After reading through the astounding list of foods and
additives that are allowed to be used in many of the foods that Americans
consume each day, the one that caught my attention the most was a fake fat
substitute called Olestra/Olean. Most
commonly known by its brand name, Olean, this fat substitute has been found in
numerous high-fat foods, such as potato chips (specifically including Frito-Lay’s
Light chips and Procter & Gamble’s Pringles brand chips), and fast-food
fries. Although Olean does not add fat, calories, or cholesterol to its
products, there are still many evident concerns about its negative
side-effects.
So what is the problem with adding
Olean to one’s dietary menu? Well, as part of a study conducted by Purdue
University in 2011 that fed rats with potato chips containing Olean, the results
showed that the rats gained significant weight. Also, several reports have
proven adverse intestinal side-affects to Olean, including diarrhea, cramps,
and leaky bowls. However, the main problem with adding Olean as a fat
substitute into one’s diet is the fact that it interferes with the absorption
of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. The scariest part about this
knowledge, though, is that since 1996 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
allowed products with Olestra to be made in the United States as long as these
vitamins are added to such products after being processed.
Now that Olestra/Olean has been
proven as a harmful fat substitute found in many of the foods eaten by individuals
throughout the nation, what is the next step of action? Looking at other
countries around the world aware of this information, both the United Kingdom
(UK) and Canada have actually banned this fake fat substitute from their food
products. As a concerned citizen living in the United States, and someone who eats food
products that contain Olestra/Olean, I advocate the removal of this additive
from the American diet as well.
For a list of common food products
that contain Olestra/Olean or for more information about this additive, click
on the link below:
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI found a website that is pretty much dedicated to the facts and effects of Olestra/Oleen. It helped me to better understand exactly what the product as well as its history, and elaborated on many of the side effects.
http://www.cspinet.org/olestra/index.html
Also, through this website I've found information stating that many consumers actually dislike the taste olestra gives products, and the sales of foods containing olestra have actually diminished. However, because foods containing the additive are usually marketed as "healthier," I suppose that unless more information about the dangers of olestra is made public, Americans will continue to consume foods containing it. Great post. :)
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI found a website that is put out by Proctor and Gamble about Olean and it raised some questions for me. I know that it is biased because Proctor and Gamble are large producers of Olean but it was still a good website.
They claimed that even thought the lab rats gained weight there have been scientific studies that show it does not have the same effect on humans. They also say that combined with an overall healthy lifestyle it could help someone loose weight because they aren't taking in so many calories.
Some of their claims seem to be believable, and they even point out that Americans have been consuming Olean for 16 years with no directly related health issues. Just some other thought on it, but I still think there needs to be more unbiased research conducted. Nice post!
https://olean.com/default.asp