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PepsiCo launches fat-blocking soda

    by Gillian Francella, For Philly.com/Health
    Published 

Trading off a 20 oz. Pepsi for Diet Pepsi can save you about 250 calories and 68 grams of sugar. Diet sodas are the low calorie/no calorie alternatives to calorie-packed fizzy drinks, but now they may just take on an entirely new role in the weight loss world as a dietary supplement.

Pepsi recently launched "Pepsi Special" in Japan with claims the diet soda will, "block fat absorption" to help you lose weight, according to ads.

What's the secret?

Pepsi Special contains dextrin, an indigestible starchy supplement that is classified as fiber. Since dietary fiber does help absorb fat, the claim has some validity. However, Americans won't be able to try Pepsi Special any time soon, the Food and Drug Administration released a statement in April denouncing fortifying certain foods with nutrients, because it could "result in deceptive or misleading claims." Since fiber is considered a nutrient, Pepsi Special won't be lining the inside of convenience store refrigerators in the United States any time soon.

Read the full story at Today HEALTH.

For the FDA report click here.