Amy Roloff of Little People, Big World fame announced some news with a post on social media… and her followers were not happy, to say the least.
The TLC star took to Instagram to share a photo of herself outside, wearing a red-and-black plaid hoodie, donning a cream-colored knit beanie, and holding a pink Teami travel cup. In a lengthy caption, she wrote, “This year I’ve made my new years resolutions and it’s about getting healthier, inside and out. I’m focusing on daily goals, like limiting my cups of coffee. So I started 2019 being a #teamipartner.”
Remarking on how much more energized she feels after drinking Teami’s “alive tea” than she would if she had opted for coffee, she noted, “I don’t have to add any sweetener to it,” and called it a “healthy alternative” for her.
Roloff continued, “I feel like I’ve already made a lot of progress and focusing on healthy weight loss through nutrition, watching what I’m eating, exercising and drinking my @teamiblends tea! If you’re looking to start fresh with healthy goals like me, I seriously recommend this!” Like any good social media influencer, she made sure to share a special code for fans to use to get 15 percent off of their Teami orders.
Upon seeing Roloff’s post, many fans were angry that the reality TV star would promote the brand, which claims that their loose leaf teas can soothe, energize, and cleanse the body and is often featured in celebrity social media ads. Many similar brands often market their products as being able to help consumers lose weight, specifically around their stomachs.
According to CNN, these teas aren’t truly effective. Nutritionist Lisa Drayer shared with the outlet, “If you take a really close look at it, these teas are just a bunch of herbs,” adding, “Some contain caffeine; others may function as a diuretic or laxative. And so any of the weight loss that occurs is due to water weight, and it would quickly be regained once people either stop [drinking] the tea or start hydrating again.”
Side effects of drinking these teas can reportedly include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, and, on rare occasions, liver failure.
And yet, these teas, specifically Teami — which, CNN reports, hasn’t been regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — has been promoted by the likes of rapper Cardi B and beauty mogul Kylie Jenner.
“All it is is a massive scam, this does not help you get a toned tummy,” one Instagram user wrote in a comment on Roloff’s post, as reported by CafeMom. “It makes you poop lots just saying. Metamucil works the same.”
However, Roloff responded to this comment by writing, “Like anything else check out your own health first and balance the teas w/ healthy eating and exercise.”
Another user wrote in response to Roloff’s post, “It does seem like every social media star is promoting this tea, but I have read people who have tried it and they say it causes stomach pains, nausea and headaches. No way will I buy this.” The comment continued, “I understand people have to make money some how [sic] but promoting a product that can make your fans sick might not be the best way. … I hope she researched this product before selling it.”
To that, Roloff replied that she had looked into the product before promoting it, adding, “And like most anything anyone does or consumes may not be best for some but I haven’t had any issues with this product. … I use it and like it.”
As noted by CafeMom, Roloff is no stranger to promotional social media posts. In the past, she’s shared posts about her salsa line and her bake shop. In fact, shortly after posting the Teami photo, she uploaded a post telling fans all about her new Valentine’s Day-themed baked goods for sale. And by taking a quick look through her Instagram feed, fans can find promotional posts for brands like Hello Fresh and, you guessed it, Teami.
Now, we can understand Roloff wanting to make a buck by providing advertisement for select brands — maybe even brands whose products or services she truly does enjoy — but, if followers are getting mad, maybe it’s time for her to rethink her social media strategy.
