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

A new viral drink claims to replicate the effects of the weight-loss medication Mounjaro — with just four ingredients.

Calling it “Natural Mounjaro,” fans claim that drinking a concoction made with water, lemon, honey, and ginger can replicate the benefits of the prescription weight-loss drug Mounjaro, which is a brand name for tirzepatide. Taken by injection in the thigh, stomach or arm, tirzepatide reduces appetite and improves how the body breaks down sugar and fat.

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

Not in the long term, Emily Feivor, a registered dietician with Northwell, tells PEOPLE.

Related: Tori Spelling Reveals She Took Mounjaro to Lose Her Baby Weight: 'I Don’t Feel Shamed'

"The drink is probably being used as a replacement for a heavier meal or a higher calorie meal than people were typically eating before," she said.

And while that might cut calories, she says replacing a meal with a beverage can lead people to "eat more in the next meal, snack more, because your body is craving that nutrition that we might have skipped in 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 vegetable — and a healthy fat. You want it part of a complete meal, not just the meal itself."

But, she adds, "we still consider honey to be a source of sugar, and it should be really used in moderation. We should treat it the same as we would any other sweetened beverage."

"Natural Mounjaro" is just one of many viral drinks that claim to burn fat while you sleep, or naturally suppress your appetite. Another viral concoction is a mix of apple cider vinegar, honey, cinnamon, and lemon; still another includes turmeric.

Feivor says some of the ingredients can be beneficial: "Some studies have shown that cinnamon does help with blood sugar control," she says, adding that ginger aids in digestion, and lemon offers vitamin C.

Related: Stars Who've Spoken About Ozempic — and What They've Said

Regarding apple cider vinegar, she says, "There's no scientific evidence to prove that it it's a positive drink. But it's not harmful either."

Benefits aside, these drinks are "not nutritionally sound as a meal," Feivor tells PEOPLE.

This isn't the first time a drink has gone viral for supposedly helping people lose weight. Last spring, people choked down a gray blend of oats, lime juice and water in an effort to slim down. Dubbed Oatzempic, the drink did help some people temporarily lose weight — but only because those who drank it instead of eating a meal were in a calorie deficit, replacing their meals with the watery drink.

As Feivor tells PEOPLE, "We're just suckers for quick fixes."

"Replacing a high quantity of food that you're originally eating [with a drink], you're gonna 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 a long-term weight loss."

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