Citation Needed Olestra / Olean
Aug 13, 2025
Explore the wild world of Olestra, a fat substitute that promised guilt-free snacks but delivered digestive chaos. The hosts dive into its controversial history and the absurdity of fad diets, sharing hilarious anecdotes that critique past dietary trends. A mock focus group for 'Poison' chips brings out even more outrageous tales of digestive disasters. With a blend of humor and insightful commentary, the discussion highlights the challenges of food regulation and consumer safety, all while keeping the laughs coming.
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Personal Framing Of Olestra's Appeal
- Eli recounts his lifelong experience with body-shame and dieting culture as context for olestra's appeal.
- He frames olestra as a product born from the promise of guilt-free overeating.
How Olestra Works Chemically
- Olestra is a sucrose-based fat substitute too large to be digested or absorbed by the human gut.
- Procter & Gamble designed it to mimic cooking and taste properties of fats without metabolizable calories.
Regulatory Tug Between Drug And Food
- Early testing showed olestra reduced blood cholesterol but not enough to qualify as a drug.
- P&G pivoted repeatedly between drug and food classifications during development.
