It is about 11 a.m. You had yoghurt, oats and fruit for breakfast, you are trying to stick to a new eating plan, and you are already hungry. That is the hour when an advert for a fat-burning capsule looks most persuasive. Before buying one, it helps to know what researchers found when they went through the trials behind these products.
What a review of 315 supplement trials found
In 2021 a group of researchers from US universities and weight clinics published a systematic review of dietary supplements and alternative therapies sold for weight loss in adults (Batsis et al., Obesity 2021, PubMed 34159755). They began with 20,504 citations, read 1,743 full-text articles, and ended up with 315 randomised controlled trials covering 14 kinds of supplement or therapy.
Only 52 of those trials were rated low risk of bias and sufficient to support a conclusion about efficacy. Of the 52, just 16 found a significant difference in weight between groups, ranging from 0.3 kg to 4.93 kg. The authors wrote that these products have "a limited high-quality evidence base of efficacy". They also point out why the shelf is so crowded: the products reach the market under minimal regulatory requirements to show that they work.
Herbal pills fared no better
A 2020 meta-analysis from the University of Sydney looked only at herbal products (Maunder et al. 2020, PubMed 31984610). It found 54 randomised placebo-controlled trials in adults with overweight or obesity, and it counted a weight difference of 2.5 kg or more as clinically significant.
Used on its own, Phaseolus vulgaris was the only herb that produced a statistically significant loss compared with placebo, and even that did not reach the 2.5 kg mark. Camellia sinensis and Garcinia cambogia showed no effect. A few other herbs looked better, but each had been tested in three trials or fewer, mostly of poor quality. The conclusion was blunt: there is "insufficient evidence to recommend any of the herbal medicines for weight loss" the review covered.
What the NHS suggests instead
The NHS page of weight-loss tips contains nothing in a capsule. Its list includes 150 minutes of activity a week, a target of 0.5 to 1 kg a week, swapping sugary drinks for water and swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives. It also says not to skip meals, because you might end up snacking more when you feel hungry, and suggests popcorn, fruit and rice cakes as healthier things to keep in the cupboard.
The advice on not skipping meals speaks to the 11 a.m. problem. Regular meals are on the NHS list. A pill is not.
Fibre, and where dates fit
The NHS fibre page says government guidelines put adult intake at 30g a day, while most adults eat about 20g. Its suggestions match the breakfast above: oats are a good source of fibre, and it suggests wholemeal or granary bread and wholegrains such as wholewheat pasta. On a food label, the NHS counts 6g or more of fibre per 100g as high fibre.
Dates clear that line. USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, record 171726) lists Deglet Noor dates at 8.0g of fibre and 282 kcal per 100g, with one pitted date weighing about 7.1g. Four dates, roughly 28g, therefore carry about 2.3g of fibre and about 80 kcal.
The same NHS page adds a practical rule for dried fruit. Because it is sticky, it is better eaten as part of a meal than as a between-meal snack. So the place for those four dates is chopped into the morning oats or yoghurt, not eaten on their own at 11 a.m.
This article is general information about food and published research, not personal dietary advice. If you are planning a big change to how you eat, talk to a GP or a registered dietitian first.
Buying dates
This site is about dates, and the blog lists its other articles. The About Us page (in Malay) introduces the site, and questions about buying dates go through the contact page. Pemborong Kurma is another dates site in the same network.