Polish diet supplements marketed as sugar syrups and gelatin drinks draw consumer warnings

A raspberry‑flavoured syrup sold by Herbapol and stocked in Biedronka is registered as a dietary supplement, yet it contains mostly sugar and only a trace of real fruit juice. The product exploits a legal loophole that allows manufacturers to avoid the country's sugar tax by labeling sugary syrups as supplements, adding minimal amounts of vitamins and minerals to meet the definition.

A parallel trend on TikTok and Instagram promotes drinking hot water with dissolved gelatin before meals as a “natural Ozempic”. Nutrition expert Erin Palinski‑Wade explains that gelatin can temporarily increase stomach volume and trigger a short‑term feeling of fullness, but it does not match the appetite‑suppressing effects of prescription GLP‑1 drugs. Overreliance on the gelatin drink may lead to nutrient deficiencies and loss of muscle mass, and it should be viewed only as a modest appetite‑control aid rather than a weight‑loss solution.