Olean Brand Olestra | Procter & Gamble | olean

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Olean offers unique health and taste benefits for consumers. This innovative ingredient allows you to enjoy products that have fewer calories and are low or fat free while maintaining the great taste of full-fat foods. Olean contributes zero calories, zero total fat, zero saturated fat, and zero trans fat. While the idea of a product like Olean isn’t a new concept, many people still have questions about how it works and its effects. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and the answers to those questions.
What is Olean brand olestra? How do I know Olean is safe for use in foods? How can I try products made with Olean? How is Olean made? How does Olean work? How will Olean affect health and nutrition? Will Olean encourage people to eat more snack foods? Why are vitamins added to foods made with Olean? Does Olean deplete the body of vitamins and other minerals? How does Olean impact children’s nutritional needs? Can I consume Olean while pregnant or nursing? What if I’m diabetic? I've heard some people say Olean may cause digestive problems. Is this true?
What is Olean brand olestra? Olean is Procter & Gamble's brand name for olestra, a food ingredient giving foods great taste and texture without adding any fat or calories. Olestra is known as a fat replacer because it is used to replace fat in prepared foods. And, it is the first ingredient with similar properties to fat. It doesn't "break down" when subjected to high temperatures so it can be used in cooking and frying. But, like the insoluble fiber in apples, corn and bran, it is not digested by the body and passes through unchanged. Back to Top How do I know Olean is safe for use in foods? Olean has been on the market since 1998 and over five billion servings have been eaten by consumers. Over the years, hundreds of clinical tests have validated the safety of olestra. In January 1996, the FDA approved the use of olestra in salty snacks. Since that time, the FDA has reviewed olestra three more times as we have expanded the products into which olestra can be used. The FDA has given a positive opinion on the safety of olestra each time, the most recent being their review of independent expert panel findings regarding the safe use of olestra in prepackaged, ready-to-eat cookies in October 2008. Olean brand olestra has also undergone rigorous safety reviews and been approved for use in many other countries around the world. Back to Top How can I try products made with Olean? Olean is currently used in snack foods such as potato chips, tortilla chips, cheese puffs, popcorn and crackers. Many products made with olestra will have the brand name, Olean, on the front label. The ingredient name, olestra, will be in the ingredient list on the back label. Our Pringles® Light Original, and Pringles Light Sour Cream & Onion crisps are made with Olean, and are on store shelves now. Frito-Lay also has LAY’S Light Original Potato Chips, RUFFLES Light Cheddar and Sour Cream Flavored Potato Chips, RUFFLES Light Original Potato Chips and TOSTITOS Light Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips in stores now. We hope you’ll give them a try! Back to Top How is Olean made? Olean is a fat analogue that contains no fat or calories. It is made from vegetable oil and ordinary table sugar, two ingredients you use in your kitchen every day. The oils undergo a process that reduces their caloric value while retaining the creamy "mouth-feel" of fat. Olean is the first fat-based cooking oil that can be used like fat, including for frying and baking. This means that, for the first time, foods prepared with Olean taste like their full-fat counterparts but have substantially fewer calories and little or no fat. Like the insoluble, natural fiber in apples, corn and bran, olestra is impossible for the stomach to digest. That means neither the fat nor the sugar are absorbed by the body. Back to Top How does Olean work? Olean is made up of ingredients found in your kitchen, vegetable oil and sugar, then processed in a whole new way so that it adds zero fat to the foods you love. Olean is not digested. This is similar to what happens when you eat foods like apples, corn and bran, where the insoluble fiber is not broken down by the body. So, when you eat Olean foods, the Olean passes through the digestive tract without adding any dietary fat or calories. Back to Top How will Olean affect health and nutrition? Olean contains zero calories and zero fat so it can help reduce the fat in your diet when you choose foods made with Olean instead of the full-fat versions. It’s still important to make smart choices about the foods you eat to improve your overall diet. Foods made with Olean are just one way to help reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Back to Top Will Olean encourage people to eat more snack foods? Research has shown most people don't eat more Olean snacks than they would full-fat versions because Olean snacks satisfy, just like regular snacks. In fact, Several studies have shown that when people reduce dietary fat and calories by substituting foods made with Olean for full-fat options, many do not make up for all the avoided fat and calories at other times. Back to Top Why are vitamins added to foods made with Olean? Vitamins A, D, E and K dissolve in both regular fat and olestra. Regular fat promotes your body’s absorption of vitamins when the fat is broken down and absorbed. Because olestra is not absorbed by the body, some vitamins dissolved in olestra will also not be absorbed. Therefore, a small amount of these vitamins are added to Olean foods to offset this effect. This addition has no impact on your body vitamin levels regardless of how much or how often you eat Olean foods. Back to Top Does Olean deplete the body of vitamins and other minerals? Since 1998, consumers have enjoyed the great taste and benefits of Olean. Since that time, researchers have tracked and proven that Olestra does not have any impact on fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Since Olean looks and acts like fat, it has no interaction or impact on water soluble vitamins or minerals. Back to Top How does Olean impact children’s nutritional needs? Children over the age of two can enjoy products made with Olean while maintaining a healthful diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that fat and calories not be restricted for children under the age of two. For this reason, Olean foods are not recommended for infants or small children. Back to Top Can I consume Olean while pregnant or nursing? Products made with Olean can be consumed during pregnancy or while nursing, but foods made with Olean are lower in calories than their traditional counterparts. Most women need to increase their caloric intake during pregnancy and when nursing. Women and their health care providers should take this into consideration since proper nutrition is especially important to ensure good health for both mother and baby. Back to Top What if I’m diabetic? Many studies confirm that snack foods made with Olean can be consumed by the general population, which included diabetics. In fact, Olean snacks may help people reduce their intake of fat, which can be beneficial to those who need to lose or maintain weight for diabetes control or prevention. Any specific questions or concerns should be discussed with your health care provider. Back to Top I've heard some people say Olean may cause digestive problems. Is this true? Absolutely not! In the United States, for example, Olestra went through 25 years of research before being allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Nutrition Institute. During this time, as with any development process, olestra was continually evaluated and improved. Back to Top