Protica: Q&A - Miscellaneous

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I want to minimize fats in my diet. I use your product, but I still occasionally eat fatty foods. Is it ok for me to take a "fat trapper" with my fatty meals?
First, let's discuss what is a "fat trapper". There are several products on the market which are capable of binding with, or "trapping", some of the fat consumed with a meal. Elements such as chitosan and d-glucosamine are the primary ingredients in these fat-trapping products. They bind with the dietary fat as it passes through the digestive system; this binding action prevents absorption of the fat. While these substrates are somewhat effective at reducing the amount of dietary fat absorbed and assimilated by the body, they also reduce the amount of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and any other micronutrients, phytochemicals, etc. accompanying the fat. The reason for this is that these substrates are not highly effective at discerning between fats and other nutrients.

Now let's talk about a low fat diet. Remember that the body needs all three macronutrients--proteins, carbohydrates and fats--to function properly. Reducing fat intake causes the body to reduce production of the enzymes necessary to metabolize dietary fat. This can have the opposite intended effect since the body is very efficient at turning carbohydrates and even protein into fatty acids for storage in adipose (fat tissue). Alternatively, eating moderate amounts of monounsatured or polyunsaturated fat ensures a stable production of fat-metabolizing enzymes.

Rather than trying to eliminate fat intake, or trying to "neutralize" fat intake, it is healthier to balance the macronutrient profile of your meal by including equal kilocalories of carbohydrates and protein. For example, if a muffin contains 10 grams of fat and 30 grams of carbohydrate, approximately 90 and 120 calories respectively, adding 25 to 30 grams of protein not only balances the ratio of macronutrients to an optimum level for absorption and utilization by the body, but it actually helps to stabilize the metabolism and minimize fat storage.

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