Fat Replacers Leader's Guide Note: This Leader's Guide is a comprehensive lesson plan to be utilized with HE 3-208, Fat Replacers. Pick and choose and revise what you can use in presenting your lesson. INTRODUCTION TO FATS Usefulness of Fats Fats in the body: * store energy for life processes. * cushion the vital organs. * insulate the body. * transport fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acid. * are part of all cell membranes. Besides providing energy reserves, fat also gives satiety to meals, enhances food aroma and flavor, protects the body from environmental extremes, helps maintain the body temperature, carries fat-soluble nutrients and is a part of all cell membranes. Total fat intake and especially saturated fat intake, is the major dietary factor that raises blood cholesterol. Elevated blood cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FAT INTAKE There is no recommended dietary allowance for fat. Health-related agencies recommend a diet with no more than 30% of energy from fat, with a maximum of one third from saturated fats. Fat % Activity The human body needs the equivalent of about one tablespoon of plant oils from food to provide us with essential fatty acids.
SATURATED VS. UNSATURATED FATS Fatty acids can be grouped according to the types of bonds between carbons: saturated fatty acids contain no double bonds; monounsaturated fatty acids contain one double bond; and polyunsaturated fatty acids contain two or more double bonds. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature. The process of hydrogenation is adding hydrogens to fatty acids to turn double bonds into single bonds. This helps lessen rancidity in shortenings and margarines. Polyunsaturated oils tend to become rancid sooner because of the double bonds present. FATS IN FOODS Salad oils, butter, margarine and mayonnaise are 100% fat. Walnuts, bologna, avocados and bacon are about 80% fat. Peanut butter and cheddar cheese are about 75% fat. Steak and hamburgers are about 60% fat and chocolate bars, ice cream, doughnuts and whole milk are about 50% fat. Pumpkin pie and cupcakes are 35%. Bread contains about 15% fat. Cornflakes, sugar and most fruits and vegetables essentially have no fat. Percent kcalories as fats in foods. You read that a brand of hot dog is only 17% fat or 83% fat-free. However, this means that the hot dog is 17% fat by weight, not in terms of kcalories. Water makes up a significant part of the weight of many foods, including a hot dog. Actually, 53% of the kcalories come from fat. Don't be deceived by statements. Read the label and calculate the percentage of fat yourself. Label comparison activity. FAT REPLACERS For years manufacturers have used starch-derivatives to bind water in foods in order to capture the mouthfeel of fat. The goal is to create products that feel like ice cream melting on the tongue but contain few kcalories. Calorie Control Council sheet. Simplesse was the first fat substitute to gain FDA, making its debut as a frozen dessert called Simple Pleasures. Simplesse is a blend of egg and milk proteins that are heated to produce microscopic, mist-like protein globules. These globules feel like fat in the mouth. People who are allergic to milk and/or egg proteins will also be allergic to Simplesse. Simplesse has only about 1.3 kcalories per gram, much less than the 9 kcalories per gram of fat. This low calorie value results from the facts that proteins contain 4 kcalories per gram of food and the amount of water incorporated into the food product during processing accounts for much of the product's weight. Simplesse is waiting 2
approval for use in mayonnaise, salad dressings, yogurt, cheeses and other dairy products. Because high temperatures alter the structure of Simplesse so that it no longer resembles fat, it cannot be used for cooking or frying. Olestra is made by adding fatty acids to a sucrose (table sugar) molecule. Humans cannot digest Olestra, therefore, it yields no kcalories and is eliminated intact from the body. Research has shown Olestra helps eliminate cholesterol from the body, but it also effects the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. As a result, it will be vitamin E-fortified. Once it is approved by FDA, it can replace up to 35% of the fat in salad dressings and cakes made at home and it can be used for frying in food manufacturing, replacing up to 75% of the fat in commercially prepared foods. Cellulose gel which is a common bulking agent, is the main filler in Sealtest Free, a nonfat ice cream. It is also a part of frozen yogurt. Oatrim, from oat bran, is a fat substitutes being tested for use in non-heated foods. Trailblazer is another mixture of egg white and milk protein used as a fat substitute. CONCLUSION For now, fat replacers are of little significance. They won't have a true impact on our diets until they are approved for more general use. The main benefit of using fat replacers will be cutting fat from the diet, especially saturated fat and cholesterol. As they become more popular in use, Americans can have an alternative means to reducing their fat consumption. As always, eating a variety of food in moderation is the key to balancing your diet. What have you learned? Supporting Documents Fat % Activity Fat is a concentrated source of energy or calories. The amount of total fat in a serving of food is listed on the nutrition label. This number is obtained by multiplying the number of grams of fat by nine calories per gram. To determine what percentage of calories is supplied by fat, simply divide the total calories per serving by the calories from fat. The 30% calories from fat is a goal that applies to your total diet over the day or several days, not just to a single food or meal. 3
Percent kcalories as fats in foods. Label comparison activity. Purchase fat free crackers, cheese and/or cookies. Read the labels and see if they can pick out the fat replacers. Compare taste, flavor through sampling. Compare the cost per serving. You will likely find the lower fat products to be drier and more expensive (double the price). Let them suggest ways to cut down on fat instead of using these products if they are unacceptable. Calorie Control Council Sheet 4
1.TFFat is not absolutely necessary in our diet. 2.TFFruits are essentially fat free. 3.TFSaturated fats are hydrogenated and more solid at room temperature. 4.TFFat provides the body with 4 kcalories per gram of food. 5.TFFat replacers are generally lower in kcalories than fat. By Sandra Bastin, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., Extension Food & Nutrition Specialist Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Issued 05-94; FN-SSB.009LG. 5