Can simple kitchen ingredients remedy weight gain? Debunking 5 weight loss myths

Hyderabad: Several social media users have shared posts claiming that some simple home ingredients such as cumin, ginger, lemon, apple cider vinegar and many more act as a fat burner resulting in a major body transformation.

Many of these home remedies are not only unscientific and ineffective but may also cause serious complications While these remedies cannot independently shed pounds, in this article we will discuss the five most commonly used ingredients to lose weight, how they work and their limitations.

Fact Check

Cumin and lemon tea

Cumin possesses properties that might help lose weight as it contains an active ingredient called thymoquinone, which contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The ingredient thymoquinone targets free radicals in the body and helps it detox itself. Cumin also helps keep blood sugar levels stable.

If you aim to consume cumin water for weight loss, a combination of cumin supplements, a healthy diet, and exercise might work together to decrease fat deposits and reduce inflammation in the body.

Lemons may have become popular as a weight loss aid through lemon water diets. However, there is little evidence that lemon water diets work, and the main effect may be due to drinking more water rather than adding lemon to it.

A study has found that pre-meal water consumption led to a significant reduction in meal energy intake in the young which suggests that this may be an effective weight control strategy, even though the mechanism of action remains unknown. But there is no evidence to back the fat-cutting property of lemon as claimed.

Turmeric tea

No, turmeric can’t aid in weight loss. A study found that curcumin is a promising natural bioactive compound which possesses numerous pharmacological activities. It affects cellular biochemical and physiological regulation.

In pharmacies, more and more preparations containing curcumin are being recommended for the prevention of obesity. However, more comprehensive and definitive human studies should be performed to assess the possibility of using curcumin in preventing and managing obesity.

Moreover, turmeric can have certain adverse effects on people having bleeding disorders, diabetes, iron deficiency and kidney stones. Additionally, there is insufficient evidence to find the safety of this supplement among pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is advised to avoid excess turmeric intake

for people with these conditions as they may experience side effects such as allergic reactions, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, skin rash or diarrhoea.

Ginger tea

Ginger tea may have some benefits regarding weight loss but there are limitations. Ginger contains a compound called gingerol and shogaols. These compounds interact with biological activities in the body. Ginger can potentially control free radicals in the body and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Ginger water might not directly address shedding excess fat but helps increase metabolism and helps the person feel fuller for longer which eventually results in less calorie intake.

The key is to combine a healthy diet with exercise along with consuming ginger water and allow it to act as a stimulant and not rely on ginger water alone for weight loss.

Coffee decoction

The claim that coffee decoction can help with weight loss is not completely true. Coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine is included in most commercial fat-burning supplements nowadays. It is undoubtedly, a substance known to help increase your metabolism.

Coffee also contains certain other stimulants responsible for high metabolic rates such as Theobromine mainly found in cocoa, Theophylline and chlorogenic acid in some ways help slow the absorption of carbs.

However, even though caffeine stimulates the nervous system which gives a direct signal to fat cells to break down and release into the blood. But this does not help lose weight unless the person is burning calories that they consume through diet.

One can only burn fat by either eating less or exercising more.

Apple cider vinegar

Drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss isn’t likely to be effective. Although, there are several posts claiming apple cider vinegar to act as a weight loss supplement potentially but there is little scientific support for these claims.

It should be noted that, consuming diluted apple cider vinegar occasionally is considered safe but as ACV is highly acidic it might irritate the throat if consumed often or in large quantities. ACV might also interact with certain medications including diuretics and insulin. ACV works on lowering the appetite by making you feel full for a longer period which decreases the calorie intake.

However, side effects of consuming apple cider vinegar are plenty such as gastroparesis, as it extends the time food stays in the stomach. Hence, it can do more harm than good to your body.