Probiotics & Poppi: Does This TikTok Trend Really Help You Lose Weight?
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When it comes to diet trends, we are no longer looking at the grocery store aisles for fat loss drinks or even going to our doctors or dieticians to set a plan. Since the rise of TikTok, many have been finding inspiration to lose weight while scrolling their FYP on TikTok. We should all strive for losing weight the healthy way, but still, things like juice cleanses, the carnivore diet, and eating low-carb have made their rounds throughout the TikTok community. And while many of these trends can help you, it's important to take them with a grain of salt.
According to personal trainer Denise Cervantes, via Newsweek, looking to your favorite creator for weight loss advice can be dangerous as usually, their main goal is views not a concern for health. Plus, there are so many things we get wrong about weight loss, including the idea that fat is the enemy or that we can flush away our weight. Still, there is a lot of good that comes from TikTok, and the weight loss trends aren't slowing down. The latest ones to hit our feed are probiotics and Poppi — here's what it's all about.
What is the new trend of probiotics and Poppi?
If you're unsure what we are even talking about here, let's first break it down. According to Cleveland Clinic, probiotics are "a combination of live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body." Taking a daily probiotic can help your body fight infection and aid in digestion. The other half of the equation is Poppi, which is a branded soda alternative that is filled with prebiotics, which help keep your gut healthy. Now let's talk about the trend.
According to a few TikTokers, combining a probiotic (this specific trend recommends the Olly probiotics) and a Poppi each day will lead to weight loss. In fact, the trend goes even further to suggest that by doing this every day for seven days, you will see a seven pound weight loss. While this may seem too good to be true, after the trend began to circulate, others leaned in and tried it for themselves seeing if they would actually lose the weight.
Does the trend actually work?
One quick search of Poppi and probiotics and you can find your fair share of creators sharing this trend, raving about the results. For some, the mixture of probiotics and the prebiotics in Poppi's can actually lead to some positive results. According to Healthline, if you are already considered overweight, adding a probiotic into your health routine can help you shed pounds. Poppi, and other prebiotic sodas, can also be beneficial for lowering blood sugar and help those who are addicted to regular sodas.
So does mixing them really cause weight loss? Unfortunately, it doesn't. Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and an assistant professor of nutrition at Saint Louis University told EverydayHealth that eating a probiotic and drinking a prebiotic at the same time is not only unnecessary but any benefit that does come is low in comparison to whole foods you are likely already consuming. For some, the mixture even backfired, with one TikToker saying she became so bloated she almost went to the hospital. Either way, while the mixture of probiotics and Poppi are not going to affect most either negatively or positively, always be sure to do your research before hopping on a diet trend.