Over the past few years, meal replacement shakes have become a popular item for discussion. The shakes allow people on a diet to replace high calories foods with a quick and nutritional alternative for a meal. A study recent study testing the effects of weight loss for patients with diabetes concluded that it decreased weight by 6.4-6.7% when compared to those not consuming the shake⁵. Below is a comparison of four different types of meal replacement shakes on the market. There are many more products available differing in content and purpose.

There are many reasons why a person would want to try a meal replacement shake. A randomized controlled trial study was done on obese adolescents. The control group was on a 1,300-1,500 kcal/d diet and the treatment group was on a meal replacement diet consisting of  Slim Fast® shakes, 1 prepackaged meal and 5 servings of vegetables and fruit. The results to this study showed that those on the meal replacement diet had a BMI decrease of about 2.5% more than those on a specific calorie diet with self-selected foods. In their conclusion, however, it was noted that continuance of weight loss was not maintained with prolonged use of the meal replacement shakes⁶.

Pros to Meal Replacement Shakes

• Many are nutritionally adequate to replace a meal
• Simple and quick
• Can increase energy
• Can reduces cravings
• Can help with weight management

Cons

• Can be expensive
• Not all brands have the optimal nutrients needed to fulfill nutrient requirements
• Some contain high amounts of sugar
• Taste can vary
• Doesn’t teach portion control

Suggestions for RDNs

• Familiarize yourself with popular products on the market
• Compare nutrient composition of products
• Explain pros and cons to your patients

Written by Idaho State University Dietetic Student,

Kaylee Fennern

Resources: 

1. https://images.beachbody.com/tbb/shakeology/PDFs/Chocolate/shakeology_supplement_facts_chocolate.pdf

2. http://www.slim-fast.com/products/advanced/shakes/creamy-chocolate

3. https://www.specialk.com/en_US/products/chocolate-protein-shakes-product.html

4. https://ensure.com/nutrition-products/ensure-original#milk-chocolate

5. Craig, J. (2013). Meal Replacement Shakes and Nutrition Bars: Do They Help Individuals With Diabetes Lose Weight?. Diabetes Spectrum, 26(3), 179-182 4p.

6. Berkowitz, R. I., Wadden, T. A., Gehrman, C. A., Bishop-Gilyard, C. T., Moore, R. H., Womble, L. G., Cronquist, J.L., Trumpikas, N.L., Katz, L.E.L. Xanthopoulos, M. S. (2011). Meal Replacements in the Treatment of Adolescent Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obesity (19307381), 19(6), 1193-1199.