What to Eat on Mounjaro

Eating a balanced diet is a key component of weight management. But what happens to your diet plan if you start using a medication like Mounjaro®? Mounjaro is a type 2 diabetes drug that’s sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss.

While no official guidelines outline what to eat on Mounjaro, you may find certain food groups more beneficial than others.

Below, we cover what to eat while on Mounjaro, what foods you may want to avoid, and more.

The short answer is no. While Mounjaro is intended to be used alongside diet and exercise to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugars, there is no specific guidance on what that diet should entail. 

The longer answer? Weight loss drugs like Mounjaro work best at reducing body weight when combined with healthy lifestyle changes — like working regular physical activity into your routine and eating a balanced diet.

While there’s no specific “Mounjaro food plan” per se, eating a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein while avoiding foods high in saturated fat, sodium, and sugar can help someone achieve their weight loss goals and may even help minimize Mounjaro’s side effects.

Fruits and Vegetables

You’ve been hearing that you should eat more fruits and vegetables since you were a kid for good reason. What’s more, boosting your fruit and veggie intake is a proven strategy for successful weight loss.

The daily recommended intake for adults is 2 to 2.5 cups of each. Ideally this involves a mix of dark, green leafy vegetables, red and orange vegetables, and legumes, such as beans, peas, and lentils.

If you’re taking Mounjaro for diabetes, you may want to prioritize non-starchy vegetables with a lower carbohydrate content, like broccoli and spinach.

Additionally, the American Diabetes Association notes that fresh, frozen, or canned fruits with no added sugars are the best because they have a low glycemic index.

Whole Grains

When it comes to carbs, you should aim to eat more whole grains than refined grains.

This could be as simple as swapping white bread for whole wheat bread and adding in whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, oats, and barley.

Lean Proteins

Moving along the macronutrient list, protein is necessary for weight loss. It helps reduce body fat, limits cravings, helps you feel full for longer, and more.

If you’re building regular exercise into your schedule, eating enough protein is even more important as it’s been shown to help increase lean body mass.

Keep in mind: Lean meats or poultry, seafood, eggs, and plant-based protein sources like soy products are among the healthiest.

Healthy Fats

Although fat has been quite villainized in modern society, eating certain high-fat foods can actually help you lose weight while using Mounjaro.

In fact, eating polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats not only helps with weight loss but also improves cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

You still want to eat these so-called healthy fats in moderation, but they’re certainly a step up from unhealthy fats like saturated or trans fats.

Avocados, dark chocolate, nuts, and olive oil are all good sources worth adding to your grocery list.

Just as there aren’t specific foods to eat when taking Mounjaro, there aren’t specific foods to avoid.

Certain foods or ingredients may cause or worsen the side effects of Mounjaro and contribute to weight gain, though.

Saturated Fat

As we mentioned above, certain types of fats are healthier than others. Saturated fats are considered unhealthy fats and should be eaten sparingly, especially when you’re trying to lose weight.

While not all saturated fats are unhealthy, it’s wise to limit dark meat, high-fat cuts of meat, butter, full-fat dairy products, and fried food intake.

Added Sugar

You don’t need to completely cut out sugar when taking Mounjaro, but decreasing the amount of sugar you consume is another effective way to lose weight.

The excess sugar often found in ultra-processed foods like breakfast cereals, sodas, and juices increases your overall risk of obesity and may interfere with your weight loss journey.

Sodium

Sodium can be found in many foods. But too much sodium (another common feature of processed foods) can lead to various health complications.

Excess sodium has been associated with high blood pressure, overeating, obesity, increased risk of stroke, and certain types of cancer.

Want to know more about what to eat while on Mounjaro and weight loss?

What Is Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is one brand name for the drug tirzepatide, which is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat type 2 diabetes drug but is sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss.

Another drug called Zepbound® contains the same active ingredient as Mounjaro and is FDA-approved for weight loss.

Both Mounjaro and Zepbound are taken as weight loss injections.

How Does Mounjaro Work?

Mounjaro works by mimicking the hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which can cause weight loss by reducing appetite and helping you feel more full.

This is because the drug’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, is a GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist.

What Are the Side Effects of Mounjaro?

The common side effects of Mounjaro include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Abdominal pain

• Indigestion

These can be worsened if you eat foods that are high in sugar or saturated fat while taking Mounjaro.

Is Mounjaro Effective for Weight Loss?

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) effectively manages blood sugar levels and reduces weight in those with excess weight or obesity.

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis looked into 14 trials of tirzepatide on more than 11,000 people and found that 5 milligrams (mg), 10 mg, and 15 mg doses led to weight loss.

A 2022 study sponsored by Eli Lilly with more than 2,500 people with obesity found that substantial weight loss could be achieved from 5, 10, or 15 mg doses of tirzepatide.

How Does Mounjaro Compare to Ozempic?

Another popular type 2 diabetes drug, Ozempic®, has a different main ingredient than Mounjaro — semaglutide.

When comparing Mounjaro vs. Ozempic, we see that both are intended to treat type 2 diabetes. But both are sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss, which means for a purpose other than what it’s FDA-approved to treat.

If your healthcare provider recommended taking Mounjaro for weight loss, you might be wondering if and how to adjust your diet.

Here are the facts:

• While Mounjaro is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, it’s also prescribed off-label for weight loss.

• There’s no strong research suggesting one diet plan is better than another while on Mounjaro. The best Mounjaro food plan is the one you’ll stick to.

• Try sticking to a reduced-calorie diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats while avoiding saturated fats, excess sugar, and excess sodium.

And remember, Mounjaro isn’t your only option if you’re looking into weight loss treatments. There are other injectables, weight loss pills, and drug-free interventions to suit every kind of body and every kind of weight loss journey.