No GLP-1 label tells anyone what to eat. The injections — Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound — are given "with or without meals", and Foundayo "with or without food". The only food rule on any label belongs to the semaglutide tablets, and it is about timing, not foods. The lists of what to eat and avoid that circulate online trace back, at best, to two professional documents: a 2025 joint advisory from four US societies and a 2026 international expert consensus. Both say plainly that their food advice rests mainly on expert judgement and indirect evidence, because the trials that would test it have not been done.
This page sets out what the labels say, what each document lists, and how strong the evidence behind it is, read on 28 October 2026. It reports these sources; it does not set anyone's diet. The diet the drug trials actually used is on the diet in the GLP-1 trials; the protein question has its own page, protein and GLP-1; and the "GLP-1 friendly" products in supermarkets are on GLP-1 friendly foods.
What the labels say about food
| Medicine | Label wording on food | Label effective |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic (semaglutide injection) | "once weekly at any time of day, with or without meals" | 30 Jul 2026 |
| Wegovy (semaglutide injection) | "once weekly … at any time of day, with or without meals"; "in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity" | label read via openFDA (24 Apr 2024 record) |
| Zepbound (tirzepatide) | "once weekly at any time of day, with or without meals"; "in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity" | 28 Aug 2026 |
| Foundayo (orforglipron tablet) | "once daily, with or without food" | 29 Jul 2026 |
| Wegovy pill, Rybelsus, Ozempic pill (semaglutide tablets) | empty stomach, no more than 4 oz of plain water, at least 30 minutes before the first food, drink or other oral medicine | per each label, as recorded on our GLP-1 pill page |
That is the whole of it. No label lists a food to avoid, a calorie number, or a macronutrient target. The phrase "reduced-calorie diet" on the weight-management labels refers to the programme used in the trials, which is described — deficit, minutes and who delivered it — on our trial-diet page. The labels do describe the effect behind most food advice: these medicines slow stomach emptying, which is why large or fatty meals feature in the side-effect guidance below.
The 2025 joint advisory: what it lists
The advisory, Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity, was first published online on 30 May 2025 by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society, and carried by four journals (Am J Clin Nutr 2025;122:344–367); corrigenda followed in 2026. Its Table 6 is the closest thing to an official food list for GLP-1 users:
| Encourage | Minimise or avoid |
|---|---|
| Fruits (e.g. berries, apples, citrus, banana, grapes, avocado) | Refined carbohydrates (processed grains, flours, added sugars) |
| Vegetables (e.g. broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, peas, squashes) | Sugar-sweetened beverages |
| Whole grains (e.g. oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole-grain bread and pasta) | Red and processed meats |
| Dairy (e.g. yogurt, milk, cheese) | Most fast foods |
| Lean proteins (e.g. poultry, fish and seafood) and eggs | Sweets and savoury snacks |
| Nuts and seeds; plant oils (olive, canola, avocado) | |
| Ginger or peppermint tea | |
| Eating habits: regular small meals at consistent times; flexibility; portion-controlled treats; adequate fluids | Eating habits: emotional, mindless or night-time eating; long gaps without meals; large meals; more than minimal alcohol |
Source: Mozaffarian D et al., Table 6, full text read 28 October 2026 (PMC12612741).
The list is, in substance, a general healthy-eating pattern; the GLP-1-specific parts are the eating habits. The advisory's text adds detail on those:
- For nausea: it "often occurs in the morning or after longer periods without eating", and "smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding fatty or high fiber foods during the first few days of treatment can help alleviate symptoms." It describes a small breakfast followed by small meals every three to four hours, with fluids, and mentions ginger or peppermint tea.
- For diarrhoea: "avoidance of large or high-fat meals can be helpful."
- For constipation: adequate fluids and fibre from foods.
- Alcohol: "may also worsen nausea and gastroesophageal reflux with GLP-1 therapy and should be minimized."
- When appetite is very low: smoothies and protein drinks, cottage cheese and soups "are often more appealing … than heavier foods such as red meats, cold cuts, or hard cheeses."
- Nutrients at risk on intakes below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,800 kcal (men): it names iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamins A, D, E, K, B1, B12 and C, and says supplements "can be proactively considered" for some.
On protein, the advisory gives the general adult allowance (0.8 g/kg/day), notes that 1.2–1.6 g/kg has been proposed during weight loss, and suggests an absolute 80–120 g a day "may enhance adherence"; it also says it is "unclear" which body weight such targets should use. The evidence behind protein targets on GLP-1s, and the trial that will test one, is on protein and GLP-1.
What the panels say about their own evidence
Both documents are candid about this, and it is the part most summaries leave out.
- The 2025 advisory describes its method as an expert group that "appraised the scientific literature, informed by expert knowledge and clinical experience". It is an advisory, not a systematic review or a graded guideline, and on food preferences it notes that changes reported on GLP-1s "are less rigorously documented, with varying study results."
- The 2026 Delphi consensus — 15 clinicians and researchers from North America, Europe, China and Australia, 52 statements, published in Obesity Pillars (PMID 41502845) — states that "there is still a significant lack of direct evidence to guide clinical practice, making consensus-based recommendations necessary", and that its statements "were primarily derived from indirect evidence, including from existing evidence and established guidelines for nutrition therapy in bariatric medicine and relevant clinical experience."
So the honest summary is: the food lists are reasonable expert judgement, much of it carried over from bariatric-surgery nutrition and general dietary guidance, not the result of trials in people taking GLP-1 medicines. That does not make them wrong; it means a food list described as "proven" for GLP-1 users is overstating its source.
The common questions, against the sources
| Search | What the labels say | What the 2025 advisory says |
|---|---|---|
| foods to avoid on Zepbound / Ozempic | nothing; with or without meals | lists the right-hand column above as things to minimise; for nausea, describes avoiding fatty or high-fibre foods in the first days |
| what to eat on Zepbound / Ozempic | nothing beyond "reduced-calorie diet" (weight labels) | lists the left-hand column, regular small meals and adequate fluids |
| how many calories on Zepbound | no number on the label | no single number; flags nutrient risk below ~1,200 / ~1,800 kcal |
| alcohol on a GLP-1 | no alcohol instruction on these labels | "should be minimized" (nausea, reflux) |
Alcohol has its own page, GLP-1 and alcohol, and the stomach side effects the food advice targets are tabulated on nausea and acid reflux.
What this page cannot tell you
- Whether any specific food changes weight loss on a GLP-1. No trial in the sources read tests one.
- A personal plan. The advisory itself says a registered dietitian "can help determine a dietary pattern that meets nutrition goals while accommodating an individual's dietary needs and preferences." People with diabetes, kidney disease or a history of disordered eating in particular need that advice from their own clinician.
Sources
- Ozempic, Zepbound and Foundayo US prescribing information, openFDA label records (effective 30 July, 28 August and 29 July 2026), and Wegovy injection openFDA record (24 April 2024), section 2, read 28 October 2026.
- Mozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al. "Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society." Am J Clin Nutr 2025;122(1):344–367, doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.04.023, PMID 40450457; full text PMC12612741, read 28 October 2026. Corrigendum: Am J Clin Nutr 2026;123(6):101303.
- Sievenpiper JL, Ard J, Blüher M, et al. "Nutritional and lifestyle supportive care recommendations for management of obesity with GLP-1-based therapies: an expert consensus statement using a modified Delphi approach." Obesity Pillars 2026;17:100228, doi:10.1016/j.obpill.2025.100228, PMID 41502845.