Z Trim: Is the USDA-Developed Z Trim the Miracle Fat Substitute We've All Been Waiting For?
by www.SixWise.com
For 10 months now, kids in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania school
district have been enjoying a ranch salad dressing at lunchtime
that, unbeknownst to them, has been enriched with a plant-based
fat substitute called Z Trim.
Though the salad dressing has fewer calories and less fat
than before, the flavor remains the same. The students, who
were just informed of the fat substitute this month, couldn't
even tell a difference.
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With Z Trim, you can make cookies, candy and other
baked goods with half the fat while preserving all the
same taste and texture, its maker's claim.
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"I think it tastes the same as it did before,"
one student said.
"A True Plant Fiber"
Z Trim was invented in 1996 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). Made from low-cost agricultural byproducts like hulls
of oats, soybeans peas and rice, or corn and wheat bran, the
fat substitute has zero calories and, because it's made from
natural dietary fibers, reportedly does not cause stomach
upset.
According to the USDA, Z Trim is made by processing hulls
into microscopic fragments that are then purified, dried and
milled into a powder. When water is added, the fragments swell
and provide a "smooth mouth feel."
In 1998, FiberGel Technologies acquired the license for Z
Trim and is now marketing it to food manufacturers and consumers
in gel or powder form. Consumers can now buy:
Manufacturers, meanwhile, can use Z Trim to replace about
50 percent of the fat in their recipes, without changing either
the taste or texture of the product. The makers advertise
it as ideal for everything from baked goods and dairy products
to meats, gravies and candies -- it's only limitation being
that it can't be fried.
"This is a true plant fiber. It's something people have
been eating," said Rick Harris, FiberGel's vice president
for sales and marketing. "If anyone's had popcorn, they've
had Z Trim. That's basically what it is."
Miracle Fat Substitute, or Too-Good-to-be-True Fad?
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Z Trim can even be used to cut the fat and calories
in hamburgers, sausages, salad dressings and gravies.
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On the surface, at least, Z Trim claims to be the perfect
fat replacement. It's calorie-free, has no side effects, tastes
great and even increases the fiber content of foods. Moreover,
consumers can use it right in their own homes.
"A consumer who normally eats 3,500 calories a day could
cut as many as 700 calories by eating the same kinds of food
in the same volume, but adding about half an ounce of Z-Trim
to replace fat," said former USDA Secretary Dan Glickman.
Unlike the fat substitute olestra, which can sometimes cause
diarrhea and stomach cramps, Z Trim is safe for the digestive
system when eaten in normal amounts. To date, FiberGel says
that Z Trim is side-effect-free, and even The Center for Science
in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group, said they
did not have any safety concerns about Z Trim.
"Z Trim is a natural food made of dietary fiber. There
are, therefore, no chemical tastes or unpleasant digestive
side effects," says the maker's Web site.
Consumers can dapple with the few Z Trim offerings on the
market, or try it in their own recipes at home. But the company
has bigger plans; they feel Z Trim is poised to make a major
dent in the global obesity epidemic.
It looks like this one may be true to its promise, which
would of course be great news ... but then as with new
products like these, only time will really tell.
Recommended Reading
What
Exactly Does it Mean When Foods are Hydrogenated, and What
Risks Can it Pose?
All
the Health Risks of Processed Foods -- In Just a Few Quick,
Convenient Bites
Sources
MSNBC
January 18, 2007
United
States Department of Agriculture
Ztrim.com