Tag: Indigestible fat

Developed in 1968, olestra is a synthetic fat substitute made from sugar and vegetable oil. The reason why olestra is indigestible is due to its large, unique molecular structure, which prevents digestive enzymes from breaking it down effectively.

Despite their similar taste and texture to dietary fats, some fat substitutes provide zero calories because they are resistant to digestive enzymes. This is precisely why a fat substitute can't be digested by lipase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down normal fats into absorbable energy.