Fat free potato chips!
Sounds wonderful, right? Not really.
In 1998, Frito-Lay
introduced fat free potato and tortilla chips made with olestra, a
chemical substitute for fat that adds no fat, calories, or
cholesterol to the products it is used in. However, olestra cannot be
absorbed by the human body and it also inhibits the absorption of
some vitamins and minerals.
These fat free chips came
with a warning from the FDA that olestra can cause abdominal cramping
and loose stools (anal leakage). That right there was reason enough
for me to never touch them. I knew people who did eat them and the
general consensus was that if you ate them in moderation, there were
little to no effects. If you ate the whole bag at once, though, you
were going to pay.
In 2003, the FDA ruled
that the warning label was no longer necessary, saying that studies
showed there were no side effects from olestra. Olestra is still used
today in some “light” foods, such as Light Pringles. You still won't get me to try it.
I eat chips often so reading this was interesting to see insight on more healthier options even though this option has health concerns
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