Have you ever heard of Oatzempic? It’s a blended mixture of oats, water and lime juice that folks on TikTok are drinking as a meal replacement, touting it as kind of an at-home, non-prescription Ozempic. (Yes, it’s a real thing, and, also yes, I think it sounds pretty gross.) I asked a doctor a few months back for her thoughts on the trend and—shocker—she wasn’t on board. Then, I stumbled on a similar supposed weight loss drink, Rice-Zempic, which is made by steeping rice in water and adding lime juice for flavor. Though I had an idea of what medical pros would think, I asked obesity expert Dr. Michael Snyder, MD, for his take just to confirm my suspicions that this is yet another TikTok fad you’re better off skipping.
Rice-Zempic Is Trending on TikTok, So I Asked a Doctor If It’s Safe
Spoiler: This is a trend you can skip
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Published Oct 7, 2024
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Meet the Expert
Dr. Michael Snyder, MD, FACS, FASMBS, is the Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at Rose Medical Center and in-house obesity specialist at FuturHealth. Dr. Snyder’s passion for bariatric surgery is based on his knowledge that morbid obesity is one of the vastly under-treated diseases, affecting not just health but quality and length of life. He is committed to using science and state-of-the-art technologies, via an integrated, team-based approach, to give his patients hope and results.
As mentioned, Rice-Zempic is a drink that supposedly helps with weight loss. It’s made by allowing rice to steep in water, then flavoring the rice water with some lime juice and drinking it. Per Dr. Snyder, “This drink is supposed to help you feel full, but should decidedly not be considered an Ozempic alternative.” From a medical standpoint, he says that many products marketed as ‘Ozempic alternatives,’ including Rice-Zempic, often lack the scientific rigor and clinical evidence necessary to support their effectiveness for weight loss. He adds that common alternatives like herbal supplements, over-the-counter appetite suppressants and detox teas often promise quick results but don’t engage the biological pathways that medications like Ozempic and other GLP-1s do. “As a result, these alternatives may not provide a healthy or sustainable approach to weight management. It’s essential to focus on evidence-based strategies for weight loss that are backed by clinical research.”
Though he says Rice-Zempic may have mild appetite-suppressing effects, as would anything that you drink or eat to signal fullness—and it’s reported to have higher levels of manganese and selenium, so there are also potential slight antioxidant effects—it doesn’t address the hormonal pathways critical for significant, sustained weight loss. “As a result, it is inconceivable that it can be considered to be as effective as medications that have been specifically developed and tested for long-term weight management in individuals with obesity or metabolic disorders,” Dr. Snyder stresses. These alternative weight loss methods, the doc tells me, often fail to deliver the same results as scientifically backed treatments, and consumers should approach these claims with extreme caution, because they’re unlikely to produce long-term or medically significant results.
Dr. Snyder continues, “And, almost comically, the recipe for making this supposedly novel formulation is how one makes ANY RICE MILK…And, clearly, people have not been losing weight by drinking rice milk or any of the milk alternatives as a key to unlocking your GLP1 receptors.” The rice milk formula above, he says, has 33 grams of carbs per cup, versus the 12 grams in a cup of milk. “So, I am not sure how one could advocate using this as a weight loss modality (where an element of carb restriction is usually recommended).” On top of that, rice milk has about a quarter the amount of protein as a cup of milk, and “it is common knowledge that adequate protein has a filling effect and is essential to have adequate amounts during the weight loss process. Again, not a good strategy to limit protein when trying to lose weight,” he maintains. So yes, you’re better off skipping this one.
Unsurprisingly, Dr. Snyder also warns against drinking Oatzempic, a similar trending beverage that’s a blended mixture of oats, water and lime juice that folks are drinking as a meal replacement. He tells me, “Individuals are craving a quick fix, but it does not always end up being sustainable and beneficial in the long term.” Instead, he stresses how crucial it is consult with a medical professional to ensure you’re approaching your weight loss journey in the healthiest way possible for you.
