After researching I feel that Olestra (brand name Olean) has its pros and cons just like any other things you eat. It can help but also hurt you. Olean is a cooking oil that brings the great flavor, appearance and texture of fat to snack foods, but, Olean adds no fat or calories to the foods cooked in it. Foods made with fat substitutes, used in moderation, may provide some flexibility in food selection, but are not an effective strategy on their own for weight control. Often, reduced-fat versions of products have the same or even more calories than their full-fat versions.
Some pros of Olean are that it is FDA approved and it lowers cholesterol. A recent study showed that volunteers whose daily diet contained 20-40 grams of olestra had lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels after six months compared with volunteers who ate an identical diet that contained regular fat.
On the other hand Olestra has many downsides. Olestra has a tendency to inhibit the body's absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as some carotenoids (potentially protective pigments found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and green leafy vegetables). Individuals hoping to lose weight may be enticed by the fact that olestra adds no fat or calories to the diet. Although, there is no proof that olestra helps people slim down. In fact, using fat- or sugar-free foods may actually lead to weight gain, perhaps because people eat more of the fat-free food than they would otherwise. Fat-free does not mean calorie-free, many fat-free products have as many calories as their fat-containing relatives. Also, according to a study reported in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, olestra consumption was found to increase appetite.
My opinion on olestra is even though it has no fat and calories in it I think overall it is bad for you. I researched the pros and cons and in the end there seems to be more cons then pros.
