“Could obesity drugs take a bite out of the food industry?” asked a 2023 article on MorganStanley.com, noting that “millions of people could be eating less food overall and shunning unhealthy fare.” Maybe...but to some companies, the GLP-1 drugs are a new marketing opportunity! Here’s what to know. 

1. Food companies have a new target audience. 

ADM, a global supplier of food ingredients, is ready to help companies “capture [their] share of the growing GLP-1 support market.” 

How? “Consumers who are currently using a GLP-1 for weight management may experience specific pain points including: loss of muscle mass, GI discomfort and the risk of dehydration,” explains ADM. 

No problem! ADM’s soy, pea, and wheat protein can help maintain muscle. And its flavors, lower-calorie sweeteners, and coconut water powder can help prevent dehydration. (Of course, so would ordinary water.) 

For GI discomfort, you’ve got probiotics and postbiotics, Fibersol (soluble corn fiber), and a “digestive support flour blend.” Do they help people taking GLP-1 drugs? Apparently, food companies have no need—or time—to find out. 

“Opportunity awaits in this dynamic marketplace,” says ADM, “but it won’t wait long.”

2. GLP-1 foods may not be healthy. 

“The new Vital Pursuit brand from Nestlé, designed to provide dietary support to GLP-1 users and consumers focused on weight management, is now available at retailers nationwide including Walmart, Target, and Kroger,” announced the press release in September. 

“Made with quality proteins, vegetables and whole grains, Vital Pursuit is food that moves you forward.” 

Really? Take the Cauliflower Crust Three Meat Gluten Free Pizza.  

Whole grains? None. 

Vegetables? “One serving of this product does not provide a significant amount (½ cup)” of them, notes the tiny print on the box. 

Quality proteins? The pizza has sausage and pepperoni, which are processed meats that cause cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. 

“Meals to crush your goals,” says Nestlé. If those goals are to overdo saturated fat and sodium, you’re on your way. The 400-calorie pizza has 40 percent of a day’s worth of each. 

Some Vital Pursuit bowls and sandwiches do have whole grains. And some bowls reach ½ cup of veggies, say the labels. But most also have at least 35 percent of a day’s sat fat and 30 percent of a day’s sodium. That’s a lot for just 220 to 430 calories. 

In contrast, it’s worth looking for the “ON TRACK” badge (it says “GLP-1 Friendly”) on some Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers and Simply Steamers. 

Nearly all have roughly 200 to 300 calories. And they keep a lid on saturated fat (about 5 to 15 percent of a day’s worth) and sodium (about 20 to 25 percent of a day’s limit). 

That’s no coincidence. A food that calls itself “healthy” isn’t allowed to overdo either one. 

3. Added fibers may not help with side effects. 

“17 g fiber,” say two Vital Pursuit pizza labels. “4 g fiber,” say its other pizzas. Why the difference? 

The “17 g fiber” pizza crusts have more “modified wheat starch” than any ingredient except water. 

Modified wheat starch may help lower blood insulin levels. But odds are, if GLP-1 takers are seeking fiber, it’s because the drugs can cause constipation. 

Roughly 24 percent of people taking the GLP-1 drug semaglutide (and 11 percent of placebo takers) report constipation, according to the package insert. 

But don’t expect most processed fibers, like modified wheat starch, to help. Cellulose is the only processed fiber that’s been approved for regularity. 

Instead, look for the intact fiber in bran cereals, beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. 

Rule of thumb: Anytime you see more than, say, 5 or 6 grams of fiber per serving, check the ingredients to see if you’re getting a processed fiber. 

4. Extra protein for muscle? It’s unclear. 

Protein claims are already splashed all over food labels. Expect to see more. 

“Any time a person loses weight quickly, as can be the case with GLP-1 drugs, loss of lean muscle mass can result,” says ADM. “In fact, 20-40% of typical weight loss comes from muscle mass.” 

That’s about right. And people taking GLP-1 drugs do need to get enough protein despite eating less food. (That’s 0.36 grams of protein for each pound you weigh, or 54 grams for someone who weighs 150 pounds.) 

But it’s not clear if (or how much) extra protein can curb muscle loss. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recently said that the evidence is “insufficient” to answer that question, though it didn’t look at people taking GLP-1 drugs. 

What’s more, it’s not clear how much the muscle loss caused by the drugs might matter. 

“People with obesity don’t just have elevated adiposity, they also have elevated muscle mass and lean tissue mass overall,” explained Kevin Hall, a researcher at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, on a “Ground Truths” podcast in November. 

So it’s uncertain if taking GLP-1 drugs would affect their health or daily lives. 

“There’s not a lot of reports of people losing weight with semaglutide saying, ‘You know what? I’m really having trouble actually physically moving around. I feel like I’ve lost a lot of strength,’” said Hall. 

In fact, the opposite is true. “The quality of the muscle that’s there seems to be improved.” 

“They seem to have more physical mobility, because they’ve lost so much more weight, [and] that weight had been inhibiting their physical movement in the past.” 

What is clear: “Resistance exercise training increases muscle mass,” noted Hall. 

Squats, anyone? 

5. High-calorie GLP-1 foods could hinder weight loss. 

“Smoothies to support your GLP-1 routine,” promises Smoothie King. 

And some of its GLP-1 smoothies may help customers who want fruit, protein, and liquid without too many calories. Just don’t assume they all do. 

Take the large (44 oz.) Keto Champ GLP-1 Berry. It has 38 grams of saturated fat. That’s nearly two day’s worth. 

What’s more, the smoothie packs 890 calories. Heck, a large McDonald’s Chocolate Shake has 800 calories. 

GLP-1 drugs lead to weight loss by making it easier to cut calories. How, exactly, does a drink that’s pushing 900 calories “support your GLP-1 routine”? 

The take-home message: Don't assume that any food with "GLP-1" in its name or on its label can help if you're taking obesity meds. Any company can slap "GLP-1" on a food. Whether it's healthy—and whether you need it—is an open question. Companies are trying to grab their share of the emerging GLP-1 foods market. It's about marketing, not necessarily your health.