Diet trends are like a game of whack-a-mole: when one goes away, another pops up. The raging cult of SlimFast dominated the early aughts, and the Kardashians spent all of 2016 shilling flat-tummy tea to the masses. And now in 2023, TikTok is fueling the newest weight-loss fad: the Olly-Poppi diet.
The name fuses two popular brands: Olly gummy vitamins and Poppi prebiotic sodas. The trend first took off when TikTok user @thehotgirlsara posted about the routine that she claims helped her lose seven pounds in a week.
The user, who describes herself the originator of the diet, says she ate two Olly probiotic gummies in the morning on an empty stomach. Then she drank one can of Poppi in the evening, with increased water consumption throughout the day. Since it was uploaded in March, the video has been viewed over 1.5 million times and inspired a mass of TikTok users to try the diet for themselves. The results are mixed.
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How Does The Olly-Poppi Diet Supposedly Work?
One side effect that's almost universally experienced involves people's, ahem, bowel movements. Whether explicitly stated or gently danced around, laxatives are often used by fad diets to promise fast, easy weight loss.
The messaging around this diet in particular veers more toward subtle signaling. The language leans heavily on the concept of “gut health,” a trend dominating online wellness communities. Consuming probiotic-rich foods and dietary supplements can support digestion and aid in overall health. But consuming a large amount of probiotics at once can have a laxative effect.
"It's a diet trend masquerading as 'wellness' and 'gut health,' and in 2023, I think this is the most insidious type of trend there is in the area of food, nutrition, and health," says Jaclyn London, a registered dietician based in New York. "I feel like we're becoming increasingly comfortable with normalizing enemas in the name of health, when really this is a way to signal weight loss and prioritize a 'flat' stomach above all else."
The digestive issues that many Olly-Poppi dieters experience are actually side effects of unusually high fiber levels.
"If a person isn't used to consuming certain quantities of fiber or probiotics, they may experience some unwanted side effects, which can include diarrhea, bloating, and gas," says Lauren Manaker, a registered dietitian based in South Carolina.
London adds, "That does NOT mean that the product is 'unsafe,' but it does mean that consumer expectation vs. reality of personal experience are widely mismatched."
What's Wrong With The Diet?
The Olly-Poppi diet impacts more than just your physical health. The trend also fuels our rampant and pervasive diet culture that often targets impressionable youth. The diet has primarily gained traction on TikTok, where 25 percent of users are under 20.
The negative impact of fad diets on adolescent mental health can range from self-esteem issues to harmful patterns of disordered eating. TikTok even stepped in and provided the following disclaimer whenever users search for the Olly-Poppi diet on the platform:
Another important issue here is that the diet has little to no efficacy when it comes to overall weight management. Some people, like the TikTok user who popularized the trend, claimed to lose a few pounds after a week on the Olly-Poppi diet. But it's not the type of weight loss that will last.
"It is important to know that there is no magic bullet for long-term weight loss. People who are losing weight by following this trend are likely losing water weight," Manaker says. "And for people who are having multiple servings of this combo and not eating enough food, they can be missing out on key nutrients, which can result in major nutritional gaps."
Despite the consensus of doctors and dietitians who identify the serious risks associated with participating in these types of diets, the allure is hard to shake. And the Olly-Poppi diet is no exception.
Part of its appeal comes from the existing familiarity of the products. Unlike new diet products that rely on influencer endorsements to win over the general public, both Poppi and Olly have developed strong followings of their own.
With pre-established consumer trust, the idea of taking both products together feels safer and less daunting than popping a diet pill. Some people may already be participating in the diet inadvertently. Regardless of how approachable this diet trend may seem, however, it's still by no means a substitute for a balanced diet.
Dietary supplements are meant to be used to bolster a diet with naturally occurring fiber and other compounds to promote overall digestive health. "Creating a prebiotic fiber to use as an additive in a food product can really only get us so far," London says.
"If a person truly wants to lose weight, it is best to not lean on a quick-fix solution that is recommended by influencers with no medical background and instead focus on weight management in a holistic and healthful way," Manaker says.
Gabby Romero is Delish’s editorial assistant, where she writes stories about the latest TikTok trends, develops recipes, and answers any and all of your cooking-related questions. She loves eating spicy food, collecting cookbooks, and adding a mountain of Parmesan to any dish she can.
A registered dietitian with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, Jaclyn “Jackie” London handled all of Good Housekeeping’s nutrition-related content, testing, and evaluation from 2014 to 2019. Prior to joining GH, she was a clinical dietitian at Mount Sinai Hospital. Jackie has also appeared as an expert guest on The Dr. Oz Show and The Today Show. She is also author of the book Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked).
Lauren Manaker M.S., R.D.N., L.D., C.L.E.C. is a registered dietitian based in South Carolina. She earned a bachelor's degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida before going on to complete her master's and dietetic internship at Rush University Medical Center. Manaker received the Emerging Professional in Women’s Health Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2018 and provides her expert advice at CNN, Women’s Health Magazine, SHAPE, The Oprah Magazine, and Cooking Light.
