Explosion

At the risk of attracting yet another batch of FDA-conspiracy-theory nutters, I'll say I'd never had olestra before, and I don't think I'll have it again after this. I'd always thought that the problem would only manifest itself if someone were to eat a LOT of it without any other food in their system, but I only had about 1/3 of a can of Pringles, and it was just a light snack around when I also had a decent meal for dinner. I also noticed a slick of oil in the water, which was when I first thought to even check that these chips had olestra in them to begin with...

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Transcript

[[Yesterday I decided to try out some fat-free potato chips. It was like a flavor explosion.]]
[[This morning I had an explosion of a different sort.]]
fluffy: In no way did that feel right.
[[So much for the theory that it's "perfectly safe."]]
This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E and K have been added.
Este Producia Contiene Olestra. Olestra puede causar retorcijones abdominales y deposiciones flojas.

Comments

# terpia 
11/03/2003 01:36 pmOlestra doesn't negatively affect everyone, but it got me. 
I found that out by eating a bag of chips while out on a fishing boat. Hanging your butt over the side of the boat and praying for mercy can be humbling.
#  
11/03/2003 01:44 pm 
Yeah, I know. In theory, for most people it just makes their stool a little more oily. In my case, the olestra itself probably didn't cause the explosion, but it did allow my stool to be lubricated enough that my usual morning flatulence was somewhat more eventful than usual.
# devtrash 
11/03/2003 02:55 pmOlestra.... 
It's been hit or miss with Olestra for me. I think it mostly had to do with what other foods I also ate. I avoid it nonetheless.
#  
11/04/2003 04:21 amOlestra 
Another bad-mojo additive IMHO. Doesn't give me the poops (just gives me gas, which I think is just my universal reaction to any food that doesn't agree with me), but I think the texture of fake-fatted foods is disgusting. The Olestra leaves a film on my tongue which is thoroughly disagreeable.

So yes, better to just avoid it.
#  
11/04/2003 09:25 pm 
It gave me the poops and gas. Hence the explosion.
#  
11/04/2003 10:15 pm 
Damn! I'd hate to be the guy who had to clean the vertical racing stripe off that boat. =D
#  
11/05/2003 11:43 pm 
When I heard about olestra, the first thing that came to mind was the bottle of mineral oil I'd gotten at some point due to earwax problems, and the mention on the label about its use as a laxative. I wonder if people in the food and drug business were eating their own dogfood to the point that the relevance of this old-fashioned remedy didn't occur to them.
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