Doctor drops truth behind GLP-1 claim that blueberries are better at burning fat

Videos circulating online allege blueberries 'burn fat 1000 times better than Ozempic' - but now a doctor has spoken out to shed some light on the claims.

GLP-1 drugs, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, impact the GLP-1 hormone in the body, which regulates hunger and blood sugar. The medications are typically intended to be used by people with type two diabetes to help lower their blood sugar levels, although many have adopted them to aid weight loss.

However, many claim that 'real food' can have the same effect on the GLP-1 hormone - 'real foods' being those which are as close to their natural state as possible, as per Healthline. They are primarily unprocessed, free of chemical additives and rich in nutrients.

To address this claim, Dr. Andrew Koutnick, PhD, stitched his own clip with one video that alleges blueberries 'burn fat 1000 times better than Ozempic', and explained why this isn't exactly true.

Speaking to UNILAD, he said: "It is a false claim. However, it seems to be promoted by functional nutrition community who want people to realize that REAL FOOD is optimal for health."

He adds: "There is ALSO a push by many food and supplement companies to promote that their product or certain food trigger endogenous GLP-1 release. This is true."

However, he says the medications offer '500 times higher levels of GLP1 in the body,' some even reporting 1000 times higher.

How GLP-1s work vs the way blueberries act in the body

It is true that blueberries (as well as other forms of carbs and fat and protein) cause the gut to produce GLP-1, the doc says.

"When GLP-1 is elevated, it peaks within 30 minutes and slowly decreases over the next 2-4 hours depending on the composition of this meal," he goes on to explain.

The hormone works as a signal to the body that it has eaten food, the doc says, which in turn reduces appetite by activating receptors in the brainstem. Therefore, people feel full for longer, and eat less. However, GLP-1 drugs activate the receptors for much longer, the expert says.

"The magic of GLP-1 drugs versus food is that GLP-1 drugs are able to reach levels of GLP-1 that are 500-1000 times higher and sustain them for 166 hours (> 7 days), so it consistently lowers hunger signals throughout the day and in response to meals," he explains.

Blueberries are known as REAL FOOD (Getty Stock Image)

'Those who want to lose weight without GLP-1s should avoid fizzy drinks'

Those who want to avoid fillings and regular trips to the dentist have been told to avoid fizzy drinks, but the expert says those who want to lose the pounds without the use of medication are being told to stay away from them too.

A number of experts have agreed with this, with one even calling them 'liquid death'.

Other tips the Dr. Koutnick recommends are:

• Exercising 30 minutes per day
• Target 1.6 g of protein per kg of bodyweight
• Focus on getting 7-8hours of sleep.