"Ricezempic" doesn't work for weight loss, experts say

BOSTON - If you've seen "ricezempic" on TikTok, you might be wondering - does it really work? It doesn't, according to experts.

What is ricezempic?

Ricezempic is a homemade drink made by soaking uncooked rice in water, removing the rice, and then drinking the water.

TikTokers claim this resistant starch elixir can mimic the effects of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy and help you lose weight by making you feel less hungry.

But according to the health information website Healthline, nutrition experts don't necessarily agree. They say you won't get the same appetite regulation from drinking rice water as you do from these prescription medications that target areas in the brain. 

And they say while resistant starches do have some health benefits, it's better to get them from high-fiber foods rather than rice water. 

In:
• Health

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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