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An advertisement for a ginger oil product, claiming drastic weight loss and decreasing tummy fat if applied on one’s stomach, is going viral on social media platforms. The viral advertisement has been resurfacing under various product names on Facebook. The archived version of a tweet advertising a similar product can be seen here.
Newschecker has found the claim to be false.
Newschecker first ran a keyword search for the terms “ginger oil weight loss”, which threw up multiple articles and studies on the subject. According to these reports and studies, although adding ginger to your diet could have a positive impact on your health and attenuates obesity, there is no scientific research that suggests directly applying ginger oil can aid weight loss or contribute to slimming. The reports indicate that ginger as an ingredient does not directly reduce your weight, but boosts one’s metabolism thus leading to weight loss.
According to Healthline, “Ginger has demonstrated potential as an ingredient to help you lose weight. When you take ginger along with other antioxidant, blood-sugar stabilising, and anti-inflammatory ingredients, you’re giving yourself a head start on moving the scale toward a healthier weight. But ginger alone won’t lead to a significant drop in excess weight. A healthy diet and regular exercise are still vital to overall weight loss.” A Time magazine article stated, “Ginger, as a supplement or an ingredient in food and drink, may protect against obesity and chronic disease, according to a new research review.”
Dr. Meenakshi Bajaj, dietitian, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital, Chennai, said that there was no evidence of fat loss, neither in humans nor animal models as a result of rubbing ginger oil on skin. “Ginger oil is an essential oil extracted from the rhizome of the ginger plant. Research into the benefits of ginger oil indicates that it has anti-inflammatory properties and that it could be helpful in easing feelings of nausea. Ginger oil has a warm, spicy scent and can be used in aromatherapy and for topical applications. When applying ginger oil to the skin, always remember to dilute it in carrier oil first. More studies are available in animals,” she said, adding that studies have begun to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger oil. “More research is needed to explore and verify the benefit of topical use of ginger oil on skin and its effect on things like inflammation and skin’s appearance,” she said.
Lavleen Kaur, head dietitian and co-founder at Diet Insight, said, “Such products for weight/fat loss are generally marketing gimmicks and are certainly not useful. Weight can be managed by incorporating a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle modifications. Weight loss/fat loss depends on various factors, such as diet, medical history, activity level, stress levels, water intake, sleep patterns, mental health, mindset, and belief, to name a few.”
We also reached out to an Ayurveda doctor, Dr Sajitha, from Calicut private clinic, who confirmed that the ginger oil quick-fix was fake. “There is no proof that ginger oil can help to reduce belly fat. There is no way to lose belly fat without exercise,” she said.
Viral advertisements promoting the application of ginger oil on your stomach to reduce belly fat do not have any scientific basis.
Source
Conversation with Dr Meenakshi Bajaj, Dietitian, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital, Chennai
Conversation with Lavleen Kaur, head Dietitian and co-founder at Diet Insight
Studies, news reports
Conversation with Dr Sajitha, Ayurveda doctor
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