Debunking the slimming myths of diet foods: HCA and chitin

**Month Four: Debunking the Myths About Slimming Foods**

"Weight loss" is a common experience for almost everyone-especially girls, regardless of their weight. Obese people find it difficult to lose weight successfully without changing their lifestyle, whether through dieting or exercise. Even if they manage to lose weight through rigorous training, their weight will quickly return to its original level as soon as they relax, and may even be heavier than before.

As for those who are not overweight, losing weight is even more difficult. This is because the fat on a person who is not overweight is mostly lean muscle tissue (mainly composed of protein), and their energy intake is balanced with the basic calories needed for daily physiological activities. When the body is active, the calories burned will mostly come from carbohydrates, or sugars, before fats and proteins. Protein is also less readily used as fuel than fat. For those who are not overweight, weight loss is naturally difficult because their body fat percentage is not high, and they may even become underweight, which can negatively impact their health.

However, for obese individuals, weight loss is indeed imperative and urgent. Therefore, many dieters yearn for ways to achieve twice the results with half the effort, or even reach their goals quickly without much exertion. Many shrewd businesspeople have seized upon this, launching a plethora of weight loss products that claim to achieve weight loss without dieting, exercise, or even any lifestyle changes. Examples include slimming patches, chitin tablets with liposuction properties, cellulose supplements with bulking effects, and HCA supplements that accelerate metabolism.

Do you completely rely on these weight loss products, or do you completely distrust them? Actually, neither approach is very wise. Believing in "getting something for nothing" might lead to greater losses-losing money and even your health without achieving your weight loss goals. However, if you generalize from this, you'll also dismiss products that, when used correctly, could help you reach your weight loss goals sooner. If we fully understand the true nature of various weight loss products, and comprehensively evaluate their price, quality, and effectiveness before deciding whether to use them and which products to choose, our weight loss journey will be smoother and we'll reach our goals faster.

Here, we will provide a simple analysis of the various weight loss products that are commonly sold on TV shopping channels, through direct sales, pharmacies, beauty and slimming centers, and fitness centers.

**■HCA must be combined with increased activity levels.**

HCA (hydroxycitric acid) is an ingredient extracted from Garcinea Cambogia, a fruit commonly used by Indians in cooking and currying. The first company to isolate this ingredient and market it based on its properties was InterHealth, which named their product "CITRIMAX".

HCA is used as a weight loss product mainly because it can block fat formation and enhance the conversion of glucose into glycogen (a form of sugar stored in the body).

For those trying to lose weight, HCA should play a supporting role. Users should still combine it with dietary control and sufficient exercise. While HCA can reduce the formation of body fat, it can also increase carbohydrate levels. Remember what was mentioned earlier? When the body is active, carbohydrates are the first thing used as fuel. If you only take HCA without increasing your exercise, although your rate of fat formation may not increase, your weight will not decrease due to the increased carbohydrate levels.

However, on the other hand, if you take HCA and increase your exercise, you will naturally achieve better weight loss results than someone who "did not take HCA but only increased their exercise" because it increases the consumption of easily burned carbohydrates and reduces fat formation due to the effects of HCA!

**■Chitin, touted as a liposuction expert**

If you've ever seen TV commercials for weight loss products, you've probably seen ads that claim to absorb all the fat from the food you eat, significantly reducing your calorie intake. These ads usually feature several slim, attractive women eating large portions of high-calorie foods like ice cream or fried foods, assuring you that you don't have to worry about gaining weight no matter how much you eat.

So what is the truth? Anyone who has bought or eaten it will surely have the same answer-"greatly disappointed"!

Why? Are these advertisements really misleading? Not entirely. Chitosan can indeed absorb fat and reduce the amount of fat the body absorbs. However, the actual amount of fat absorbed by chitosan is only 6 to 8 times its own volume. Most commercially available weight-loss supplements containing chitosan are 500 mg per tablet. Even assuming each tablet can absorb 7 times its own volume of fat, a 500 mg chitosan tablet would only reduce fat absorption by 3.5 grams, which is only 31.5 calories. If you take two tablets before each meal, you'll only absorb about 1 gram of fat (equivalent to 63 calories, roughly the amount of fat in two tablespoons of ice cream).

Therefore, if you actually believe what the advertisements say and indulge in overeating while taking two chitin-containing health supplements, you're guaranteed to lose weight! As for the price? It might be even more prohibitive. If you're truly wealthy and want to take 15 or 20 supplements a day for better results, hoping to lose half a kilogram a week (provided you don't increase your food intake while taking these products), then be careful! Chitin not only absorbs the fat from foods you don't like, but it also absorbs fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids that are crucial for human health.

As a result, you might experience poor calcium absorption due to vitamin D (a fat-soluble vitamin), leading to osteoporosis; you might also experience rough, sensitive skin due to insufficient essential fatty acid levels, and women might even experience worsened menstrual cramps. Do you think this return on investment is worthwhile?