The Potato Chip That Destroyed the Bowels of America
2 days ago
- #diet-trends
- #corporate-missteps
- #food-science
- Olestra, a fat substitute approved by the FDA in the '90s, was marketed as a way to enjoy fatty foods without gaining weight.
- Despite its benefits, Olestra caused severe gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fecal incontinence, leading to widespread complaints.
- Procter & Gamble and Frito-Lay launched products like WOW! chips with Olestra, which initially sold well despite warning labels about potential side effects.
- Complaints surged, with reports of extreme digestive distress, leading to a decline in sales and the eventual discontinuation of the WOW! brand by 2004.
- Olestra remains in some products under the Olean brand in the U.S. but is banned in the EU and other markets, with recent studies exploring its potential to remove toxins from the body.
- The Olestra era highlighted the limits of what consumers are willing to tolerate, even in pursuit of weight loss or dietary benefits.