Wellness

Can I eat nothing but meal replacement protein shakes?

3 mins to read

Meal replacement shakes is a great option for those of us who are looking to lose weight.

It is also important to remember the difference between meal replacement shakes and protein shakes as they do not have the same nutrients in its formulation.

Protein powder often get confused with meal replacements and it is crucial to remember that whey protein powder shakes cannot replace a meal.

Meal replacement shakes such as The Ultimate Cleanse Meal Replacement is formulated with whole-food nutrition, patented and potent ingredients of more than 55 highly absorbable and functional ingredients and essential nutrients.

It is also packed with fibre and protein, to support detoxification, cellular repair, and cellular rejuvenation.

Other benefits include maintaining a healthy digestive system, important for detoxification and immune health.

However, not all meal replacement shakes are the same and some can even cause health risks.

There are plenty of brands out there that cannot be included in your regular diet and should not even be used to replace one meal.

Here is what to avoid in a meal replacement shake:

1) Too much sugar

There are plenty of meal replacement shakes that also include added sugars, which can appear in different forms, such as dextrose, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Drinking these shakes daily can delay your weight loss efforts and even cause weight gain in the future.

Consuming too much sugar in a day will cause negative effects on your body.

2) Lack of essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals

Good quality protein shakes should have plenty of fiber and protein in the formulation to help you feel full for longer.

Other than that, they should also include healthy fats, healthy ingredients such as fruits and vegetables along with amino acids to replace a healthy meal.

3) Low in calories

If used as a meal replacement, shakes do not typically carry enough calories to equal your caloric needs from a traditional meal.

This is why it isn’t recommended to consume meal replacement shakes for all your meals.

Insufficient caloric intake can lead to muscle loss, decreased metabolism, and fatigue, so you’ll need to make up those missing calories if you’re replacing a whole meal.

What are the benefits of consuming meal replacement shakes?

1) It is more nutrient dense compared to a protein shake

It is often difficult for us to consume enough protein in a day.

Drinking a meal replacement shake can help you meet your protein intake and obtain other nutrients including B-complex vitamins, iron, choline, and zinc.

As protein supports numerous vital functions in the body, including building and repairing bones, muscles, and skin, it also helps the body create hormones and enzymes and metabolize vitamins.

Having enough nutrients will help people trying to lose weight maintain their health whilst on their weight loss journey.

2) It can develop healthy eating habits

This is especially true for those who do not have the time to consume all the nutrients needed in all your meals.

Meal replacement shakes is the better choice to replace a full meal as it contains fewer calories, vital nutrients and a higher protein content compared to fast food.

It is also convenient to carry around and can be easily mixed into water and consumed immediately.

3) Contains phytonutrients

Phytonutrients, like digestive enzymes are other important components to our food that don’t have recommended daily intakes.

Proteases, lipases, amylases, these are found in whole foods along with prebiotic fiber and probiotic bacteria can improve the health of the trillions of bacteria that live in your digestive tract.

The Imperium Ultimate Restore contains patented Lactobacillus paracasi and Lactobacillus plantarum, the strains best documented to survive transit through the harsh, acidic environment of the stomach to colonise the intestines.

The Imperium Ultimate Restore is a probiotic food supplement for digestive and immune health that encourages the healthy balance of the gut for superior gastrointestinal with 50 billion CFU patented and clinically proven probiotic strain.

What are the risks and side effects?

1) Slow down your metabolic rate

Meal replacement shakes should not completely replace healthful, balanced diets.

When consumed too much, it can affect your body’s metabolism rate.

This may slow or disrupt a weight loss plan.

2) Some can contain contaminants

Some low quality meal replacement shakes also use large quantities of sweetener to improve flavor, which can trigger blood sugar spikes.

When unregulated, they can also contain high levels of lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium which can lead too kidney and bone problems.

Meal replacement shakes often go without thorough checking by health officials, and this can cause serious health consequences.

3) Some may contain too much food additives

There are meal replacements that are chock full of food additives which are difficult to digest.

Although not necessarily bad for you in small quantities, additives can add up quickly especially if you plan to drink multiple meal replacement shakes every day.

These kinds of meal replacement shake can cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain.

This is because they sit in your gut for longer than food should, which gives your gut bacteria more time to eat.

As they eat, these bacteria produce gas, which causes bloating and stomach pain.

Gas also reduces the amount of time it takes food to travel through the colon and can lead to constipation.

Conclusion

Meal replacement shakes are a great choice to replace a meal but they cannot be the only thing you consume in your day.

Liquid meals are great but they cannot replace real food.

Here are some tips to remember when choosing a meal replacement shake:

1) Make sure it has enough calories to replace a meal.

There are so many brands that claim to have 90 calorie intake per drink and that is not enough for replacing meals.

It is best to choose one with enough calories and nutrient content to make it one of your healthy choices to fuel your body in a day.

2) Choose one with plant based protein

Whey protein powder has been shown to contribute to acne when consumed in the long run.

There are so many plant based protein shakes available in the market and they make a better choice for weight management.

3) Find one that has vitamins and minerals to improve digestion

It is easy to check the ingredients list of your meal replacement before you buy.

Look for the ones with probiotics, prebiotics and fiber to help you lead a more balanced lifestyle.