Kylie Jenner, the affluent reality TV star and entrepreneur, is under scrutiny for endorsing a diet product that has been likened to a laxative by some.
This month, the 28-year-old owner of Kylie Cosmetics posted a video on TikTok featuring a ‘pomegranate flavored cutting jelly’ from the dietary supplement company Foodology, sharing it with her 60 million followers.
In the video, Jenner describes the product as ‘amazing’ and her ‘new favorite’, while consuming the fiber supplement gel as part of her beauty routine.
“This is not a typical jelly, it’s a cutting jelly for like digestion, de-bloating,” she explained to her audience.
She later shows off her form-fitting dress before heading out, followed by a clip of her in a vehicle, once again enjoying the Foodology ‘cutting jelly’.
One individual commented: “It’s so irresponsible for celebrities to advertise supplements and laxatives.”
“There are so many impressionable kids/teens who will take this as gospel,” they added.
Someone else remarked: “Her sisters promoted flat tummy laxatives and now she’s promoting laxative jelly… is this part of the 2016 trend that’s been going on? I remember how big flat tummy tea was in the mid-2010s.”
Conversely, some social media users defended Jenner, with one person stating it is not a laxative but an ‘appetite suppressant’. The product description claims it ‘really helps with food noise and bowel movements’.
In the video, Jenner mentions her goal to ‘snack less for the New Year’ and praises the jelly as ‘so good’ as she enjoys a packet filled with ‘chia seeds’, which are known for providing fiber, omega 3, and promoting satiety according to a popular internet trend.
Cutting jelly, a gel-based supplement, has gained popularity in South Korea in recent years.
According to Foodology’s website, the Coleology Cutting Jelly is ‘designed to support appetite control, carbohydrate metabolism, and daily weight management routines.’
In a discussion with GQ last year, Harvard gastroenterology professor Chethan Ramprasad explained that cutting jelly primarily functions by slowing stomach emptying and exerting a ‘clean out effect’ on the body.
Ramprasad noted: “The standard approach to weight loss is still diet, exercise, lifestyle change, and a consideration of medications like GLP-1s.”
Ingredients in the Foodology cutting jelly include garcinia cambogia extract (HCA), which is said to support ‘metabolic balance as part of a healthy lifestyle, without complicated routines or pills’.
Holland and Barrett state that garcinia cambogia assists in burning fat, curbing cravings, and regulating blood sugar.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, HCA has shown some positive effects on digestion, but it can also have dangerous side effects.
The NCCIH’s website advises caution, stating it ‘may be unsafe to consume garcinia cambogia products, including multi-ingredient products containing garcinia cambogia extract’ and noting ‘several cases of liver damage have been reported’, some of which were severe.
Reported side effects include ‘headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms’, and there have been interactions between HCA and certain medications that affect the liver and serotonin (a mood-enhancing hormone).
The NCCIH also mentions that ‘little is known about whether it’s safe to use garcinia cambogia during pregnancy or while breastfeeding’ and recommends consulting with a healthcare provider before using the supplement.
UNILAD reached out to Kylie Jenner’s representatives and Foodology for a comment.
Additional words by Britt Jones