The 21-Day Challenge, a weight loss plan credited to a Michigan naturopath who operated the program out of his basement, suggests drinking a kefir and mangosteen cocktail and following a sensible diet to lose weight. Although some health benefits may accrue from the ingredients in the cocktail, scant evidence exists that these ingredients will help you lose weight. Some side effects may be harmful so you should check with a physician before attempting the diet.
Weight Loss Cocktail
The Mangosteen Juice Weight Loss Cocktail contains 2 oz. of mangosteen juice, 2 oz. of kefir, 1 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp. of coconut oil. To make the cocktail, you heat the coconut oil until it becomes a liquid and then mix all of the contents together. You take it twice daily if you have fewer than 50 lbs. to lose and three times a day if you wish to lose more than 50 lbs. The diet also involves eating watery fruits for breakfast and drinking ½ oz. of water for each lb. you way. If you weigh 150 lbs, you would drink 75 oz. or just over 9 cups of water. The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 6 cups of water daily to stay properly hydrated, more if you are pregnant or nursing, live in a hot climate or exercise vigorously.
Kefir Benefits
Kefir, a fermented milk drink, may be purchased commercially. You may also make it yourself with kefir grains, a bacteria culture that dates back 5,000 years and contains more than 35 probiotics. It is somewhat similar to yogurt, also made by adding bacteria to milk. Kefir has been used as a homeopathic remedy for diabetes, allergies, bronchitis, circulatory disorders, allergies and heart problems. No scientific study links kefir to weight loss, but researchers at the University of Tennessee discovered that people who ate three servings of yogurt daily lost 22 percent more weight and 61 percent more body fat than those who consumed little or none, according to a study led by Michael Zemel and presented at an Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego, California.
Mangosteen and Weight Loss
Mangosteen, a bitter fruit used in Asian cultures to provide extra satiety in meals, may be helpful in weight loss. Garcinia cambogia, an extract of the fruit, can be found in many herbal diet pills. Dónal O'Mathúna, a senior lecturer at the Dublin City University, says that the properties in mangosteen suppress your appetite and inhibit your body from storing food as fat. He adds, however, that studies seeking to connect these properties to weight loss have met with mixed results. Studies in which people using garcinia cambogia lost weight did not properly distinguish the mangosteen extract as the cause, O'Mathúna says.
Oils to Lose Weight
The oils in the cocktail --- coconut and olive --- are believed by some to assist in weight loss. Matt Lovell, the nutritionist for Britain's rugby team, credits coconut oil for helping team members lose fat and gain muscle over the course of several playing seasons. Olive oil, a prominent part of the Mediterranean diet, contains polyphenols, an antioxidant that may boost metabolism, according to "The Globe and Mail." Coconut oil is a highly saturated fat that may clog arteries, while olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that may lower cholesterol.
Considerations
Mangosteen used in culinary purposes seems to be safe, but mangosteen extract may cause liver damage, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal difficulties and damage to your cardiovascular and respiratory system. At least one death in the United States has been attributed to use of garcinia cambogia, according to "The Globe and Mail." It is unknown whether the amount of mangosteen contained in the weight loss cocktail contains enough hydroxycitric acid --- the active substance in the fruit --- to be harmful. If you drank the mangosteen cocktail twice daily, you would also be adding 480 fat calories to your diet.
References
- Kefir
- Mangosteen: Mangosteen Weight Loss Cocktail Challenge
- University of Tennessee: Yogurt Study
- "The Irish Times"; Uncertainty Over Garcinia's Weight-Loss Claims; Donal O'Mathuna; 2009
- Zhion: Garcinia
- "The Globe and Mail"; Diet Supplement Linked to Liver Damage, Death; The Canadian Press and The Associated Press; 2009
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