Another Approach: Fat Substitutes

Simplesse is a commerical substitute for fat. It’s made from a naturally occurring protein found in eggs and milk, which when heated and processed becomes creamy and resembles fat. The FDA has approved its use only in frozen desserts because additional heat makes it congeal to resemble a cooked egg white. NutraSweet eventually expects to put Simplesse into mayonnaise, sour cream, dips and spreads.

(Four ounces of Simple Pleasures ice cream contain 120 to 140 calories and less than one gram of fat, compared to 135 calories and seven grams of fat in regular ice cream and 250 calories and 15 grams of fat in premium ice cream. Simplesse may cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to eggs and milk.)

Olestra, which is still under patent consideration, is slightly different. This sucrose polyester, developed by Procter & Gamble, is not metabolized by the body and it is calorie-free. It can be used in cooking but may increase risk of cancer, liver damage and leukemia, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.