In between TikTok diet trends like the hot pickle challenge and cottage cheese, a new and even more insufferable trend has emerged: "Oatzempic."
While the name may be a stroke of genius (oats and weight loss drugs, but make that TikTok), the actual diet is far from that. Undeterred, many influencers promise that this liquid meal is a powerful weight loss supplement, with some users claiming it can help achieve as much as 40 pounds of weight loss in just two months.
Here's why this is a trend you can scroll past.
What is the Oatzempic TikTok diet trend?
Because the exact proportions vary from post to post, influencers recommend combining an uninspiring mix of:
This would amount to approximately 150-160 calories, based on a 40 gram serving of dry oats.
Most reports indicate that users will start their day with this drink and then continue to eat a normal diet, claiming that the oat mixture fills them up.
Does the Oatzempic Diet Trend Work?
There are some key factors that will influence the success of this diet - if you call short-term weight loss "success." As always, the key principle underlying the success of any weight loss diet is an energy deficit. consume fewer calories on average than you burn.
When used as a meal replacement, a serving of oatmeal is most likely a smaller serving than the meal it replaces, potentially reducing total daily calorie content and promoting an energy deficit. However, this effect is not unique to this particular brew and could be achieved with other, more balanced food changes, or simply by reducing portion sizes throughout the day.
The lack of protein in a drink promoted as a 'meal replacement' should also be an important warning sign. Adequate protein is not only essential for optimal health, its consumption is also strongly linked to weight loss.
Also worth noting is that the majority of users participating in the oatmeal trend seem to 'enjoy' this diet drink in addition to an intermittent fasting regimen. With fasting periods ranging from 14 to 20 hours, during which dieters will abstain from eating, oatzempic proponents use the drink to break their fast. Despite not necessarily being suitable for all individuals, according to a systematic review published in Molecular and cellular biology did find that intermittent fasting itself can be an effective weight loss tool. No need for beige drinks.
The mild brew's main ingredient, oats, are also classified as a 'high satiety food', meaning they are likely to keep you full for longer due to their high volume and fiber content, despite their low calorie content. The high water content of the oat drink also contributes to this high satiety effect.
But oats for weight loss are nothing new. Various studies included in a review published in Current nutrition reports have shown the benefits of adding oats to our diet for controlling body weight and regulating appetite. But there's no talk about mixing it into an unpalatable drink to reap the benefits. You can still enjoy oats in porridge, a smoothie or whatever form you like.
As for the extra lemon or lime juice? It is probably neither necessary nor helpful for weight loss, as there is no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of lemon or lime juice alone. Furthermore, unless you like adding sour flavorings to your breakfast, this will likely ruin your meal.
Why is it compared to Ozempic?
The slimming drug Ozempic lowers blood glucose during fasting and after meals by stimulating insulin secretion. This is designed to help reduce appetite and control overall food intake to achieve that all-important calorie deficit.
Perhaps the comparisons between oats and Ozempic are made because soluble fiber in oats is associated with increased secretion of the GLP-1 hormone, which promotes a similar effect to Ozempic. However, one study stated that although oats reduce appetite and benefit post-meal blood sugar levels, they do not increase plasma GLP-1 secretion. So this trend seems to be missing the point.
However, it's more likely that the name is simply a pithy-sounding pun, a commentary on the drinks that are said to dull the appetite, and an attempt to cash in on the drug's meteoric rise in popularity.
The verdict
While the main features of the diet and its "successful effects" may sound promising, this does not mean it is recommended. Meal replacement diets and TikTok trends don't do much to encourage long-term behavior change or promote sensible eating habits. If you return to your normal eating habits after the 'diet', you are likely to regain the weight you lost. Meal replacement diets themselves are usually reserved as an intervention and carried out in a clinical setting, with adequate support from a dietitian and guidance on long-term lifestyle changes.
To be honest, the stomach-filling effects of the oatmeal drink can be obtained by simply including oats in your diet, so for us it is a difficult task. If you want to increase satiety levels in your diet to make eating in an energy deficit more manageable and sustainable, consider focusing on:
- If you include enough fiber in your diet, 30 grams per day should be sufficient. You can achieve this by adding oats, other grains and lots of fruit and vegetables.
- Balanced meals with sufficient proteins. As a rule of thumb, 1.6-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight should be sufficient to support weight loss goals.
- An eating plan that supports your appetite. This will be very personal; you may prefer to stick to a fasting period, or others may prefer more frequent meals throughout the day. Do what suits you and your appetite.
- Check out our list of high satiety foods here. These are all foods that make you feel full, are rich in nutrients and contain few calories per volume.
The research
Check out the following links for more information about the studies cited in this article.
