Procter and Gamble says its product looks, tastes, feels, and behaves like fat. The company is asking for approval of Olestra for deep-frying savory snacks such as chips and puffs made from potatoes and corn. In fact, a recent survey by the Calorie Control Council, an association of low-calorie and diet food manufacturers, found that 57 percent of adult Americans believe there is a need for fat substitutes. Studies also show strong evidence of a relationship between high saturated fat intake and a high blood cholesterol level, which is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. The report also states that because obesity is a risk factor for several chronic diseases, it is important to maintain a desirable weight.
Obesity increases the risk of high blood pressure and, consequently, stroke.
It also increases blood cholesterol and may, by itself, be a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Because fat contributes nine calories per gram, fat substitution would significantly reduce the calorie content of a food. Excess calories from fat are readily stored and cause weight gain. The National Cholesterol Education Program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, along with other health groups, recommends that all healthy Americans 2 and older limit their total daily fat intake to no more than 30 percent of total calories and that less than 10 percent of the total calories should be from saturated fat. Cholesterol should be kept to less than 300 milligrams per day, and the total calorie intake should be what is needed to reach or maintain a desirable weight.