Zomato Listed Cloud Kitchen Goes Viral For 'GLP-1 Friendly And High Protein'- We Checked Their Menu

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A cloud kitchen listed on Zomato as Eatfit Lab has sparked an online debate after advertising food as“GLP-1 friendly and high protein”. The wording has raised a bigger question: when does catering to people taking weight-loss medication become another way of feeding diet culture?

The discussion gained traction after influencer Shreeum Rakheja shared a video questioning why the name of a class of prescription drugs was being used to market food.

“This culture of thinness bothers me,” Rakheja said. She stressed that she was not questioning the medical benefits of GLP-1 drugs for people who genuinely need them. What concerned her was how closely the medicines are increasingly being tied to appearance and weight loss.

“I was looking for a sandwich on Zomato, and I came across this. GLP-1 friendly and high protein food. A medicine's name is in the title of a restaurant, and we are OK with this. Imagine growing up, being 14, 15, 16 as a girl... and imagine reading this.”

Look beyond the label and the menu is largely made up of foods that would not look particularly unusual in a health-focused restaurant.

One of the dishes is called“Women Wellness Estro Green High Protein Powerhouse Pizza”. It is described as an oestrogen-balancing pizza made with a high-protein sourdough base and topped with broccoli, spinach, pesto, pumpkin seeds, caramelised garlic and low-fat mozzarella.

There is also a“Brain Fuel Antioxidant Leafy Green Salad”, made with quinoa and boiled chickpeas, along with pomegranate, parsley and bean sprouts, and finished with a honey-lemon dressing.

Take a look at some of their items from the menu:

So, do people taking GLP-1 medicines actually need food specifically designed for them?

Not exactly. But there is a reason why meals built around protein, fibre and other nutrients can be useful for people taking these drugs.

GLP-1 receptor agonists, including medicines such as semaglutide, work partly by reducing appetite and slowing the movement of food through the stomach. As a result, people can feel full much sooner and may eat considerably less than they did before starting treatment.

That can make nutrition more important, not less.

Also Read | They used GLP-1s to lose weight. They ended up in treatment for anorexia.

If someone is eating significantly smaller portions, they may struggle to get enough protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals from their diet. The Obesity Medicine Association recommends that people taking GLP-1 medication prioritise nutrient-dense foods and pay particular attention to protein, fibre and hydration.

There is another consideration: the stomach does not always respond well to a large or particularly rich meal while taking these medicines. Nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms are among the commonly reported side effects. Cleveland Clinic recommends smaller meals and prioritising protein-rich foods for people experiencing these issues.

That gives the Eatfit Lab concept some nutritional logic. A person taking a GLP-1 drug does not necessarily need a separate category of“GLP-1 food”. But having access to smaller, nutrient-dense meals could make it easier for some people to meet their nutritional needs when their appetite is reduced.

The foods themselves are hardly exclusive to people taking medication. Eggs, dairy, fish, tofu, tempeh, legumes, broccoli, spinach and seeds are all examples of protein- or nutrient-rich foods recommended in nutritional guidance for people on GLP-1 medicines.

So a quinoa and chickpea salad is not suddenly a“GLP-1 food”. Nor is a protein-heavy vegetable pizza. They are simply foods that can form part of a balanced diet, regardless of whether someone takes the medication.

Also Read | Mayim Bialik reveals severe side effects after single GLP-1 dose What does the online reaction say?

Some users saw the label as practical rather than problematic. One commenter said they would want to know which foods were appropriate if they were taking medication and ordering through a food-delivery app.

Another called it“a really good initiative”, while others argued that restaurants were simply responding to a new dietary requirement among a growing group of customers.

But there was plenty of criticism, too. Some questioned how a restaurant could market food using the name of a prescription drug. Others pointed to the known side effects and risks associated with GLP-1 medicines. For some of the critics, however, the bigger concern was the message such branding could send to young people already surrounded by pressure to achieve a particular body shape.

There is, perhaps, a middle ground.

Medical guidance does not prescribe a special branded“GLP-1 diet”. Nutrition is instead considered one part of treatment, alongside medication, physical activity and behavioural support, with dietary needs varying from person to person.

For someone taking a GLP-1 drug, a label such as“GLP-1 friendly” could be useful if it tells them something meaningful about the meal - for example, that it is a relatively small portion designed to provide plenty of protein and fibre.

But the phrase itself is not a medical certification. And putting“GLP-1” on a menu does not, on its own, make a dish healthier.

The debate around Eatfit Lab ultimately says as much about the changing culture around weight-loss medication as it does about the food itself. What was once discussed almost exclusively in doctors' offices is now appearing on restaurant menus and food-delivery apps, bringing questions about nutrition, marketing and body image along with it.

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