Claim: An Instagram video suggests drinking a concoction prepared by boiling garlic and cumin seeds with lemon extract to burn fat.
Fact: The claim is misleading. The recipe alone cannot burn fat. A balanced diet and good exercise are essential.

An Instagram video about an ‘ancient method’ to burn body fat has gone viral. The video advises boiling two cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of cumin seeds mixed with lemon juice in two cups of water and drinking it on an empty stomach to burn fat.

 
 
 
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A post shared by Renuka Salunke (@homecheff_renu)

 

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading.

Dr Raghavendra Cherukku, an interventional cardiologist, explained if the method is useful for burning fat: “There is no single strategy to reduce fat. This strategy has to be supplemented with an intake of healthy food and regular exercise. The antilipidemic property of garlic can help reduce LDL and increase HDL but has no impact on triglycerides.”

Garlic has antioxidant and antibiotic properties, which can aid in other health benefits.

“Some studies done on rats and humans have proved the antilipidemic properties of garlic can help burn fat. However, taking the concoction on an empty stomach can be detrimental for those with gastric issues. Hence it can be taken after eating food,” Dr Raghavendra said.

A balanced diet with high protein and fibre, and low oil and low carbohydrates is essential to reduce triglycerides. Food containing carbohydrates, like maida, gets converted into triglycerides, which cannot be reduced by taking the concoction.

“Most South Indian diets use a lot of oil, around 10-15 tablespoons per day, against the maximum requirement of 2-3 tablespoons per day. Physical exercise for 150 minutes per week and a balanced diet are essential to reduce triglycerides and bad cholesterol,” Dr Raghavendra added.

(This story was originally published by newsmeter.in, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)

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Kolkata (PTI): The TMC on Saturday said it has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata.

TMC workers, who have been camping outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleged that eight trunks of postal ballots were brought in at 4 am and were taken to a room, which has no CCTV coverage.

"We have been demanding that every single millimetre of space where EVMs and postal ballots be under CCTV surveillance. But as these trunks were taken inside, it was clear that they were taken to a room not under CCTV cover. Why should this happen," a TMC member asked.

Voting machines from several assembly segments of northern and eastern Kolkata are stored at the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.

As TMC activists were demonstrating, BJP's Shyampukur candidate Purnima Chakraborty reached the spot with her supporters, escalating tensions.

Both sides started shouting slogans as police stood between them, attempting to bring the situation under control.

Chakraborty claimed that sensing defeat, TMC workers were creating chaos outside the strongroom.

Later, the TMC said it filed a complaint with the EC over the issue.

Similar scenes were witnessed outside the strongroom at the Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas district, where TMC workers demonstrated, alleging that the CCTV was switched off for 17 minutes in the morning.

TMC's Ashoknagar candidate Narayan Goswami reached the spot, demanding that he be allowed inside the building.

An election official said the CCTV cameras were working fine, but the power cables of the monitors installed outside the centre snapped.

"The 17-minute footage will be shared with TMC or whichever party wants it," he said.

In Purba Bardhaman district, the BJP shared a purported video that showed a person scaling the walls of the University Institute of Technology, where EVMs had been stored.

The EC said the video was old and the person seen in it was engaged for the installation of CCTV cameras and ACs.