Find out about the effectiveness of weight loss secrets popular on TikTok.
“Protein and carbonation are in conflict… Eating large amounts of chia seeds is also dangerous.”
/Photo=Instagram capture A new weight loss drink is attracting attention among the 1020 generation in the United States. These are ‘Protein diet coke’ and ‘Tadpole water’. While reviews certifying the effectiveness of this method are pouring in through social networking services (SNS) such as TikTok, experts have expressed doubts about its weight loss effectiveness or warned about caution when consuming it.
First, protein cola is a mixture of vanilla-flavored protein shake bottled beverage and Zero Coke or diet cola in a 1:1 ratio. The idea is to consume protein in an interesting way while reducing the fishy taste characteristic of protein.
A video of American TikTok influencer Rebecca Gordon drinking this drink recorded over 2 million views. Local netizens who saw this posted a verification video following the recipe and responded in various ways, such as “It tastes like root beer (an American carbonated drink made from plant roots),” “It’s tastier than I thought,” and “It’s a carbonated drink, but it can even supplement protein.” showed.
/Photo=Instagram capture Tadpole water is a drink made by soaking a spoonful of chia seeds in a cup of water for 20 to 30 minutes and then adding a slice of lime. The shape of soaked chia seeds resembles a tadpole egg, so it is called tadpole water.
A video posted on TikTok with the hashtag ‘tadpole water’ recorded 6.8 million views even though the person who posted it was not a famous influencer, and was also highlighted by British health-related media such as ‘The Conversation’.
The ‘Tadpole Water Diet’ method is to drink a glass of this water on an empty stomach for 7 days after waking up in the morning. The goal is to reduce daily food intake while maintaining a feeling of fullness throughout the day. Videos that actually follow this method and prove its effectiveness, such as “I lost 3 kg in 5 days,” “I lost noticeably belly fat,” and “I’m not hungry,” are also popular on social media.
/Photo = Instagram capture What is the weight loss effect of these drinks? First of all, if you mix a protein shake with cola, it will not have the same protein supplement effect as if you mix it with water. This is because carbonic acid can destroy nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, and casein contained in supplements. In addition, both carbonation and the whey in protein supplements can cause intestinal gas and indigestion.
Chia seeds can help with diet when considering the ingredients alone, but you should be careful about consuming large amounts. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of chia seeds contain 34 grams of dietary fiber. It helps resolve constipation that can occur when dieting, but if consumed in large quantities, there is a high chance of experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal disorders. The calories are not low at around 400 kcal per 100g, but according to the UCLA Health Health Center, chia seeds can absorb up to 27 times their weight in water. You can feel full even with as little as 10g (one teaspoon).
Kim Gyeong-gon, a professor of family medicine at Gachon University Gil Hospital, said, “If you check the ingredient list, protein shakes also have a fairly high sugar content. This is because a certain amount of sugar is needed to increase muscle mass,” and added, “If weight loss is your goal, it may not be considered a desirable nutritional composition. “He pointed out.
He continued, “In addition, it is true that the synthetic sweeteners used in Coke Zero and Diet Coke have lower sugar content than sugar, but research results show that they stimulate appetite,” and suggested, “It is difficult to recommend a combination of the two.” Regarding chia seeds, Professor Kim said, “If you consume chia seeds in a dry state, they will form lumps in your body and cause indigestion,” adding that even if you lose weight, dieting through exercise is good for your health.
Kim Young-ri, Hankyung.com reporter smartkim@hankyung.com
