Wonder powders: thinning or taxing?

Apart from money, the one thing everyone is obsessed about is their weight! Not just celebrities, even kids want to be in the skinny club. So, what’s the fastest way to become a member? The current trend is to consume all kinds of “fat burning”, “appetite controlling”, “filling” powders. 

Take for instance, Skinny Sprinkles, which is a huge hit in the UK. Advertised as an appetite control drink, millions of followers love it because it makes them eat less, by just mixing a sachet into water and taking a few gulps. Known as “the gastric band in a glass”, Skinny Sprinkles is only 9 calories per sachet and is said to give you energy as well as kill your appetite. According to its website, the drink contains glucomannan, a clinically proven ingredient to aid weight loss. 

Also, currently very popular with all of Bollywood and high profile richie-rich socialites in Mumbai and Delhi is the European Retreat,  a weightloss spa, where a concoction with baking soda as an ingredient is used to knock off the kilos. 

Some nutritionists back home too advocate a mix of spices like cinnamon, elaichi, jeera, haldi, kari patta, dhania, flax seeds, oregano etc, made into a fine powder. They advise you to have two spoons of the powder, mixed in a quarter glass of water, after every meal. They say it helps burn fat, the stubborn kind included.

But do these concoctions actually work? Yes, in the short term, you do get the desired results like inch loss and a weighing scale that shows you pleasing numbers. 

Sadly however, the joy is soon replaced with pain as Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, one of the world’s leading gastroenterologist and Padma Bhushan awardee reveals all the tummy issues that come with taking these quick fixes. His days are filled with treating many Indian celebs who have returned from the fancy European Retreats with irritable bowel syndrome and excess gas.

Dr Reddy warns that followers of Skinny Sprinkles too may suffer from bloating, nutritional deficiencies as well as irritable bowel syndrome. Similarly, an overload of spices from the kitchen can irritate the tummy and lead to bigger health issues.

So, how does one get rid of the flab quickly? What about SlimLipo, where a non-invasive laser zaps out all the fat in a few sessions? “This is nothing short of a con job,” says Dr Reddy, who explains that since it’s actually UV light and not a laser, it doesn’t work. 

His advice? “Follow your common sense. Don’t overeat. Exercise.” Since all these spas and drinks are packaged very well and people fall for their gimmicks, nobody worries about their authenticity or if their staff is properly accredited. Dr Reddy says weight loss depends on how much you eat and how much you burn. Shortcuts like even the gastric band are not long-term solutions as in most cases, the weight comes right back.

The best way to begin weight loss is to hit the gym for at least 30 minutes a day. Even if you don’t shed the kind of fat you want to, this lifestyle change can prolong your life expectancy, reveals Dr Reddy, who also recommends getting at least 60 gm of protein a day. 

Dr Nageshwar Reddy

Dr Nageshwar Reddy, leading gastroenterologist and Padma Bhushan awardee,  says weight loss depends on how much you eat and how much you burn. There is no shortcut. He has been treating many Indian celebs who have returned from the fancy European Retreat with irritable bowel syndrome, excess gas, bloating, and nutritional deficiencies.

But do these concoctions actually work? Yes, in the short term, you do get the desired results like inch loss and a weighing scale that shows you pleasing numbers. But, the joy is soon replaced with pain.