Can Oats Really Help You Lose Weight?

On TikTok, a woman blends a half cup of rolled oats with a cup of water and the juice of half a lime. She forces a smile and then hesitantly takes a sip. “That,” she says with a colorful flourish, “is nasty.”

The drink isn’t meant to taste good; it’s supposed to be a weight loss hack.

Drink it every day, some influencers on social media claim, and you can lose a staggering 40 pounds in two months. “Oatzempic,” as it’s called, is a reference to the diabetes drug Ozempic, which belongs to a class of medications that have surged in popularity for their remarkable ability to help people lose weight.

It’s riding “on the coattails” of these drugs, said Colleen Tewksbury, an assistant professor in nutrition science at the University of Pennsylvania.

But while oats are certainly nutritious, “there is nothing magical” about them for weight loss, said Emily Haller, a dietitian in the lifestyle medicine program at Trinity Health Ann Arbor in Michigan.

What can oats do for your health?

Oats are a good source of soluble fiber, especially one type called beta-glucan, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce blood sugar spikes after meals, Ms. Haller said.

In general, consuming enough fiber (which most Americans don’t) can also reduce your risk of developing heart disease and certain cancers, as well as support a healthy gut and regular bowel habits, she added.