Fake fats, real threat

Vegetarian Times, Feb, 1997 by Catherine Censor Shemo

A few years from now, people will call these the dark ages -- the era when exercise, sensible eating habits and portion control embittered the lives of millions. Legions of rail-thin future Americans will flock to museums to see the recumbent bicycles, stair-climbers and treadmills that were their grandparents' familiar toil. And while they reflect on these sad sights over cheesecake-brownie sundaes, our svelte grandchildren will lift their glasses of eggnog in praise of the people who freed humanity from its dietary shackles: the food manufacturers of the 1990s.

If I weren't such a cynic, I'd be proud to be living in the era that gave birth to Z-trim, a "side-effect free" fake fat made from the huffs of oats, corn or soybeans. I'd treasure the December 1993 issue of Food Processing, an industry trade journal heralding the arrival of: Avebe America Inc.'s PASELLI SA2, a substance made from natural potato starch that "fits consumers' requirements for both a fatty consistency and mouth feel;" Rhone-Poulenc's Dairytrim, a "cohydrolized rice flour and oat flour" combo that "gives you just the creaminess and flavor quality that you need in a dairy ingredient" or Hercules, Inc.'s Slendid gum that can be used in dairy, baked goods, soups, sauces and, believe it or not, meat dishes.

Bulking agents Reduced-calorie fake fats! Truly, Americans enjoy an embarrassment of riches courtesy of our dedicated folk in lab coats. It almost makes me want to cheer. Almost. While there's something touching about our national faith in science's ability to wave its magic wand and magically transform fattening treats into health food, all this food meddling is potentially dangerous.

Some fake fats -- specially Olestra, which actually strips vitamins A, E and beta carotene from the body and causes some people to go through an extra change of underwear -- can be harmful in and of themselves. Fortunately, most people don't eat sufficient quantities to leach important nutrients from their bodies. What bothers me more is the notion that fake foods are becoming a substitute for the real McCoy. Several recent studies of American eating habits, including one by Barry M. Popkin, M.D., of the University of North Carolina, reveal that consumption of grains, fruits and vegetables, aside from french fries, has decreased among many groups of Americans.

It would stand to reason, given our already abysmal eating habits, that reducing the fat in those fries would be a good idea. Unfortunately, the introduction of fake fat foods will make us fatter and even unhealthier than we were before. Dieters, lulled into thinking fat-free means "free-for-all," will simply eat more, making up the savings in fat calories in sugar and starch. Savvy nutritionists have already seen this effect with the current crop of "fat-free" and reduced-fat products on the market. They even have a name for this phenomenon" the "Snackwell Effect," named after the fat-free cookies that some devour by the boxful.

Some food manufacturers claim their fake fats will help Americans curb their appetite for the real stuff. Marion Nestle, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at New York University and one of the architects of the 1996 federal dietary guidelines, disagrees, saying fake fats may actually pump up our consumption of real fats: "When artificial sweeteners were introduced, they had absolutely no impact on the consumption of caloric sweeteners," says Nestle. "In fact, sugar consumption, as well as body weights, rose steadily and both have now reached an all-time high. I predict that fat substitutes will have a similar impact."

So if you're tempted to toast that roseate future when everyone will be thin and they'll all get to eat loads of fattening stuff, better do it with a glass of spring water. While food manufacturers can fiddle with the fat content of their products, they can't package good health or good sense. Eating well will remain the responsibility of the consumer, now and forever. Science may be able to defang our dietary demons, but it can't save us from ourselves.