1. Do Trans-Fat Substitutes Help With Weight Loss?
2. Is There A Yummy Way To Slim With Seaweed?
3. Is Drinking Water With Meals Unhealthy?

Do Trans-Fat Substitutes Help With Weight Loss?   It’s tricky to tell if a product contains trans fats, so I check and double-check nutrition labels.  Lately, I’ve been seeing the term “interesterified oils,” which I learned are the new trans-fat replacement.  Are these really better than trans fats, or will they have me packing on the pounds too?

Unfortunately, interesterified fats (found in a growing number of baked goods and packaged foods with a long shelf life) may be just as likely as trans fats to cause weight gain.  Research published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism revealed that interesterified fats lowered insulin production by 22 percent in one month, triggering a significant rise in blood sugar.  Since this is very new research, other scientists are still critiquing the data.  But considering that chronically high blood sugar causes the liver to store fat around the belly rather than burn it for fuel, it’s best to avoid these fats. 

Is There A Yummy Way To Slim With Seaweed?  In your column recently, a woman asked about a form of seaweed called kanten that helps take off 10 pounds a week.  You explained how to make a kanten jelly snack---but my friends and I tried it and it tasted like rubber!  Is there anything we can do to make kanten taste better so we can lose weight with it, too?

I’ve gotten so used to kanten jelly, I hardly notice that it is quite bland!  But the appetite-suppressing benefits are so amazing that it’s definitely worth tinkering with the recipe to make it more appetizing.  (Kanten helps women consume about 50 percent less calories daily, thanks to its ability to expand in the gut.)  A few suggestions: Follow the basic recipe of adding 4 tsp. of kanten (also known as agar) powder (like Now Agar Powder, $6 for 2 oz., at iHerb.com or call 866-328-1171) to 6 cups of boiling water.  Stir until the powder dissolves, then try infusions like ½ tsp. of cinnamon, ½ tsp. of vanilla extract, 1 tsp. of the zero-calorie natural sweetener stevia or chunks of fruit.  Chill until the mixture sets.  Or replace the water with unsweetened apple juice.  These adjustments will have you satisfied and slimmer in no time! 

Is Drinking Water With Meals Unhealthy?  I always have a glass of water with my meals.  But a friend pointed out that this is really bad for digestion and can even cause bloating and gas.  I looked online and found the same information!  Am I doing something harmful?

There’s no need to worry about drinking water with meals.  While it can dilute digestive acids (which can slow digestion and increase the risk of bloat, abdominal cramps or fatigue as the body digests food), drinking water as you’re eating doesn’t really dilute stomach acids that much.  In my opinion, it’s already difficult to get enough water into your system---there’s no need to complicate things.  So keep up your habit if it’s not causing you any problems.  (FYI: I always have water with my meals!)