Fat substitute

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Synthetically produced artificial fats that are added to food are primarily referred to as fat substitutes . They have the physical properties of fat , but have no chemical resemblance to natural fats. They usually consist of sucrose polyester, i.e. compounds of sucrose with other carbohydrates and fatty acids , but also paraffins . The best-known fat substitute of this type is Olestra from the manufacturer Procter & Gamble . Olestra has been approved in the US since the 1990s, but not within the EU . Fat replacement products have practically no physiological calorific value because they are indigestible and are excreted by the body without being used. In the USA there are mainly potato chips and other snacks that contain Olestra instead of natural fat. The products are primarily aimed at the overweight target group .

Fat substitutes

Often, fat substitutes are also referred to as fat substitutes. In contrast to synthetic fats, they consist of natural raw materials, mostly carbohydrates or protein . A well-known product is called Simplesse and is made from whey protein . Fat substitutes are mainly used in the food industry in light products to reduce the fat content and the physiological calorific value. The taste effect of the fat substitutes is similar to that of fat, but is not identical. In contrast to fat substitutes, these substances can only be heated to a limited extent, since protein is only heat-stable up to around 65 ° C. They are therefore mostly added to desserts , ice cream or mayonnaise . Some fat substitutes are completely digested and have a lower calorific value than real fat, while others are incompletely digested and partially broken down by microorganisms in the large intestine. These substances are approved in the EU.

Known species

  • Carrageenan (based on carbohydrates)
  • Simplesse (based on protein)
  • Maltrin (based on starch)
  • Paselli SA2 (based on starch)
  • Inulin (based on carbohydrates)

Side effects

The fat substitutes approved in the EU are considered to be harmless to health. For protein allergy sufferers, it can be a problem that these substances are often not explicitly declared as containing protein on packaged foods. Substitute substances based on starch are usually declared as starch . Substances that cannot be digested by the human body such as inulin are partly broken down by the intestinal flora and can cause flatulence .

Olestra can have severe side effects. Frequently, intestinal cramps, diarrhea and especially fecal incontinence , as the sphincter of the anus paraffins can not hold back. Products containing Olestra had to carry a warning label until 2003 in the USA.

Evaluation and criticism

Fat substitutes are considered unproblematic. There are a number of concerns about fat substitutes like Olestra. Their use is rejected by many nutritionists, as fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A , vitamin E and vitamin D are also excreted unabsorbed through their ingestion with food , which can lead to deficiencies in the long term. Therefore z. B. Olestra enriched with these fat-soluble vitamins, which should compensate for the loss.

In an independent pharmacological evaluation by German scientists, the use of pseudo fats such as Olestra was rated critically. Among other things, the intestinal flora is affected. "If more than 30 percent of the dietary fat is replaced by, for example, Olestra, this leads to abdominal cramps and diarrhea, which is particularly unpleasant for paraffin-like substances because of the incontinence of the sphincter."

The use of fat substitutes and fat substitutes is justified with a desired reduction in the energy supplied by food so that weight loss is made easier (see: Energy balance of nutrition ). However, scientific studies in animals and humans have shown that the body notices the replacement of natural fats and reacts with increased feelings of hunger , so that the result is often an increase in food intake. In animal experiments, there was even weight gain due to feeding with added fat substitutes. According to Udo Pollmer , fat consumption in industrialized countries is fairly constant at 40 percent of energy intake, which he regards as an indication of biological regulation.

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b Olaf Adam et al .: Pharmacological evaluation of obesity therapeutics , in: Dt. Ärzteblatt, issue 50, 1999 .

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