olestra

[oh-les-truh]

noun

1. a synthetic oil used as a substitute for dietary fat: not digested or absorbed by the human body.

Word History and Origins

Origin of olestra¹

1990–95; ol- (< Latin oleum oil) + -estra, alteration of (poly)ester

Example Sentences

In the 1990s and 2000s, “health food” was often the most processed food on the shelf: SnackWell’s cookies, SlimFast shakes, Olestra chips that came with a warning label.

From Salon

Remember olestra, the Paleo diet and celery juice?

From New York Times

She told the court Ms Skana's sister, Olestra, turned up at the unit, "distressed".

From BBC

"Wow" potato chips from Frito Lay were made with Olean, a brand name for Olestra.

From Golf Digest

No, my math didn’t spit out the obvious choice, and when I say spit out, I mean it in the same way Olestra works its way through the body: Quick, and, well, curious and ultimately and unfortunately unstoppable.

From Golf Digest