This Prebiotic ‘Pink Drink’ for Weight Loss Is Going Viral—It Helped One Woman Lose 70 Lbs
Doctors say it boosts your body’s production of GLP-1 hormones naturally
When choosing a refreshing drink, why not opt for one that not only hydrates but also helps you slim thanks to the power of prebiotics? Convenient prebiotic sodas and popular drink mixes like the Plexus “pink drink” are taking the weight-loss world by storm for their ability to strengthen the gut and promote easy weight loss. Learn more about this beverage trend, how it helped one woman shed 70 pounds and how to try our DIY pink drink recipe.
Why are prebiotic pink drinks so popular?
For years, research has shown that people who consume at least 30 different plant foods every week prime their gut lining for optimal health and weight management. But who has the time or budget for all that fresh produce? Instead, dieters have found a convenient workaround: using plant-based prebiotic drink mixes to easily boost their intake of prebiotic fiber.
Woman's World Answers
Prebiotics serve as food for probiotics, the tiny, beneficial microbes found in our gut. These healthy bugs need prebiotic fiber compounds to thrive and boost metabolism. Anna Cabeca, DO, says, “prebiotics are fast food for friendly bacteria.”
When gut microbes digest this fiber, they generate short-chain fatty acids, including one called butyrate. UCLA’s Emeran Mayer, MD, author of The Mind-Gut Immune Connection, says, “Butyrate is this universal, beneficial molecule that has anti-inflammatory effects both in the gut and on the brain.”
How prebiotics boost weight loss
“Eating a fiber-rich diet and taking prebiotics triggers a rise in GLP-1 and other satiety hormones,” says Dr. Mayer. That’s right: Prebiotics start a chain reaction in the body that stimulates the same hormones triggered by popular prescription weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. The doc explains that when you boost your prebiotic intake, you prod your body to produce more of its own GLP-1 hormones. “You don’t necessarily have to take the prescription injections.”
The easiest ways to get more prebiotics
The most widely researched prebiotic powder is inulin, which only costs around 20¢ per serving, and can be added to beverages. But there are other popular ways to get your fix:
- Sip the Plexus Slim “pink drink”
- Try store-bought seltzers like Poppi soda or Olipop
- Brew tea made from licorice, burdock root or dandelion root
- Make fruit smoothies, especially using under-ripe bananas
- Take a supplement like Seed Daily Synbiotic
Prebiotic pink drinks burn twice as much belly fat
One study in the Journal of Food and Nutrition Research found that people who used a kit with a prebiotic drink mix doubled belly fat loss compared to dieters using the same kit with no prebiotic drink. And a separate study of overweight people showed that those given a prebiotic drink mix experienced 3.5 times greater fat loss than those given a placebo.
“The microbiome is very adaptable. It can improve within just 48 hours of a dietary change,” says Dr. Mayer, who advises aiming for a 75 percent plant-based diet, similar to how you eat on a healthy Mediterranean plan. “If you replace unhealthy components in your diet—sugar, certain fats and simple carbs—with healthy plant-based ones, you automatically decrease your calorie count by about a third and you stimulate the production of hormones that create satiety.”
You’ll also reduce bloat initially, says Dr. Cabeca. “When combined with diet and exercise, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is reasonable.”
A prebiotic pink drink helped one woman lose 70 pounds
Postpartum weight loss had never been easy for mother-of-eight Jwana Slavin. She tried countless diets. She hadn’t heard of prebiotics before she started sipping the Plexus “pink drink.” But they worked their magic on her: “The prebiotic fiber helped me feel full, which made it easier to avoid mindless snacking,” says Jwana, who now works for Plexus Worldwide.
She sipped one serving of the cherry limeade beverage a few hours after her first meal each day. It helped with energy and appetite control. “Before, I had sugar cravings, especially when I was stressed or busy, but once I started using prebiotic products, those cravings completely faded.” She says, “This reminded me how good it feels to take care of myself. I feel great internally, and now it shows on the outside!”
How she knew it was working: “I saw consistent weight loss, not just losing and gaining the same 5 pounds.” She shed up to 8 pounds a month and dropped from a size XXL to a medium. “I’m feeling good in my skin: more energy, fewer cravings and a clearer mind.” She says, “This is an easy first step. You might be surprised how quickly you start feeling better!”
DIY pink drink recipe for weight loss: Prebiotic Pink Crush
- 2 cups of ice cubes
- 1 can of seltzer
- 1 cup of watermelon chunks
- Juice of half a grapefruit
- Juice of one orange (blood orange or Cara Cara for pink color)
- 1 tsp. of inulin prebiotic powder (like Sprout Living)
Pulse all ingredients in a blender until ice is slushy. Garnish with fruit. Serves 1.
Additional reporting by Cailey Griffin and Erin Flynn Jay
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