Ozempic may have been intended for people with diabetes to help manage blood sugar, but the medication has taken on a life on its own due to rapid weight-loss results.
But if you're looking to shed some pounds quickly, you may not need medical intervention at all. As it turns out, you may have foods in your pantry that mimic the weight-loss effect of Ozempic.
Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro contain the active ingredient semaglutide, which suppresses appetite and prolongs fullness by mimicking the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1.
GLP-1, which is naturally produced in the gut, helps curb hunger and slows the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic. As a result, you may feel full faster and longer, so you eat less.
While GLP-1 only sticks around in the blood for a few minutes, semaglutide lasts for days -- which why people on Ozempic lose so much weight.
However, some foods can also cause your digestive system to respond similarly -- especially those high in fiber.
"Whenever my family finds out that I'm studying obesity or diabetes, they say, 'Oh, what's the wonder drug? What do I need to take? What do I need to do?'" Frank Duca, who studies metabolic diseases at the University of Arizona, told NPR. "And I say, 'Eat more fiber.' "
Fiber contains macronutrients that trigger natural GLP-1 secretion to help you feel fuller longer. Since energy-dense fiber takes so long to digest, it could take hours before the macronutrients are finally broken down -- meaning you'll get an extra boost of GLP-1 hours after you've eaten, which can tamper cravings, per NPR.
But the type of fiber you're eating makes a difference. Duca told NPR that fermentable fiber -- including beta-glucan in barley and oats, dextrin in wheat, oligosaccharides in beans and peas, and pectin in apples and pears -- may be best at suppressing appetite and inducing weight-loss.
"Just being aware of how much fiber you're eating and increasing it, that's a huge step to improving your health," Duca suggested. "Then once you get into the habit of eating more fiber, you can be more specific about adding more beta glucan and barley."
Duca also warned against processed foods that contain extra or added fiber, saying they may contain a type of fiber that "just passes right through you, without triggering the release of any hormones."
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