The need to cut fat, calories and cholesterol has created a new industry of substitute foods. HealthAnswers checks out what you really are feeding on.

Alefia Vasanwala
Dietician

The obsession about dangers of eating high fat and high calorie foods has triggered a demand for fat and sugar-reduced products to meet the consumer needs. This article is a quick run-down on how safe they are.

Fake Sugars
Cane sugar, glucose, honey, fructose and dextrose are sugars traditionally used to sweeten a wide variety of foods. Sugars added to foods are known to provide just calories without any other vitamins and minerals.

To address this consumer need for sweetness without the calories, food scientists have developed several alternative sweeteners that help reduce calories and yet provide a sweet taste.

The low-calorie sweeteners currently approved for food use include aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-k and sucralose.

• Aspartame: Used in many foods and beverages and also as a tabletop sweetener. Aspartame also provides 4 calories per gm like sugar but is 200 times sweeter than sugar, so very little of it is required to sweeten foods. It is made up of two amino acids - aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame breaks down upon heating and therefore loses its sweetness. This limits its use in food preparation. Long-term usage of aspartame is considered safe. People with the metabolic disorder 'phenylketonuria' are advised against the use of aspartame to help control their total dietary intake of the amino acid, phenylalanine, which is also naturally found in milk and meat.
  

• Saccharin: The oldest of low calorie sweeteners, saccharin provides no calories. It was once taken off the approved list by the US FDA as it was shown to cause bladder cancer in rats at very high dosages, but scientific review of recent studies have shown it to be safe for consumption without causing any cancer.
  

• Acesulfame Potassium: Used in many prepared foods such as candies, chewing gums, dry beverage, dessert, dairy products, and also as a table top sweetener. It contains no calories, and is heat stable. In combination with other low- calorie sweeteners, it has a synergetic effect, which helps to improve taste and stability of low calorie foods and beverages.
  

• Sucralose: The only low calorie sweetener that is made from cane sugar. It is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. It also provides no calories and is highly stable under a wide variety of processing techniques.
  

• Sugar alcohols: Sugar alcohols like mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol are carbohydrates that provide just 2 -3 calories / gram, compared to 4 calories / gram for sugar. Sugar alcohols are used mainly in diet drinks and diabetic jams. Since sugar alcohols are not completely digested in the human digestive tract, they get fermented in the large intestines by bacteria, and can cause gas, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea if consumed in large amounts.

Are these low calorie sweeteners really safe for health?
Alternate sweeteners approved for food uses are safe and no known side effects for artificial sweeteners have been documented. Yet nutrition experts feel that sweeteners whether natural or 'fake' can be a part of healthy diet if they are used in moderation. It is definitely good news for weight watchers and diabetic individuals who can now enjoy their sweet foods with low calorie sweeteners without worrying too much about calories.

However, alternate sweeteners are not recommended as a regular part of the diet for healthy, growing children as they need more calorie dense foods to support growth and activity.

Fake Fats
Fat plays an important part in a healthy human diet. It is a concentrated source of energy, and is especially useful in the diets of growing children. It is the only source of essential fatty acids to the human body, and also helps in the absorption and utilization of fat-soluble vitamins. However, fat consumed in excess, can increases the risk of obesity, heart diseases and certain cancers.

Health-conscious consumers are modifying their dietary habits and eating food with less fat and calories. They are on a look out for foods, which not only meet their requirements of being low in fat and calories but also taste good. Food manufacturers therefore are in a constant search for the elusive " ideal fat substitute" that tastes and functions like conventional fat without the potential adverse health impact. Some fat substitutes with trade names such as Olestra, Simplesse and Oatrim are already in the market and are being used to manufacture a variety of foods, including cheese, chips, frozen deserts and candy.

• Olestra: Formed by chemical combination of sucrose (cane sugar) with fatty acids, olestra has properties similar to naturally occurring fat.

It can be used for frying, baking and cooking like natural fat. Olestra is stable at high cooking temperatures and therefore can be used in a lot of different food products. But, unlike natural fat this synthetic substitute provides no calories or saturated fat because it is not digested in the human body.

Olestra fulfills the needs of those who want to cut back on fat, yet, enjoy their favorite snacks which are traditionally high in fat. As olestra is not absorbed, some individuals report intestinal discomfort or a laxative effect after eating foods prepared with it.

One disadvantage of the product is that it may lead to the excretion of fat-soluble vitamins present in food eaten at the same time. Regulatory bodies, therefore, require that olestra products need to be fortified with these nutrients to prevent any deficiency.

• Simplesse: Simplesse is made of egg white or milk proteins processed into mist-like particles similar to the consistency of fat. It tastes and feels like fat and so helps cut back on as much as 80% of the calories in desserts like ice creams, yogurts and salad dressings. Simplesse cannot be used for frying or baking, as the proteins in it tend to coagulate at high heat.
  

• Oatrim: Made from oat fibre, Oatrim is stable when heated and can be used to reduce the calorie content of desserts by half. However, it cannot be used at frying temperatures.

Fake Meat
A need to reduce saturated fats and cholesterol to prevent heart disease has lead to the search for meat alternatives. Texturized vegetarian protein (TVP) and mock meats are the most popular meat replacers available in the market today. Many of these foods have been developed within an Asian culture and have been part of our food traditions for many decades. They have not been subjected to regulatory approvals like the newer fat and sugar replacing products.

These 'fake meats' provide some protein and contain no saturated fats and cholesterol naturally found in animal products. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians can now enjoy this meat look-alike as it still maintains some of the taste, texture and flavor of the original food.

• Texturized vegetarian protein: TVP, made from soy flour, contains valuable nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and fibre. TVP is made from defatted soybean concentrate. TVP can be found in the form of chunks, granules, flakes or slices.

It is low in fat, and high in protein. Reconstituted with water, it can be used as a meat replacer in main dishes and processed foods. Combined with appropriate grains, this food can help balance a meal. One added advantage is that as it comes without added cholesterol and saturated fat, it may help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

• Mock meat: Mock meat resembles actual meat and seafood. Mock meat adds color, variety and texture to an otherwise plain vegetarian meal.

It is made from an extract of wheat protein called "gluten". The protein quality of this plant-based meat substitute can be improved by combining it with a variety of grains and nuts. Soybased 'fake meats' are of better nutritional value than gluten based.

Most of these food items, however, are deep-fried for added flavor and texture. This negates the advantage of it being low in fat and cholesterol. These foods are very popular amongst the vegetarians in Singapore, and can be very easily purchased at specialty stores in Geylang, Joo Chiat and Toa Payoh. It is not advisable for people suffering with celiac disease, a condition where wheat gluten is not metabolized to take products prepared with gluten.

Future Foods
In the future, food science and technology will continue to introduce several new food ingredients to meet the changing needs of the consumer. New foods will arrive in our supermarkets to meet the special dietary needs and improve the overall quality of life of all consumers.

However, all the new foods introduced in the market will undergo thorough research by food experts and regulators to ensure its safety and use. Only safe and approved foods will make it to the market place. Consumers can turn to food experts like nutritionists and dietitians to understand the benefits of these foods and how to fit them into daily healthy diets.

Date reviewed: 07 June 2000