OTHER
‘Fat Flush.’iVillage Total Health.<http://diet.ivillage.com/
plans/pfatflush/topics/0,,4s44,00.html>(March 23,
2007).
‘Fat Flush Diet.’Free Dieting: The Weight Loss GuideJune
6, 2005.<http://www.freedieting.com/fat_flush.htm>
(March 23, 2007). A review of the diet.
‘The Fat Flush Plan.’Ann Louise Gittleman—clinical nutri-
tionists—cellulite products, weight loss program.
<http://www.annlouise.com/alg_ffoverview.asp>
(March 23, 2007).
‘The Fat Flush Program Diet Information.’ediets.<http://
http://www.ediets.com/diet/fat-flush-program.cfm?code=>
(March 23, 2007).
‘Popular Diet: Fat Flush Plan.’fatsecret.<http://www.fatse
cret.com/diets/fat-flush-plan/Default.aspx?cpc=true>
(March 23, 2007).
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. (800) 877-1600.
<http://www.eatright.org>.
American Obesity Association. 1250 24th St. NW, Suite 300,
Washington, DC 20037. (202) 776-7711.<http://
http://www.obesity.org>. An organization dedicated to edu-
cation, research, prevention, and treatment of obesity,
as well as consumer protection and fighting disrimina-
tion against overweight individuals.
Key to Health Foundation.<http://www.annlouise.com/
alg_keytohealth.asp>. Ann Louise Gittleman’s foun-
dation dedicated to education and research on women’s
health.Margaret Alic, Ph.D.Fat Loss 4 Idiots dietseeWeight Loss 4 Idiots
dietFat replacers
Definition
Fat replacers, also called fat substitutes, are sub-
stances that take the place of all or some of the fat in a
food and yet give the food a taste, texture, and mouth
feel similar to the original full-fat food.Purpose
Fat replacers serve two purposes. They reduce the
amount of fat in food, and they usually reduce the
calorie content of the food.DescriptionFat is not a single substance, but a collection of
different compounds that are all made of a glycerol
molecule and three varying fatty acids. Fat is a neces-
sary part of a healthy diet. It provides essential fatty
acids, helps regulate cholesterolmetabolism, carries
fat-solublevitaminsandcarotenoidsthroughout the
body, contains the building blocks for prostaglandins,
and provides nine calories of energy per gram.
Although there is no official recommended daily
allowance (RDA) for fat, the American Heart Associ-
ation strongly recommends thatfatsprovide no more
than 30% of one’s total daily calories. The average
American gets about 34% of his or her calories from
fat (down from about 41% in the 1950s).
As of 2000, there were more than 5,000 reduced-
fat foods on the market. New reduced- and low-fat
foods were being introduced at the rate of about 1,000
per year. Concern about heart disease,obesity, diabe-
tes, and their relationship to diet has turned processed
foods containing fat replacers into a multi-billion dol-
lar industry.
To be labeled ‘‘low fat’’ a product must contain 3 g
of fat or less per serving. To be labeled ‘‘reduced fat’’
or ‘‘reduced calorie,’’ a product must contain 25% less
fat or 25% fewer calories than the regular version of
the product. ‘‘Light’’ foods contain half the fat or one-
third the calories of the regular product. ‘‘Fat-free’’
means the food has less than 0.5 g of fat per serving.
Fat enhances food flavor, adds volume, and gives food
a particular texture and mouth feel. Removing fat
from food usually results in unappealing, unmarket-
able products. To achieve fat and calorie reduction,
processors have turned to fat replacers.Types of fat replacers
Fat replacers are either carbohydrate-based, protein-
based, or fat-based. Most foods use several different fat
replacers that come from different sources. Many are
substances that have been found in foods for years, but
are now being used in different ways.
Carbohydrate-based fat substitutes include guar
gum, polydextrose (Litess), gum Arabic, xanthum
gum, carrageenan (an extract from seaweed), dried
plum paste, modified food starches, oatfiber, and
wheat fiber. Carbohydrate-based fat replacers have
the creaminess of fat. They absorbwater, add volume,
thicken, and stabilize foods. They are used in baked
goods, frozen desserts, yogurts, cheeses, sour cream,
low-fat puddings, processed meats, salad dressings,
sauces, and spreads. Because fat contains nine caloriesFat replacers