I was thinking about that one Youtube video where the guy adds increasing amounts of sawdust to rice krispie treats. Sawdust is non-poisonous and indigestible, and can't be meaningfully metabolized.
Something else that (to my knowledge) shares these properties is mineral oil. Mineral oil is commonly used on cutting boards and knives, so food-grade mineral oil is easy to find and acquire. However, I don't know much about the other specifics.
Overall I have three questions.
- Is it possible to cook with mineral oil? (Ignoring any matters of food safety, does it have the same properties as other cooking oils?)
- Could someone confirm that mineral oil cannot be metabolized into energy?
- Besides acting as a laxative*, are there any other interactions with the body that would make mineral oil undesirable to have in food?
*It's a lubricant laxative, not a stimulant, so this isn't as horrible. When taken intentionally for this, a single dose is between one and three tablespoons.