What's in the 'Natural Mounjaro' Drink — and Should You Try It?

A new viral drink claims to replicate the effects of weight loss drug Mounjaro – with just four ingredients.

Calling it “natural Mounjara,” fans claim that drinking a concoction made from water, lemon, honey, and ginger can replicate the benefits of the prescription weight-loss drug Mounjara, which is a brand name for tirsepatide. Taken by injection into the thigh, abdomen or arm, tirzepatide reduces appetite and improves the way the body breaks down sugar and fat.

But can a four-ingredient drink really help you lose weight?

Not in the long run, Emily Feivor, a registered dietitian in Northwell, tells PEOPLE.

Stock image of Mounjar.

Sandy Huffaker for The Washington Post via Getty

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“The drink is probably being used as a replacement for a heavier meal or a higher calorie meal than people typically ate before,” she said.

And while that might cut calories, she says replacing a meal with a drink can lead people to “eat more at the next meal, snack more, because your body is craving those foods that we may have skipped at that meal that you’re replacing this drink with.”

There’s nothing wrong with the drinks themselves, she says – adding that people “should consume them with a balanced meal, meaning a lean source of protein, something with fiber – like fruit or vegetables – and healthy fats. You want it to be part of a complete meal, not just a meal.”

But, she adds, “we still consider honey a source of sugar and should use it in moderation. We should treat it like any other sweetened beverage.”

“Natural Mounjaro” is just one of many viral drinks that claim to burn fat while you sleep or naturally suppress appetite. Another viral preparation is a mixture of apple cider vinegar, honey, cinnamon and lemon; another involves turmeric.

Feivor says some of the ingredients may be beneficial: “Some studies have shown that cinnamon helps control blood sugar,” she says, adding that ginger aids digestion and lemon offers vitamin C.

Picture of fresh ginger.

Tanja Ivanova/Getty

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As for apple cider vinegar, she says, “There’s no scientific evidence to prove that the drink is positive. But it’s not harmful either.”

Beyond the benefits, these drinks “are not as nutritionally sound as a meal,” Feivor tells PEOPLE.

This is not the first time that a drink has gone viral for allegedly helping people lose weight. Last spring, people were chowing down on a gray mixture of oats, lime juice and water in an attempt to lose weight. Called Oatzempic, the drink helped some people lose weight temporarily – but only because those who drank it instead of meals were in a caloric deficit, replacing their meals with water.

As Feivor tells PEOPLE, “We’re just naïve for quick fixes.”

“Replacing a large amount of food that you originally ate [with a drink]you’ll lose weight, but it all comes back,” she said. “It’s really important to have the building blocks of nutrition knowledge to have a sustainable diet for long-term weight loss.”

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Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education