Doctor warns of food poisoning risk from TikTok’s new “natural Ozempic”

A simple mixture of rice water and lime has become the latest weight loss trend to take over TikTok.

The brew, called “Rice Zempic,” is said to help you lose up to two pounds a day. However, experts warn that the miracle mixture could actually pose a serious risk to our health.

“There are so many health warning signs with this latest TikTok diet trend, it's hard to know where to start,” said Masarat Jilani, assistant physician at bladder care company Jude. News week.

TikTok influencer Monika Monroe is one of hundreds of users sharing her recipe for “rice zempic,” which involves mixing a cup of uncooked rice with a cup of hot water and the juice of half a lime.

“I drink it first thing in the morning,” Monroe said in a video that has been viewed over 2.2 million times. “After that, I drink water.” [Then] At 2 p.m. I eat a healthy lunch.”

However, Jilani warned that consuming water made from raw rice carries the risk of food poisoning from the spores of a bacteria called Bacillus cereus, which the National Institutes of Health says is found in up to 50 percent of all raw rice samples in the United States.

“In this case, you should expect the usual unpleasant symptoms of food poisoning: nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea,” Jilani said.

Inadequate sifting can also result in the rice grains themselves being consumed. “If this diet trick results in you accidentally eating raw rice, it is incredibly difficult for our bodies to digest and can cause bloating and even damage to the intestinal tract,” Jilani said.

“When you add lime juice, it gets worse. It is very acidic and consuming it in these amounts can irritate the bladder lining and worsen conditions such as interstitial cystitis or overactive bladder.”

Users have claimed that rice water's weight loss benefits are due to the presence of resistant starch, which can act as a prebiotic and promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. However, Jilani said you can get the same benefits from other foods that don't carry a risk of bacterial infection.

“You can get the same benefits without the risks of other foods like cooked and cooled potatoes. So you could get the same effect with a potato salad without the risk of food poisoning,” she said.

Jilani added that the weight loss claims of some users of the “Rice Zempic” diet are more likely due to the fact that the low-calorie drink replaces breakfast, thus reducing calorie intake throughout the day.

“However, it is important to remember that this is not a healthy way to lose weight because of the potential risks,” she said.

Is there a health issue you're concerned about? Do you have a question about weight loss? Let us know at [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice and your story could appear on Newsweek.