Doctor says £1 bag of seeds can help you lose weight

Dozens of videos have flooded social media recently about a popular recipe people claim has helped them slim down quickly. It involves two simple ingredients, with one costing as little as £1 to get.

Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS doctor with a huge social media following, explained the trend, which some are calling ‘tadpole water’ due to its appearance. Lots have been mixting chia seeds and water, with various success stories.

You can buy a bag of chia seeds for as little as £1 in most supermarkets. The expert explained chia seed water can be beneficial for weight loss due to the high fibre content of the seeds that ‘tricks’ your mind and body.

He said: “Whilst there’s nothing uniquely special about chia seeds, this and other fibres can manipulate your microbiome, brain signals and gut hormones.”

He added that these kinds of high fibre foods are often “very satisfying” to our bodies due to their bulkiness but they’re also usually pretty low calorie too. This means you feel fuller without carrying those extra calories around.

Dr Rajan continued by sharing that high fibre foods can also release “more appetite-suppressing hormones” in the body such as PYY and GLP-1. This is what causes you to feel more full than you actually are – which directly helps your weight loss goals.

Using some quick maths, the medical professional said: “For every hundred calories of fibre consumed, your body burns around 20 calories trying to process and digest that So, if your daily diet consists of lots of fibre, this might provide some modest effect to aid in any weight loss goals.

He also pointed out that those following a high fibre diet in general are likely to be avoiding big weight gain contributors like processed foods. It turns out that these foods are easier to extract calories from during the digestion process so making simple swaps could help cut out how many calories make it through your body to begin with.

In an example, Dr Rajan said: “Say you had a multigrain sandwich versus a white bread version which is more processed. Your body can extract more calories from [the white sandwich] and has to work less hard to digest it.

“This isn’t to say you shouldn’t eat white bread or anything which doesn’t have fibre in it. But, across a week, a month or even a year, consistent behaviours to increase fibre consumption can play a substantial role in calorie usage and intake as well as influencing factors that regulate weight and appetite.”

For as little as £1, you can get a 150g bag of chia seeds at Tesco. Bigger packs with 500g of seeds are also available if you’re willing to commit to this trend.

Always speak to your doctor first before making any major diet changes and to check if chia seed water is suitable for you to consume. It is important to mix a spoonful of chia seeds with a large glass of water and to let the seeds soak for 30 minutes before drinking to avoid choking risks.

The NHS website also shares a number of other ways to boost your fibre intake. A healthy amount to aim for is roughly 30g per day – which doesn’t sound like much but can be a struggle for certain people.

To increase your fibre intake you could:

• Choose a higher-fibre breakfast: Ditch the sugary cereals for wholewheat biscuits (like Weetabix) or plain shredded whole grain (like Shredded wheat)work well Porridge is also a good source of fibre.
• Swap your usual loaf: If you usually grab white bread in the supermarket, try swapping to a wholemeal or granary bread instead.
• Keep the skin on your spuds: Baked jackets or boiled new potatoes are good options to increase fibre. Whilst potatoes aren’t known as a high fibre food, the majority of their actual fibre content is in their skin so peeling it off is just a waste.