The video got near 14million views, more than 850k likes, and has been saved by almost 30,000 TikTok users. Kylie Jenner, wearing a skintight latex dress, promoting ‘Korean cutting jelly’ that she says is for ‘digestion and debloating’, adding ‘my goal is to snack less for the new year, I’ve been taking these everywhere.’
Korean cutting jelly is marketed as a food supplement that aids weight regulation ‘by inhibiting the conversion of carbohydrates into fats’ and claims its fibre-rich content promotes regular bowel movements to support digestion. One website selling the product says it ‘contains Garcinia Cambogia Extract, 100% natural plant-based ingredient that is known to curb cravings [and] reduce appetite’
As such, it’s been labelled as ‘Korean Ozempic’ online, although it’s important to note that Ozempic itself is not licensed as a weight loss medication, and this jelly is not associated with the brand.
In actual fact, scientists are warning that the carb inhibit claim is overstated. Grazia has reached out to Foodology for comment, but is yet to receive a reply. ‘You cannot effectively block carbs,’ Harvard professor of gastroenterology Chethan Ramprasad told GQ. ‘The idea behind carb-blockers is that certain plant extracts (like white kidney bean or garcinia cambogia) supposedly inhibit enzymes that break down carbohydrates, so you absorb fewer calories. In practice, the effect in humans is very minimal to non-existent. There isn’t a supplement that actually prevents you from digesting carbs in a significant, reliable, or safe way. The “carb-blocking” claim is more of a marketing hook than a physiologic reality.’
‘Garcinia cambogia has been studied quite a bit, and honestly? The results are pretty underwhelming,’ Dr Anita Raja explains further. ‘Most reviews find it might help people lose an extra 2 pounds over about 3 months compared to a placebo – which is basically nothing. A lot of studies show no effect at all. The “blocks carbs from becoming fat” claim is a huge oversimplification. Your body doesn’t work like that – you can’t just “block” a normal metabolic process with a supplement without causing problems. If something actually prevented your body from storing energy, you’d have serious health issues.
‘These products keep selling because supplements don’t need to prove they actually work before being sold – they only need to be reasonably safe. Companies can make bold claims as long as they include fine print disclaimers. And when someone like Kylie Jenner promotes them? People trust it even though she’s not a nutritionist or scientist.’
It’s more of a marketing hook than a physiologic reality.
It’s also important to note here, because we seem to need a reminder, that carbohydrates are essential for a balanced diet. As is fat, by the way. Neither of these macronutrients cause weight gain when eaten in moderation and combined with exercise.
Bloating is also a normal bodily function, often more so resulting from over-eating, eating high-fibre foods or swallowing air. It resolves itself with the digestion of food, and only if bloating is frequent or persistent does it quite medical intervention (in which case, seeing a GP is important, as they can explore underlying issues like IBS, food intolerances or hormonal changes).
In Jenner’s video, she claims to be using the jelly for ‘digestion and debloating’ as well as helping her ‘snack less’. Some customers claim that the jelly helped them ‘eliminate food noise’, a known side-effect of weight loss jabs, while others say it essentially acts as a laxative.
All of this is to say, why the hell is Kylie Jenner promoting this product? It feels as though we’ve gone back in time, to when celebrities brazenly advertised ‘detox teas’ that were, in essence, laxatives, all through the guise of helping ‘debloat’. But enough of the façade, please, let’s call this what it is: thinspiration content.
Notice how Jenner makes sure to include a shot of her in her tight latex dress after eating the jelly, which some would certainly consider a ‘body check’ – which for those with disordered eating, involves compulsive monitoring of your weight or appearance, but more widely refers to influencers displaying their bodies in a way that fuels comparison and promotes unrealistic standards.
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While there was backlash online, the comment section was also filled with fans asking where to get the product, and that’s the worry here.
How many young, impressible people are watching their favourite celebrities shrinking thinner and thinner, comparing themselves in every mirror, and now being encouraged to buy products aimed at ‘weight management’? We keep worrying about the return of extreme thinness, and it can feel like an all-consuming inevitability that few of us have the power to change. We fear calling out celebrities that are extremely thin, because who knows what they’re going through internally? It’s a normal, empathetic response at a time when no one knows what’s the right or wrong thing to say about another person’s body – and the influence they hold over the way others see their bodies – but at the very least, we can all call out brazen attempts to capitalise on the return of thin being ‘in’, like Jenner’s.
She can claim it’s about debloating, the same way celebrities claimed detox teas were for ‘gut health’, but we’ve been down this road before: we won’t be fooled by smoke-and-mirror attempts to capitalise on rising fatphobia.
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, Beat offers support with a helpline (0808 801 0677) or you can contact them via their website.
Georgia Aspinall is an award-winning journalist and senior editor at Grazia UK. As well as co-ordinating news and features for both digital and print, she is responsible for Grazia’s campaigning efforts. Georgia has a vast knowledge of digital journalism and SEO best practice, covering women’s interest stories across politics, health, dating, travel and pop culture.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source graziadaily.co.uk ’
