cholesterol
or other risk factors for coronary heart disease should have their
triglyceride levels checked along with their HDL- cholesterol levels.

Triglycerides and VLDL

Triglyceride is another form in which fat is transported through the
blood to the body tissues. Most of the body's stored fat is in the form
of triglycerides. Another lipoprotein--very low- density lipoprotein, or
VLDL--has the job of carrying triglycerides in the blood. NHLBI
considers a triglyceride level below 250 mg/dl to be normal.

It is not clear whether high levels of triglycerides alone increase an
individual's risk of heart disease. However, they may be an important
clue that someone is at risk of heart disease for other reasons. Many
people who have elevated triglycerides also have high LDL-cholesterol or
low HDL-cholesterol. People with diabetes or kidney disease--two
conditions that increase the risk of heart disease--are also prone to
high triglycerides.

Dietary Fat and Cholesterol Levels

Many people are confused about the effect of dietary fats on cholesterol
levels. At first glance, it seems reasonable to think that eating less
cholesterol would reduce a person's cholesterol level. In fact, eating
less cholesterol has less effect on blood cholesterol levels than eating
less saturated fat. However, some studies have found that eating
cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease even if it doesn't
increase blood cholesterol levels.

Another misconception is that people can improve their cholesterol
numbers by eating "good" cholesterol. In food, all cholesterol is the
same. In the blood, whether cholesterol is "good" or "bad" depends on
the type of lipoprotein that's carrying it.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats do not promote the formation of
artery-clogging fatty deposits the way saturated fats do. Some studies
show that eating foods that contain these fats can reduce levels of
LDL-cholesterol in the blood. Polyunsaturated fats, such as safflower
and corn oil, tend to lower both HDL- and LDL-cholesterol. Edible oils
rich in monounsaturated fats, such as olive and canola oil, however,
tend to lower LDL-cholesterol without affecting HDL levels.

How Do We Know Fat's a Problem?

In 1908, scientists first observed that rabbits fed a diet of meat,
whole milk, and eggs developed fatty deposits on the walls of their
arteries that constricted the flow of blood. Narrowing of the arteries
by these fatty deposits is called atherosclerosis. It is a slowly
progressing disease that can begin early in life but not show symptoms
for many years. In 1913, scientists identified the substance responsible
for the fatty deposits in the rabbits' arteries as cholesterol.

In 1916, Cornelius de Langen, a Dutch physician working in Java,
Indonesia, noticed that native Indonesians had much lower rates of heart
disease than Dutch colonists living on the island. He reported this
finding to a medical journal, speculating that the Indonesians' healthy
hearts were linked with their low levels of blood cholesterol.

De Langen also noticed that both blood cholesterol levels and rates of
heart disease soared among Indonesians who abandoned their native diet
of mostly plant foods and ate a typical Dutch diet containing a lot of
meat and dairy products. This was the first recorded suggestion that
diet, cholesterol levels, and heart disease were related in humans. But
de Langen's observations lay unnoticed in an obscure medical journal for
more than 40 years.

After World War II, medical researchers in Scandinavia noticed that
deaths from heart disease had declined dramatically during the war, when
food was rationed and meat, dairy products, and eggs were scarce. At
about the same time, other researchers found that people who suffered
heart attacks had higher levels of blood cholesterol than people who did
not have heart attacks.

Since then, a large body of scientific evidence has been gathered
linking high blood cholesterol and a diet high in animal fats with an
elevated risk of heart attack. In countries where the average person's
blood cholesterol level is less than 180 mg/dl, very few people develop
atherosclerosis or have heart attacks. In many countries where a lot of
people have blood cholesterol levels above 220 mg/dl, such as the United
States, heart disease is the leading cause of death.

High rates of heart disease are commonly found in countries where the
diet is heavy with meat and dairy products containing a lot of saturated
fats. However, high-fat diets and high rates of heart disease don't
inevitably go hand-in-hand.

Learning from Other Cultures

People living on the Greek island of Crete have very low rates of heart
disease even though their diet is high in fat. Most of their dietary fat
comes from olive oil, a monounsaturated fat that tends to lower levels
of "bad" LDL-cholesterol and maintain levels of "good" HDL-cholesterol.

The Inuit, or Eskimo, people of Alaska and Greenland also are relatively
free of heart disease despite a high-fat, high- cholesterol diet. The
staple food in their diet is fish rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty
acids.

Some research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as
salmon and mackerel as well as in soybean and canola oil, lower both
LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Some nutrition
experts recommend eating fish once or twice a week to  reduce heart
disease risk. However, dietary supplements containing concentrated fish
oil are not recommended because there is insufficient evidence that they
are beneficial and little is known about their long-term effects.

Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids have also been found in some studies
to reduce both LDL- and HDL-cholesterol levels in the blood. Linoleic
acid, an essential nutrient (one that the body cannot make for itself)
and a component of corn, soybean and safflower oil, is an omega-6 fatty
acid.

At one time, many nutrition experts recommended increasing consumption
of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats because of their
cholesterol-lowering effects. Now, however, the advice is simply to
reduce dietary intake of all types of fat. (Infants and young children,
however, should not restrict dietary fat.)

The available information on fats may be voluminous and is sometimes
confusing. But sorting through the information becomes easier once you
know the terms and some of the history.

The "bottom line" is actually quite simple, according to John E.
Vanderveen, Ph.D., director of the Office of Plant and Dairy Foods and
Beverages in FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.  What
we should be doing is removing as much of the saturated fat from our
diet as we can. We need to select foods that are lower in total fat and
especially in saturated fat." In a nutshell, that means eating fewer
foods of animal origin, such as meat and whole-milk dairy products, and
more plant foods such as vegetables and grains. n

Eleanor Mayfield is a writer in Silver Spring, Md.

Fat Words

Here are brief definitions of the key terms important to an
understanding of the role of fat in the diet. Cholesterol: A chemical
compound manufactured in the body. It is used to build cell membranes
and brain and nerve tissues. Cholesterol also helps the body make
steroid hormones and bile acids.

Dietary cholesterol: Cholesterol found in animal products that are part
of the human diet. Egg yolks, liver, meat, some shellfish, and
whole-milk dairy products are all sources of dietary cholesterol. Fatty
acid: A molecule composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Fatty
acids are the building blocks of fats. Fat: A chemical compound
containing one or more fatty acids. Fat is one of the three main
constituents of food (the others are protein and carbohydrate). It is
also the principal form in which energy is stored in the body.

Hydrogenated fat: A fat that has been chemically altered by the addition
of hydrogen atoms (see trans fatty acid). Vegetable oil and margarine
are hydrogenated fats. Lipid: A chemical compound characterized by the
fact that it is insoluble in water. Both fat and cholesterol are members
of the lipid family.

Lipoprotein: A chemical compound made of fat and protein. Lipoproteins
that have more fat than protein are called low-density lipoproteins
(LDLs). Lipoproteins that have more protein than fat are called
high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). Lipoproteins are found in the blood,
where their main function is to carry cholesterol. Monounsaturated fatty
acid: A fatty acid that is missing one pair of hydrogen atoms in the
middle of the molecule. The gap is called an "unsaturation."
Monounsaturated fatty acids are found mostly in plant and sea foods.

Monounsaturated fat: A fat made of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive
oil and canola oil are monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats tend
to lower levels of LDL-cholesterol in the blood.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid: A fatty acid that is missing more than one
pair of hydrogen atoms. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are mostly found in
plant and sea foods.

Polyunsaturated fat: A fat made of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Safflower oil and corn oil are polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated
fats tend to lower levels of both HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in
the blood.

Saturated fatty acid: A fatty acid that has the maximum possible number
of hydrogen atoms attached to every carbon atom. It is said to be
"saturated" with hydrogen atoms. Saturated fatty acids are mostly found
in animal products such as meat and whole milk. Saturated fat: A fat
made of saturated fatty acids. Butter and lard are saturated fats.
Saturated fats tend to raise levels of LDL- cholesterol ("bad"
cholesterol) in the blood. Elevated levels of LDL-cholesterol are
associated with heart disease.

Trans fatty acid: A polyunsaturated fatty acid in which some of the
missing hydrogen atoms have been put back in a chemical process called
hydrogenation. Trans fatty acids are the building blocks of hydrogenated
fats. n

--E.M.

Government Advice

Dietary guidelines endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advise consumers to:

Reduce total dietary fat intake to 30 percent or less of total calories.

Reduce saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of calories.

Reduce cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams daily.

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                       Taking the Fat Out of Food

                  A Reprint from FDA Consumer Magazine

                           by Paula Kurtzweil


[Graphic Omitted]

Food manufacturers are making it easier for fat-conscious consumers to
have their cake and eat it, too--and their cheeses, chips, chocolate,
cookies, ice cream, salad dressings, and various other foods that are
now available in lower fat versions.

These products can help adult consumers reduce their fat intakes to
recommended levels while allowing them to enjoy foods traditionally high
in fat. A diet high in fat can contribute to heart disease and some
forms of cancer and, because fats are calorie-dense, to excessive body
weight.

A host of fat substitutes that replaces most, if not all, of the fat in
a food, makes these lower fat foods possible. Most of these fat
replacers are ingredients already approved by the Food and Drug
Administration for other uses in food. For instance, starches and gums
are approved as thickeners and stabilizers. New compounds, such as
olestra, have undergone or will undergo close scrutiny by FDA to assess
their safety.

In theory, the perfect fat replacer is one that contributes everything
fat does in a food but without the calories, saturated fat, and
cholesterol. The question remains: Can fat-reduced products actually
reduce people's overall calorie intake and have a significant impact on
their total fat intake?

Fat in the Diet

Fat is a difficult substance to replace because it has many important
functions. A major nutrient, it is important for proper growth and
development and maintenance of good health. Fats carry the fat-soluble
vitamins A, D, E, and K and aid their absorption in the intestine. They
are the only source of the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic
acids. They are an important source of calories for many adults and for
infants and toddlers, who have the highest energy needs per kilogram of
body weight of any age group. Fat provides 9 calories per gram, compared
with 4 calories per gram for protein and carbohydrates.

As a food ingredient, fat is important in food preparation and
consumption because it gives taste, consistency, stability, and
palatability to foods and helps us feel full so we stop eating.

But there are limits on the amount we should eat because of fats' link
to heart disease, cancer and overweight. The Dietary Guidelines for
Americans recommend limiting total fat intake to no more than 30 percent
of calories and saturated fat to no more than 10 percent. Cholesterol
intake should be limited to no more than 300 milligrams a day. Saturated
fat and cholesterol are the substances in fat that contribute to the
formation of plaque, which clogs arteries, leading to heart disease.

Americans appear to be heeding the experts' advice because, according to
a 1995 annual survey by the Food Marketing Institute--an organization of
grocery retailers and wholesalers--65 percent of the consumers
surveyed--the highest level to date--rated fat as their No. 1 nutrition
concern. More than three-fourths of the consumers said they stopped
buying a specific food because of the amount of fat listed on the
nutrition label.

A 1995 survey by the Calorie Control Council--an international
association of manufacturers of low-calorie, low-fat, and diet foods and
beverages--found that 72 percent of respondents who said they look for
"light" foods said they are most attracted to food products claiming to
be "reduced in fat."

Manufacturers are responding by adding more and more reduced-fat foods
to their product lines. That corresponds to the Department of Health and
Human Services' Healthy People 2000 goal of increasing to 5,000 from
2,500 in 1986 the number of brand items reduced in fat and saturated
fat.

Regulation

Fat replacers can help reduce a food's fat and calorie levels while
maintaining some of the desirable qualities fat brings to food, such as
"mouth feel," texture and flavor.

Under FDA regulations, fat replacers usually fall into one of two
categories: food additives or "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS)
substances. Each has its own set of regulatory requirements.

Food additives must be evaluated for safety and approved by FDA before
they can be marketed. They include substances with no proven track
record of safety; scientists just don't know that much about their use
in food. Examples of food additives are polydextrose, carrageenan and
olestra, which are used as fat replacers. Manufacturers of food
additives must test their products, submit the results to FDA for
review, and await agency approval before using them in food.

GRAS substances, on the other hand, do not have to undergo rigorous
testing before they are used in foods because they are generally
recognized as safe by knowledgeable scientists, usually because of the
substances' long history of safe use in foods. Many GRAS substances are
similar to substances already in food. Examples of GRAS substances used
as fat replacers are cellulose gel, dextrins, guar gum, and gum arabic.

Sources

Fat replacers may be carbohydrate-, protein- or fat-based substances.
The first to hit the market used carbohydrate as the main ingredient.
Avicel, for example, is a cellulose gel introduced in the mid-1960s as a
food stabilizer. Carrageenan, a seaweed derivative, was approved for use
as an emulsifier, stabilizer and thickener in food in 1961. Its use as a
fat replacer became popular in the early 1990s. Litesse (polydextrose)
came on the market in 1981 as a humectant, which helps retain moisture.
Others in this category include dextrins, maltodextrins, fiber, gums,
starch, and modified food starch. FDA has affirmed many
carbohydrate-based fat replacers as GRAS.

Although their original intent was to perform certain technical
functions in food that would improve overall quality, some
carbohydrate-based fat replacers are now used specifically to reduce a
food's calorie content. They provide from zero to 4 calories per gram.
They are used in a variety of foods, including dairy-type products,
sauces, frozen desserts, salad dressings, processed meats, baked goods,
spreads, chewing gum, and sweets.

Protein-based fat substitutes came along in the early 1990s. These and
fat-based replacers were designed specifically to replace fat in foods.

One form, Microparticulated Protein Product (MPP), such as Simplesse and
Trailblazer, is made from whey protein or milk and egg protein. These
fat replacers provide 1 to 4 calories per gram, depending on their water
content, and are approved for use in frozen dessert-type foods. FDA has
agreed that whey-based MPP conforms to FDA's definition of whey protein
concentrate, such as the fat replacer Dairy-Lo, a GRAS substance.
Therefore, whey-based MPP can be used in other foods, including
reduced-fat versions of butter, sour cream, cheese, yogurt, salad
dressing, margarine, mayonnaise, baked goods, coffee creamer, soups, and
sauces.

Another type of protein-based fat replacers, called protein blends,
combine animal or vegetable protein, gums, food starch, and water. They
are made with FDA-approved ingredients and are used in frozen desserts
and baked goods.

Olestra

Olestra is an example of a fat-based fat replacer. FDA approved olestra
(brand name Olean), made by Procter & Gamble Co. of Cincinnati, in
January 1996, for use in preparing potato chips, crackers, tortilla
chips, and other savory snacks. Procter & Gamble said it expected to
begin test-marketing olestra-containing products in 1996.

Olestra has properties similar to those of naturally occurring fat, but
it provides zero calories and no fat. That's because olestra is
undigestible. It passes through the digestive tract but is not absorbed
into the body. This is due to its unique configuration: a center unit of
sucrose (sugar) with six, seven or eight fatty acids attached.

Olestra's configuration also makes it possible for the substance to be
exposed to high temperatures, such as frying--a quality most other fat
replacers lack.

As promising as olestra sounds, it does have some drawbacks. Studies
show that it may cause intestinal cramps and loose stools in some
individuals.

Also, according to clinical tests, olestra reduces the absorption of
fat-soluble nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K and carotenoids,
from foods eaten at the same time as olestra-containing products. Tests
by Procter & Gamble show that no reduction in absorption of fat-soluble
vitamins will occur when proper levels of vitamins are added for
compensation to olestra-containing foods.

To address these concerns, FDA approved olestra on conditions that
vitamins A, D, E, and K be added to olestra-containing foods and that
Procter & Gamble continue studies on consumption and long-term effects
of olestra. These studies will be reviewed at an FDA Food Advisory
Committee meeting in mid-1998.

To provide consumers with information about olestra's possible effects,
FDA also required that the following interim labeling statement appear
on products made with olestra:  "This Product contains Olestra. Olestra
may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the
absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E and K
have been added."

FDA has invited public comment on the need for such a label statement
and on the statement's adequacy and clarity. The agency will evaluate
those comments before issuing a final label statement.

Concern with olestra's drawbacks led one of olestra's critics, the
Center for Science in the Public Interest--a nonprofit consumer advocacy
organization--to file an objection to FDA's approval. FDA's response to
the objection is pending.

Other Replacers

Some other fat-based replacers are being considered or developed:
Salatrim (which stands for short and long-chain acid triglyceride
molecules) is the generic name for a family of reduced-calorie fats that
are only partially absorbed in the body. Salatrim provides 5 calories
per gram. A petition seeking FDA's affirmation that Salatrim is GRAS was
filed in June 1994. An example of its use is in Hershey Co.'s
reduced-fat baking chips, semi-sweet chocolate flavor.  Caprenin,
another Procter & Gamble product, is a 5-calorie-per-gram fat substitute
for cocoa butter in candy bars. A petition seeking FDA's affirmation
that Caprenin is GRAS was filed in 1991.  Emulsifiers are fat-based
substances that are used with water to replace all or part of the
shortening content in cake mixes, cookies, icings, and vegetable dairy
products. They give the same calories as fat but less is used, resulting
in fat and calorie reductions.

Other fat replacers are being developed, according to the Calorie
Control Council and other organizations. They include DDM (dialkyl
dihexadecylmalonate), a fat-based substance that is not absorbed into
the body and can be used in frying and baking. Frito-Lay Inc. has been
studying this fat substitute since 1986, although it has not yet
petitioned FDA for approval. Also on the horizon is a fat substitute
made by combining starches or gums with small amounts of oil. Opta Food
Ingredients Inc. received an exclusive license from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture last February for the process, called Fantesk. This fat
replacer would give foods the taste and texture of regular fat but
provide less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.

Reducing Dietary Fat

Can these fat replacers help consumers make positive dietary changes?
Can they help those who are overweight lose weight?

It may be too early to say, and studies to date give varying answers.
For example, in a study of lean non-dieting men, one group ate
breakfasts of conventional fat foods, while the other ate
olestra-containing foods. Those who ate the olestra-containing foods
made up their usual daily calorie intake by eating more
carbohydrate-containing foods. The study, sponsored partly by Procter &
Gamble and published in a 1992 issue of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition (Volume 56), suggested that a diet of reduced-fat foods can
help reduce fat intake without affecting total calories.

Fat intake also was decreased in a study of 96 men and women "habitual
snackers." One group was fed potato chips prepared with olestra, while
the rest ate potato chips prepared with conventional frying oil. The
group fed olestra chips ate on average 29 grams less fat and 270 fewer
calories a day than those fed regular chips--even though those who knew
they were eating fat-free chips ate 10 grams of chips more than those
who ate regular chips. This study, done at Pennsylvania State
University, also was partly sponsored by Procter & Gamble.

A possible concern about fat replacers is: Can foods claiming to be
reduced in fat inadvertently influence people to eat more? Another study
at Pennsylvania State University suggests they might. In this study,
women were fed the same yogurt labeled either "high-fat" or "low-fat."
The group fed the low-fat-labeled version ate more in a lunch that
followed the yogurt than the group eating the high-fat-labeled yogurt.
As a result, the group eating what they thought was low-fat yogurt took
in more calories than the other group.

"It appeared that these women regarded the low-fat label as a license to
overeat," wrote Debra Miller, a doctoral student in biobehavioral health
and nutrition at Pennsylvania State, in an article she prepared for
Weight Control Digest.

Still, reduced fat foods appear to be an important part of a
fat-reduction diet, according to a study involving the Women's Health
Trial. The study, designed to determine the role of low-fat diets in the
prevention of breast cancer, found that eating "specially manufactured"
low-fat foods was one of the most easily adopted dietary practices for
those who received prior dietary instruction. Avoiding meats and giving
up fats as flavorings (for example, eating bread without butter or
margarine) were among the most difficult practices to adopt.

In using reduced-fat foods, the American Dietetic Association cautions
consumers to realize that fat-free doesn't mean calorie-free. The
calories lost in removing regular fat from a food can be regained
through sugars added for palatability, as well as fat replacers, many of
which provide calories, too. Consumers should refer to the Nutrition
Facts panel on the food label to compare calories and other nutrition
information between fat-reduced and regular-fat foods.

Many nutrition experts agree that, used properly, fat replacers can play
an important role in improving adult Americans' diets. But, as with any
diet or food, they emphasize variety and moderation to ensure a healthy
intake.

"These [fat replacers] are truly innovative ideas," said Dennis Gordon,
Ph.D., a food scientist at North Dakota State University, Columbia. "But
they shouldn't be looked at as a total panacea. [The advice] is the same
as with anything: Be prudent."

Paula Kurtzweil is a member of FDA's public affairs staff.

FDA Consumer magazine (July-August 1996