There is a new weight loss pill on the market and it is called Decaslim. Here are my first impressions.
Decaslim website
The website looks okay; there are gold stars, pictures of magazines and slender women. The page has the feeling of being flashy and trying hard to sell something. Here are 3 things to consider:
- Magazines. Don’t associate the credibility of the big magazines shown on the website with their product. They are NOT associated, it is a simple technique to try and promote sales through credibility.
- Testimonials. Do NOT consider these as decision making factors. I generally shrug testimonials off and consider the science, unless they are expert testimonials (doctors, dentists, etc…), but even then, one must take expert testimonials with caution.
- Powerful claims. I noticed lots of big claims like, “some have reported losing 8 pounds in 48 hours”, or “burn 400% more fat”. Be careful of these types of claims, losing 8 pounds in 48 hours is unrealistic and unhealthy. It was likely all water weight, if the claim is even real.
Decaslim Product/Research
The idea behind their product is to mix all 10 of the “SuperFoods” from TIME Magazine in a single pill. They claim that mixing them will increase weight loss. Here is what you are getting,
- Green Tea – this is the only product on their site which has research to back it. At the bottom of the page they reference a green tea study. However, green tea can be purchased at any grocery store for very cheap.
- Safflower Oil – This is a common cooking oil, get a full jar of organic, top quality Safflower oil at Drugstore.com for $7.69
- Dietary Fiber – Eat any food with fiber to get this, try whole wheat grains, fruits, or other enjoyable products.
- Blueberries – You can get better, fresher benefits from real blueberries at the store for about $1.50
- Broccoli – You can get better, fresher benefits from real broccoli at the store for about $.75
- Spinach– You can get better, fresher benefits from real broccoli at the store for about $1.50
- FlaxSeed – You can buy flaxseeds, or flaxseed oil for around $10 online, or at any health food store. This will give you a large, organic supply which will last for months.
- Tomato – You can get better, fresher benefits from real tomatoes at the store for about $.50. Or you can just use more ketchup.
- Garlic- You can get better, fresher benefits from real garlic at the store for about $.50, or you can buy powdered garlic capsules with no smell for cheap.
- Grapes (Resveratrol) – You can get better, fresher benefits from real grapes at the store for about $.99. Reveratrol is a phytochemical found in the grapeskins.
So for about $20 at the grocery store you can get a huge supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, including top quality oils. All of these fresh products will easily provide more health and nutrients then the pills, which have very small quantities. Two bottles of Decaslim will cost you $80. Compare that to the pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains which you will get for around $20-30.
Also, there is almost no science behind their pills. There are no scientific studies listed, they are just trying to makes sales by giving out itty-bitty portions of good foods. In such small, pill sized quantities; I cannot imagine any benefit at all.
They even state on their own website, “You would get better results eating these 10 Super Foods everyday than you will from taking my product.” (http://www.decaslim.com/faq.html)
They then try to argue that these 10 super foods are expensive and inconvenient to eat, that is wrong. Just trying eating a few more fruits and vegetables, and include a new oil in your salads. You don’t have to eat them all everyday, just a few at a time over a week will give you everything your body needs.
Is Decaslim long-term?
The answer is NO. These tiny pills probably won’t change anything. You can get a much better change from eating healthy foods and starting some light exercise. Plus a pill is not a long term solution, you do NOT want to pay them every month for the rest of your life. It’s time to stop dieting and live.
Snacks can be a big source of daily calories. But if you make sure they are good snacks choices you will feel fuller and healthier. Instead of picking up processed snacks like chips or candies, try food choices such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, yogurts, or whole grain snack bars. These are nutrient rich foods so you will be getting essential nutrients while snacking. Also, these are snacks that will create a feeling of fullness and help discourage unneeded eating. Watch out for foods that are high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fats.