Recently published research into a specific type of fiber found in oats is the latest to ride the Ozempic wave, as a new study from this month in The Journal of Nutrition found beta-glucan led to more weight loss in mice.
This interest in beta-glucan, a type of fiber found in oats and other foods, is also at the core of the "oatzempic" trend on social media, which has people blending up oatmeal with a few other nonessential ingredients in an effort to mirror the weight loss effects of Ozempic.
Previous research, even some in humans, has continued to show health benefits of beta-glucan, including metabolic ones like people's feelings of satisfaction and fullness, or satiating effects, improved blood sugar control and more. The Food and Drug Administration has even allowed some health claims about oats and barley that contain a certain amount of beta-glucan, based on existing information about beta-glucan's heart-health benefits, including lowering cholesterol.
While it's notable to call attention to the overall health benefits of fiber, and specifically beta-glucan, the new study and the oatzempic drink trend are "not revolutionary," according to Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, a board-certified gastroenterologist and medical director of ZOE, a science and nutrition company.
"I'm almost surprised that they even did the study, to be totally honest with you," Bulsiewicz said. "Because it feels like it's 10 years too late." He added that while there are health benefits to beta-glucan and fiber in general, the power of a drink like oatzempic making its rounds on the internet certainly shouldn't be equated to Ozempic, and people should not expect the same results.
"This is not a magic formula," Bulsiewicz said. "This is just people thinking they're doing something magic, and instead increasing their fiber," which the overall US diet is notoriously low in. One 2017 estimate, for example, found that 95% of US adults aren't getting the recommended amount of fiber.
Here's more about beta-glucan, how to increase your fiber and beta-glucan intake, and why you don't need to suffer through a drink you don't necessarily like in order to reach your health goals.
Ozempic vs. Oatzempic: 'A crafty name with a sprinkle of science'
Ozempic is a prescription drug approved for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes that works by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone, GLP-1, that helps you feel full or satisfied after eating. It also plays a role in insulin response and blood sugar control. Ozempic's counterpart, Wegovy, works similarly and is approved specifically for weight management or weight loss in some cases.
Oatzempic is a drink that people started making on TikTok and Instagram videos. Its recipe seems to be half a cup of oats, one cup of water and juice from half of a lime. Some people add cinnamon. It's presumably consumed as a way to lose weight or curb appetite (or maybe people just want to give it a taste).
If you pick apart the ingredients in oatzempic, everything is good for you -- water (essential for survival and helpful for digestion), lime juice (little dose of vitamin C with flavor addition) and oats (high in soluble fiber and a filling option for energy). As was explained in an article for Mayo Clinic, the weight loss element of oatzempic partly comes in if people are eating/drinking this drink instead of a higher-calorie meal or drink, since the most straightforward way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories so you're in a calorie deficit.
"To me, it's a crafty name with a gentle sprinkle of science," Bulsiewicz said. He added that instead of just lime juice and water, people could add more fruits, possibly some chia seeds, flax seeds or nut butter to make an even more nutrient-dense drink.
According to Pamela Nisevich Bede, a registered dietician, nutritionist and senior manager of medical affairs at Abbott's Lingo biosensors, you may be better off just eating a bowl of oatmeal with your (filling) toppings of choice.
"The beta-glucans component is beneficial," Bede said in an email about the oatzempic drink. "But solid oatmeal accompanied by protein and fiber-rich nuts would be a better choice for satiety and overall glucose control." She added that taking the time to dine on a bowl of oatmeal, rather than drinking it, also allows for "slower introduction of nutrients and energy to one's body," and that liquid foods can be "less filling" or satisfying in general, and they may also end up leading to more calorie consumption.
Deriving enjoyment or pleasure from your food is an important part of your health, and what's a fun, helpful smoothie routine for one person could become a stressful, obsessive or unhealthy habit for another. Eating patterns are individual, so do what feels good to you as a way to get your fiber in.
What is beta-glucan, the fiber in oatmeal?
It doesn't matter how you drink it or what you eat it with, the fiber found in oats (and barley and to a lesser extent vegetables like mushrooms and seaweed) has a long history of helping fill people up, predating the Ozempic boom. The fiber in beta-glucan, according to Bulsiewicz, creates short-chain fatty acids, which eventually result in the metabolic benefits that everyone's after, like more fullness or satisfaction and improved blood sugar and cholesterol.
Beta-glucan is one type of soluble fiber, which Bulsiewicz also referred to as "fermentable" fiber, meaning it's able to interact with your gut bacteria and produce positive effects. Insoluble fiber (think fruits with peels and many vegetables) isn't absorbed during digestion and helps move the contents of your intestines.
In addition to grains like oat and barley, other foods including mushrooms and seaweed contain beta-glucan. But don't neglect the other sources or types of fiber.
"To increase the fiber in our diet is simply to increase the plants in our diet," Bulsiewicz said. "Don't limit yourself to just oats."
Bede agrees. While fiber and beta-glucan can benefit health and wellness, adding other types of foods that have protein or calcium that may also mimic the GLP-1 effect is also going to be beneficial, according to Bede, both in terms of health and creating a pattern that's more doable for the long term.
"The combined addition of fiber, protein and calcium is a great habit to get into, and a sustainable approach to healthy weight and metabolism," she said.