Fat substitute

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A fat substitute is a food product with the same functions, stability, physical, and chemical characteristics as regular fat, with fewer calories per gram than fat. They are utilized in the production of low fat and low calorie foods. [1]

Contents

Background

Fat is present in most foods. It provides a unique texture, flavor, and aroma to the food it is found in. [2] While fat is essential to life, it can be detrimental to health when consumed in excess of physiological requirements. [1] High fat diets increase risk of heart disease, weight gain, and some cancers. High blood cholesterol is more prevalent in those that consume diets high in saturated fats, and it increases risk for coronary heart disease in those individuals. [3] The use of fat substitutes in food products allows for maintenance of the food’s original quality characteristics without the associated risks of fat consumption. In the absence of energy-dense fat molecules, products utilizing fat substitutes are generally lower in calories than their full-fat counterparts. [1]

Applications

Fat substitutes can be divided into four categories based on the food component from which they are derived, [1] as shown in Figure 1.

CategoryType and exampleFunction
Carbohydrate-basedBinder, body, bulk, flavor, moisture retention, mouth feel
Protein-basedMouth feel, water-binding, reduce syneresis (separation of water from other constituents, leading to loss of texture, spread characteristics, and mouth feel)
Fat-basedEmulsion, mouth feel
Combination
  • Carbohydrate and protein (Mimix)
  • Carbohydrate and fat (Optamax)
Flavour, texture, mouth feel, water retention

Figure 1: Categories of fat substitutes based on composition. Like fat itself, such compounds have a variety of functions in food products. Table adapted from the American Dietetic Association’s 2005 report on fat replacers. [1]

Potential benefits

Consumption of fat substitutes can assist in lowering total overall fat and calorie intake from foods. This has positive implications for those looking to reduce either one of these, especially when in a disease state associated with high fat diets. While fat substitution alone can reduce the percentage of kilocalories ingested from dietary fat, it may not reduce an individual’s total energy intake (in terms of kilocalories) unless the rest of the diet is of high quality and low energy density. [1]

Safety

Few concerns have been raised about the safety of fat substitutes. Carrageenan, olestra, and polydextrose have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as food additives, a title which requires both intensive testing over a wide demographic and the ability to meet strict, pre-determined, FDA criteria. Other products, such as guar gum and maltodextrose, are "Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)" by the FDA; this is also based on scientific testing and long-term consumption by a variety of consumer demographics. [4] [5] With excessive use, polydextrose can have a laxative effect, and olestra may cause loss of fat-soluble vitamins in the form of fatty stools and is liquid at body temperature. [6] Esterified propoxylated glycerol (EPG), which is a solid at body temperature, [7] achieved GRAS status for confectionery uses in November, 2015. EPG's GRAS status expanded to use at levels up to 38 percent by weight in baked goods and baking mixes, frozen dairy desserts and mixes, grain products and pasta, gravies and sauces, nuts and nut products, and soft candy. [8] At this time, there is little supporting evidence to accompany claims that these, or other fat substitutes, are hazardous; however, more long-term research is needed. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat</span> Esters of fatty acid or triglycerides

In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugar substitute</span> Sugarless food additive intended to provide a sweet taste

A sugar substitute is a food additive that provides a sweetness like that of sugar while containing significantly less food energy than sugar-based sweeteners, making it a zero-calorie or low-calorie sweetener. Artificial sweeteners may be derived through manufacturing of plant extracts or processed by chemical synthesis. Sugar substitute products are commercially available in various forms, such as small pills, powders, and packets.

A saturated fat is a type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all single bonds. A fat known as a glyceride is made of two kinds of smaller molecules: a short glycerol backbone and fatty acids that each contain a long linear or branched chain of carbon (C) atoms. Along the chain, some carbon atoms are linked by single bonds (-C-C-) and others are linked by double bonds (-C=C-). A double bond along the carbon chain can react with a pair of hydrogen atoms to change into a single -C-C- bond, with each H atom now bonded to one of the two C atoms. Glyceride fats without any carbon chain double bonds are called saturated because they are "saturated with" hydrogen atoms, having no double bonds available to react with more hydrogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olestra</span> Fat substitute

Olestra is a fat substitute that adds no calories to products. It has been used in the preparation of otherwise high-fat foods, thereby lowering or eliminating their fat content. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) originally approved olestra for use in the US as a replacement for fats and oils in prepackaged ready-to-eat snacks in 1996, concluding that such use "meets the safety standard for food additives, reasonable certainty of no harm". In the late 2000s, olestra lost its popularity due to supposed side effects and has been largely phased out, but products containing the ingredient can still be purchased at grocery stores in some countries. As of 2023, no products are sold in the United States using Olestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low-carbohydrate diet</span> Diets restricting carbohydrate consumption

Low-carbohydrate diets restrict carbohydrate consumption relative to the average diet. Foods high in carbohydrates are limited, and replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of fat and protein, as well as low carbohydrate foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet drink</span> Type of sugar-free or artificially sweetened soda

Diet or light beverages are generally sugar-free, artificially sweetened beverages with few or no calories. They are marketed for diabetics and other people who want to reduce their sugar and/or caloric intake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empty calories</span> Calories with no nutritional value

In human nutrition, empty calories are those calories found in beverages and foods composed primarily or solely of sugars and/or certain fats and oils such as cholesterol, saturated or trans fats, that provide little to no useful nutrients such as protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, or antioxidants. Foods composed mostly of empty calories have low nutrient density, meaning few nutrients relative to their energy content. The consumption of large amounts of empty calories can have negative health consequences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet food</span> Type of food for weight alteration

Diet food refers to any food or beverage whose recipe is altered to reduce fat, carbohydrates, and/or sugar in order to make it part of a weight loss program or diet. Such foods are usually intended to assist in weight loss or a change in body type, although bodybuilding supplements are designed to increase weight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Very-low-calorie diet</span> Diet with very or extremely low daily food energy consumption

A very-low-calorie diet (VLCD), also known as semistarvation diet and crash diet, is a type of diet with very or extremely low daily food energy consumption. VLCDs are defined as a diet of 800 kilocalories (3,300 kJ) per day or less. Modern medically supervised VLCDs use total meal replacements, with regulated formulations in Europe and Canada which contain the recommended daily requirements for vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fatty acids, protein and electrolyte balance. Carbohydrates may be entirely absent, or substituted for a portion of the protein; this choice has important metabolic effects. Medically supervised VLCDs have specific therapeutic applications for rapid weight loss, such as in morbid obesity or before a bariatric surgery, using formulated, nutritionally complete liquid meals containing 800 kilocalories or less per day for a maximum of 12 weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protein (nutrient)</span> Nutrient for the human body

Proteins are essential nutrients for the human body. They are one of the building blocks of body tissue and can also serve as a fuel source. As a fuel, proteins provide as much energy density as carbohydrates: 4 kcal per gram; in contrast, lipids provide 9 kcal per gram. The most important aspect and defining characteristic of protein from a nutritional standpoint is its amino acid composition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western pattern diet</span> Modern dietary pattern

The Western pattern diet is a modern dietary pattern that is generally characterized by high intakes of pre-packaged foods, refined grains, red meat, processed meat, high-sugar drinks, candy and sweets, fried foods, industrially produced animal products, butter and other high-fat dairy products, eggs, potatoes, corn, and low intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pasture-raised animal products, fish, nuts, and seeds.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide nutritional advice for Americans who are healthy or who are at risk for chronic disease but do not currently have chronic disease. The Guidelines are published every five years by the US Department of Agriculture, together with the US Department of Health and Human Services. Notably, the most recent ninth edition for 2020–25 includes dietary guidelines for children from birth to 23 months. In addition to the Dietary Guidelines per se, there are additional tools for assessing diet and nutrition, including the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), which can be used to assess the quality of a given selection of foods in the context of the Dietary Guidelines. Also provided are additional explanations regarding customization of the Guidelines to individual eating preferences, application of the Guidelines during pregnancy and infancy, the USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review, information about the Nutrition Communicators Network and the MyPlate initiative, information from the National Academies about redesigning the process by which the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are created, and information about dietary guidelines from other nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet and obesity</span> Effect of diet on obesity


Diet plays an important role in the genesis of obesity. Personal choices, food advertising, social customs and cultural influences, as well as food availability and pricing all play a role in determining what and how much an individual eats.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weight management</span> Techniques for maintaining body weight

Weight management refers to behaviors, techniques, and physiological processes that contribute to a person's ability to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy eating and daily physical activity. Moreover, weight management involves developing meaningful ways to track weight over time and to identify ideal body weights for different individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criticism of fast food</span> Overview about the criticism of fast food

Criticism of fast food includes claims of negative health effects, animal cruelty, cases of worker exploitation, children-targeted marketing and claims of cultural degradation via shifts in people's eating patterns away from traditional foods. Fast food chains have come under fire from consumer groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a longtime fast food critic over issues such as caloric content, trans fats and portion sizes. Social scientists have highlighted how the prominence of fast food narratives in popular urban legends suggests that modern consumers have an ambivalent relationship with fast food, particularly in relation to children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Added sugar</span> Caloric sweeteners added to food and beverages

Added sugars or free sugars are sugar carbohydrates added to food and beverages at some point before their consumption. These include added carbohydrates, and more broadly, sugars naturally present in honey, syrup, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. They can take multiple chemical forms, including sucrose, glucose (dextrose), and fructose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans fat</span> Type of unsaturated fat

Trans fat, also called trans-unsaturated fatty acids, or trans fatty acids, is a type of unsaturated fat that occurs in foods. Trace concentrations of trans fats occur naturally, but large amounts are found in some processed foods. Since consumption of trans fats is unhealthy, artificial trans fats are highly regulated or banned in many nations. However, they are still widely consumed in developing nations, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a goal to make the world free from industrially produced trans fat by the end of 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Position of the American Dietetic Association: Fat replacers". Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 105 (2): 266–275. 2005. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2004.12.011. PMID   15668687.
  2. ↑ "Fat Replacers". Calorie Control Council. 2009-07-06. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "The Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. DHHS Publication No. 88-50211. 1988.
  4. ↑ Borra, Susan. "Fat Substitutes" . Retrieved 11 Nov 2011.
  5. ↑ "Guidance for Industry: Frequently Asked Questions About GRAS". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 11 Nov 2011.
  6. ↑ Mcrorie; Brown; Cooper; Givaruangsawat; Scruggs; Boring (2000-04-01). "Effects of dietary fibre and olestra on regional apparent viscosity and water content of digesta residue in porcine large intestine". Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 14 (4): 471–477. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00734.x . ISSN   1365-2036. PMID   10759627.
  7. ↑ "Epogee aims to take bite out of fat-substitute market". Crain's Indianapolis. 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  8. ↑ "GRAS Notices". www.accessdata.fda.gov. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
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