Unless you have been living on a desert island, you should have heard of Ozempic, the weight-loss drug hailed because the holy grail for those with type 2 diabetes and now obesity. But have you ever heard of the most recent weight reduction trend, oat-zempic?
Somewhat more appealing than a weekly injection with side-effects similar to nausea and constipation, oatzempic is the moniker given to a TikTok recipe for a ‘miracle’ breakfast made up of 240ml water, roughly 45g of oats, a splash of cinnamon and a squeeze of lime, blended together.
No one is drinking these things only for fun – it’s thin and sour, with a bitty texture – but online devotees of this oat smoothie are claiming that, drunk each day as a 40-day ‘challenge’, it’s nearly as good for weight reduction because the Ozempic jab.
‘Down 9lb [4kg] in three weeks!’ raves one user. ‘Almost per week in and down 4lb [1.8kg],’ comments one other.
While it isn’t clear precisely where the oatzempic recipe originated, it appears to have gained traction because of a TikTok user referred to as ‘The Chorro King’ (@fred_ddy92), whose page is devoted to his long-running weight reduction efforts and who has been posting each day videos singing the praises of his ‘oatzempic journey’.
TikTok user ‘The Chorro King’ – demonstrating the recipe – has been posting each day videos about ‘oatzempic journey’
The oft-repeated message in social media posts is that this drink could provide help to lose 40lb [18kg] in as little as two months.
But this sounds unlikely – and possibly dangerous. NHS guidance, as an example, suggests a protected and sustainable rate of weight reduction to be 1-2lb (as much as 1kg) per week (or roughly 16lb, or 8kg, in two months).
Yet there is no such thing as a doubt that increasingly persons are taking unverified health advice from platforms similar to TikTok.
This week a survey of two,000 people by nutrition tracking app MyFitnessPal found that 61 per cent of respondents are influenced by or continuously adopt nutrition trends they’ve found on the platform – and 30 per cent had experienced some sort of side-effect from trying a TikTok food plan fad.
So is there any link between weight reduction from Ozempic and that from an oat-based food plan – aside from a punny name?
‘Ozempic works by mimicking the motion of a hormone called GLP-1, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduce appetite,’ explains London-based GP Dr Chandni Rajani.
To a lesser extent, oats may reduce hunger. That’s due to their fibre content, particularly a sort of soluble fibre called beta-glucan.
‘This bulks up within the gut, helping us to feel fuller for longer,’ says independent dietitian Carrie Ruxton.
She referred to a study within the Journal of Nutrition in 2001 that found eating oats as a part of a reduced-calorie food plan resulted in a weight reduction of around 4kg (nearly 9lb) over eight weeks.
Does this mean oatzempic might be that rare thing – a weight-loss trend that actually works?
‘Absolutely not,’ says Ms Ruxton.
‘The amazing results reported by some TikTok followers are probably on account of the results of intermittent fasting and replacing unhealthy foods with the oats drink.’
Looking more closely on the oatzempic reviews and at those that report dropping pounds while drinking it, the users also reveal that they’re doing rather more than simply adding this oat drink to their food plan: they’re fasting, restricting calories, and upping their activity levels in much the identical way any dieter might do.
The reason this recipe seems to have caught on appears to be mainly right down to its clever name, and the easy undeniable fact that – like Ozempic making you are feeling less hungry –Â oats can provide help to to feel full for longer (though through a distinct mechanism).
‘Oats are generally considered a healthy food alternative on account of their fibre content, but they do not have the identical mechanism of motion as Ozempic… [though] some individuals may find them helpful as a part of a balanced food plan for weight management on account of their fibre content and potential to scale back cravings,’ says Dr Rajani.
‘However there is no such thing as a single food that helps you shed several kilos of weight – the secret is that you simply are in a calorie deficit,’ says Ms Ruxton.
This means you take in less energy than you might be expending, leading your body to burn fat for energy.
Nutritionist Carrie Ruxton says you may get the identical effect – if not higher – from a bowl of porridge, a glass of orange juice (for the vitamin C) and a handful of berries
‘For example, a more moderen study within the British Journal of Nutrition in 2010 found that eating oat fibre without the calorie deficit has no effect on weight. There isn’t any such thing as a fast fix.’
So the oats in oatzempic may indirectly result in weight reduction, but no less than they aren’t unsafe.
In fact they’re nutritious, providing B vitamins – in addition to beta-glucan, which is proven to scale back LDL cholesterol, the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol that increases the danger of heart disease.
The addition of cinnamon and lime is potentially useful, too, though these ingredients are present here in negligible amounts, says Ms Ruxton.
‘The lime juice would supply a small amount of vitamin C, which supports normal immune function; while cinnamon is understood for anti-inflammatory effects and helping to lower blood sugar – although the dose utilized in studies is higher, around one or two teaspoons, rather more than the “dash” suggested within the recipe.’
You could get the identical effect – if not higher – from a bowl of porridge, a glass of orange juice (for the vitamin C) and a handful of berries (for the polyphenols otherwise provided by the cinnamon), she adds, and ‘it should probably taste loads nicer too!’
