Is there any evidence that this TikTok trend will facilitate you lose weight?

If you spend time browsing diet and lifestyle content on social media, you may have come across many weight loss “tricks.”

One of the latest trends is a homemade drink called ricemade by soaking raw rice and then straining it to drink the remaining starchy water. Sounds delicious, right?

Its proponents claim that it aids weight loss by making you feel fuller for longer and by suppressing your appetite. It works in a similar way to the popular drug Ozempic – hence its name.

Does this drink actually mimic the weight loss effects of Ozempic? Spoiler alert: probably not. But let’s look at what the evidence tells us.

How to make ricezempic?

While the recipe may vary slightly depending on who you ask, most common steps to make ricezempic you need:

1. Soak half a cup of white rice (unrinsed) in a cup of heated or balmy water for up to overnight

2. Strain the rice mixture into a fresh glass using a strainer

3. throw away the rice (but keep the starchy water)

4. Add the juice of half a lime or lemon to the starch water and drink.

TikTokers I advise you to get the best results if you drink this drink once a day, right after waking up, before eating.

The idea is that the longer you consume ricezempic, the more weight you will lose. Some claim that introducing the drink into your diet can lead to weight loss even 27 kilograms in two months.

Resistant starch

Ricezempic proponents claim that it leads to weight loss due to the resistant starch that rice contains. Resistant starch is a type of dietary fiber (also classified as a prebiotic). There no solid evidence makes you feel full for longer, but has proven health benefits.

Studies have shown that consuming resistant starch can facilitate regulate blood sugar levelsfacilitate weight loss and improve gut health.

Studies have also shown that consuming resistant starch reduces the risk obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Resistant starch is found in many dishesThese include beans, lentils, whole grains (oats, barley, and rice – especially brown rice), bananas (especially unripe or green ones), potatoes, and nuts and seeds (especially chia seeds, flax seeds, and almonds).

Half a cup of raw white rice (according to the ricezempic recipe) contains about 0.6 grams resistant starch. For optimal health benefits, daily intake 15–20 grams resistant starch. Although there is no specific evidence on the amount of resistant starch that leaches from rice into the water, it is likely to be much less than 0.6 grams since the entire grain of rice is not consumed.

Ricezempic vs Ozempic

Ozempic was originally developed to facilitate people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels, but is now widely used for weight loss.

Ozempic, like similar drugs like Wegovy and Trulicity, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. These drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone that the body naturally produces. This slows down the digestive process, which helps people feel full longer and curbs their appetite.

While resistant starch in rice may have similar properties to Ozempic (e.g., providing a feeling of fullness and reducing calorie intake), there have been no scientific studies comparing ricezempic to recipes promoted on social media.

Ozempic has a long half-life and remains energetic in the body for approximately seven days. Eating one cup of rice, on the other hand, will only keep you full for a few hours. And just soaking the rice in water and drinking the starchy water won’t give you the same level of fullness as eating just the rice.

Other Ways to Introduce Resistant Starch into Your Diet

There are several ways to consume more resistant starch while also gaining additional nutrients and vitamins compared to what you would get from ricezempic.

1. Cooked and cooled rice

Leaving the cooked rice to cold down for some time increases resistant starch content. Heating rice does not significantly reduce the amount of resistant starch that is formed during cooling. Brown rice is better than white rice because of its higher fiber content and the additional microelements such as phosphorus and magnesium.

2. More legumes

They contain a lot of resistant starch and have been shown to facilitate weight control when consumed regularly. Why not try a recipe that has Pinto beans, chickpea, black beans Or peas for dinner tonight?

3. Boiled and cooled potatoes

Boil the potatoes and leave them to cold for at least a few hours increases resistant starch content. Fully cooled potatoes are a opulent source of resistant starch and also provide indispensable nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C. Creating potato salad as a side dish is a great way to reap these benefits.

In miniature

Although many people on social media have reported benefits, there is no scientific evidence that drinking rice water or “Ricezempic” is effective for weight loss. You likely won’t notice any significant changes in your weight by drinking ricezempic and not making any other changes to your diet or lifestyle.

While the drink may contain a miniature amount of residual resistant starch from the rice and some hydration from the water, consuming foods containing resistant starch in its whole form may provide significantly more nutritional benefits.

More broadly, be wary of the weight loss methods you see on social mediaAchieving lasting weight loss comes down to gradually adopting vigorous eating habits and regular exercise, ensuring that these changes become lifelong habits.