Consuming potato chips that contain the "fake fat" olestra may result in a misdiagnosis of sometimes serious digestive disorders. Steatorrhea, or excess fat in the stool, can indicate gastrointestinal disorders in which patients are unable to digest or absorb certain nutrients. The present study found that healthy people who consume olestra can have levels of fat in their stool similar to those of patients with steatorrhea.
False-positive results on tests for the malabsorption syndrome could lead to unnecessary medical investigations, some of which are expensive or can be associated with serious complications. This study found that consuming 5 ounces of olestra-containing potato chips a day generates a fecal fat output of 14 to more than 23 grams a day. About 7 grams a day is considered the upper limit of normal for fecal fat output. The results are not surprising given that olestra acts like a mineral oil in the digestive tract.
If you eat chips fried in indigestible oil, the oil will leak out and take everything soluble in fat with it. Foods that contain olestra have the taste and texture of foods that contain actual fat. Unlike the real thing, however, olestra passes through the body undigested, allowing people who consume olestra-containing products to enjoy the foods such as potato chips, without the high calorie count associated with fat-containing regular foods.
The small study found that a daily intake of 40 grams of olestra increased the amount of fat in the feces. Forty grams sounds like a lot but that's only the amount in 5 ounces of potato chips, easily consumed by anyone who can't eat just one. The researchers note that no studies have been done on humans to determine how long olestra remains in the gut. But studies of other nonabsorbable substances indicate that it can take up to 7 days for such substances to be eliminated. Doctors may want to take this into account when investigating patients for gastrointestinal problems, they conclude.
Annals of Internal Medicine February 15, 2000;132:279-282.
Folks, this is another no brainer. Olestra is not good for you. It might even be worse than Nutrasweet. And, if you are still not convinced about Nutrasweet, please read this 80 page article. I am delighted and grateful that Olestra information is being published in some reputable journals. The situation here is not to dissimilar to the one with aspartame.