It’s not unusual for consumer products to suddenly explode in popularity after being introduced on a particular TV show, but when Japan’s Asahi TV introduced mackerel as a food that can be beneficial in weight loss during its home medicine program “Takeshi no Kenkou Entertainment! Minna no Kenkou Igaku” few coould have expected the overwhelming outcome.

As soon as the humble fish was featured on the show, Twitter users began posting comments en masse saying that they intended to go out and buy a few cans right away, and that they feared shops might run out of stock. On the same evening the program was broadcast, the number of Twitter posts relating to the benefits of canned mackerel had risen to an astounding 1,000 posts.

The scientific explanation behind the idea that mackerel could help consumers lose weight has to do with the fish containing high levels of the digestive hormone GLP-1 and encouraging the secretion of gastric juices. However, after the scientific research was explained, it was also emphasized that its effectiveness was no more than speculation.

Perhaps what convinced so many viewers of the benefits were the results from a clinical trial involving women who ate the mackerel. Their levels of gastric juices were examined after eating the fish, which showed levels of gastric excretion four times higher than usual. After hearing this, many viewers began to treat it as a definite way to lose weight.

Whether this alone is enough to create a slim body remains unclear but for anyone interested, it can’t hurt to give it a try! On the other hand, eating too much canned mackerel could actually have the opposite effect, as each can is about 150-250 kcal. While I’m sure mackerel alone won’t guarantee weight loss, as part of a balanced diet combined with a healthy amount of exercise, it could well be the magical weight-loss food that many have been looking for.

Some of the reactions from Twitter users:

“It’s a strict mackerel diet for me from tomorrow.”

“Is it really that strange to be so serious about starting a mackerel diet?”

“It’s on tomorrow’s ‘to buy’ list!”

“Mackerel, leek and Japanese natto. What a perfect combination!”

“Will there still be stock left by tomorrow?”

“Could this be no more than a clever sale’s tactic?”

“They’re saying you lose weight from eating mackerel but I still haven’t seen any results!”

We hope they got to the store in time!

Source: Byoukan Sunday