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Expert Q&A

	By Allison Gamble Nutritionist/Diet Technician Highland Park Hospital, Illinois

Recently Lay's Wow products containing Olean has made it to my grocery shelves. I picked up a brochure on the product and read that it blocks the absorption of certain vitamins. The products compensate for this by adding those vitamins back into the product. Are these food products considered safe during pregnancy?

Olean, the trade name for Olestra, a fat substitute, has been researched for the past 25 years. The FDA generally endorsed its safety in June of 1998.

Olestra is a non-caloric fat substitute and allows people to enjoy the taste and texture of chips and crackers, but is not absorbed by the body. A synthetic fat made from soybean or cottonseed oil, the fat molecules in Olestra are larger than those found in everyday fats and are, therefore, too large to be absorbed in the intestine. (Find out what the FDA said in 1995 about Olestra Center for Science in the Public Interest, remains opposed to the FDA's acceptance of olestra for several reasons, believing that "Any benefits of olestra do not outweigh the risks."

If you have been having any diarrhea or constipation you may want to avoid the chips, or only try small amounts at a time to see how you feel. Otherwise, I have not read, or heard of any studies that conclude Olean has side effects on pregnant women or her fetus.

I would doublecheck with your healthcare provider and, if you get the go-ahead, try the chips in moderation. Remember that in general, potato chips don't offer much nutritionally anyway. Whenever you can, stick to healthy snacks that are nutrient dense -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains and so forth. Those foods will always benefit you and your baby!"

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