weight loss drink

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 — replacing what could be a high-calorie breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a protein shake packed with vitamins and nutrients is a popular way to get an energy boost while also satisfying hunger. Not only do these shakes allow you to stave off hunger for a few hours, but the protein found in them also allows for the rebuilding of muscles after weight lifting or intense cardio. Poliquin Group states that protein is particularly sought-after for those looking to increase muscle mass and lean tissue while also increasing the number of calories burned while digesting it — a method that can help with weight loss overall.

Of course, eating protein through solid foods is always the best method to absorb the nutrients, but a busy schedule can have you reaching for a quick snack instead of a home-cooked meal. So, with so many choices available, how do you know which protein shake is best for your diet plan and will also fit in your budget? We’ve laid out the facts for five popular shakes so you can decide which meal replacement shake can seamlessly blend with your lifestyle.

1. Shakeology

Beachbody’s Shakeology is getting a lot of hype in the world of meal replacement shakes, as it boasts the inclusion of over 70 ingredients to aid in your body’s digestive health and fat-burning capabilities. Beachbodystates that the digestive enzymes added to Shakeology are from natural sources such as papayas and pineapples, and these sources also provide high levels of antioxidants that can help prevent premature aging and degenerative disease.

Thien Joshua Nguyen, a Beach-body coach, talks about how Shakeology also adds whey protein to their shake, which is considered to be the best protein to repair muscles and increase overall muscle growth. In addition to the protein, they add in amino acids that support brain function and can reduce anxiety. Shakeology isn’t just any old meal replace, as it includes the protein necessary to keep you feeling full with the added benefits of prebiotics for digestive health, antioxidants, and over 30 vitamins and minerals that you may not otherwise consume in a day.

Because whey protein is a by-product of cheese production, Shakeology has also created a vegan formula with plant-based proteins so that those who cannot tolerate milk products can also enjoy their shakes. The Shakeology website shows a variety of flavors in both their vegan and regular formulas. The vegan powders come in either tropical strawberry or chocolate, while their regular formula comes in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and green berry. Those who have tried Shakeology report loving the flavor and consistency, and many will mix the powder with almond milk for a bit of extra richness.

With all of these benefits, where are the drawbacks? The price on Shakeology is far and away one of the priciest meal replacement shakes on the market — a 30 serving supply will cost you about $130 without shipping, which comes to roughly $4 a meal. They do offer a sampler at just $30 that includes six single-serving packets of Shakeology, which is created for those who want to try all of the flavors before purchasing any of them in bulk. With shipping and handling, this still comes to about $40 for only six packets.

2. Herbalife

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Herbalife is a company that has more than just a meal replacement shake to offer — it also has nutrient-dense snacks, vitamins, and products to support an active lifestyle, and an overall aim to make customers feel great inside and out. The most beneficial part of Herbalife is that it encompasses an entire system to make you look and feel your best — Discover Good states that Herbalife centers around more than just the dietary shakes and supplements and keeps its focus on living an active life and building an overall confidence in its clientele.

Now for the actual dietary shake that Herbalife offers — it is up for debate as to how healthy this protein powder actually is. According to the Herbalife catalog, the Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix comes with 21 essential vitamins and minerals, 9 grams of protein, and fiber. It also comes in a variety of flavors ranging from banana caramel to pina colada. But, the program recommends you buy the additional supplements along with this powder in order to get all of the added benefits of the formula, and the powder itself is already around $40 for 30 servings.

Though Herbalife is on the more affordable side for the powder formula alone, the powder only contains soy proteins according to a chart provided by Food Babe. Without whey protein, it’s difficult to say whether this supplement would actually keep you full for the entirety of a meal. GMOs are also found in Herbalife’s soy protein, and this can cause digestive issues that can lead to a soy allergy in the future.

3. GNC Total Lean Lean Shake

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GNC’s Total Lean Lean Shake’s main goal is to provide you with a meal replacer filled with 25 grams of whey protein per serving in addition to vitamins and minerals that aid in a healthy metabolism and lean muscle mass.GNC offers the details of its no-frills approach on its website, listing all of the ingredients of the shake immediately so that you know exactly what you’re putting in your body without having to do external research.

The target market for the Lean Shake would be those looking to add in protein to repair muscles faster after difficult workouts, and also those looking to reduce cravings to aid in weight loss. This drink is not a complete system like Herbalife or Shakeology, and so obtaining actual results with this shake is more dependent upon other factors in your life, such as what else you’re eating and how much you’re exercising. There’s no personalized plan or coach here— just a simple shake designed to help you in your own journey and a general calorie and meal guide that you may or may not choose to follow. There is also no vegan option for this particular shake, which can turn away those who do not consume milk products.

The Lean Shake generally only comes in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, though depending on store location and limited edition release, you can sometimes find other flavors like cookies and cream or mint chocolate layer cake. Though the flavor options seem slim, GNC offers a variety of recipes with the powder itself so you can jazz up your shake however you’d like. The price for 16 servings is between $35 and $45 depending on whether you’re a GNC member, but the company often holds specials that offer half-off the purchase of a second Lean Shake at checkout.

4. IdealShape

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IdealShape’s meal replacement shakes are geared toward those who are looking to lose weight and control cravings, and it’s not for those who are necessarily trying to gain muscle, increase their metabolism, or improve their digestive health. The IdealShape website shows how replacing just one meal a day will assist in weight loss when accompanied with a calorie-controlled diet, as the powder formula that they provide is a mere 90 calories per serving. Most other meal replacement shakes are around 180 calories a serving, and coupled with blending those formulas with berries, bananas, or nut butters, that calorie count can skyrocket and ultimately sabotage all attempts at weight loss. IdealShape boasts that just one 90-calorie serving of its shake is enough to keep you satisfied for up to three hours because of thee inclusion of the all-natural potato protein called Slendesta.

You can accelerate your weight loss with replacing two meals a day with IdealShape’s formula. In each of its shakes, a blend of whey and soy proteins are used in addition to the Slendesta. As stated before, whey protein is really the most desirable to put in your body, as soy protein can cause digestive issues and fail to keep your hunger at bay. Each scoop of their formula has 11 grams of this protein as well as fiber, 22 vitamins and minerals, and just 1 gram of sugar. IdealShape’s best feature may be that it’s gluten free, so those with celiac disease or those who are simply gluten free for their own dietary purposes can enjoy this shake as well.

The products are also certified kosher — another added bonus. Their formula comes in chocolate, vanilla, mocha, or strawberry, and no vegan formulas are available. The price for these meal replacement shakes is about $50 for 30 servings, and the powder formula also comes with a free 20-ounce shaker bottle. If this price seems a little steep for you, then have no fear — the IdealShape website typically hosts sales on its products, sometimes even giving away a free container of meal replacement powder with the purchase of two.

5. Visalus Vi-Shape

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Visalus Vi-Shape’s meal replacement shake is a drink that’s not just designed for weight loss — instead, it’s a nutrient-dense formula that’s designed for anyone looking to live a healthy and active lifestyle with or without a weight loss goal in mind. According to the Vi-Shape website, the formula includes a protein blend of whey and soy proteins, a full day’s serving of fiber, and 25 other heart-healthy vitamins and minerals. The shake also only has one gram of fat, less than one gram of sugar, a low-sodium content, and only 90 calories per serving.

What’s also great about Vi-Shape? Its formula is gluten-free, lactose-free, certified kosher, and low-carb, so this can be a great option for anyone with these dietary restrictions. According to the Vi-Shape fact sheet, Visalus chose to use a blend of whey and soy proteins, and though soy proteins can cause digestive issues, the company makes sure to use soy that is not genetically modified. Though whey protein is the more desirable of the two proteins, having true soy protein is better than having a drink jam-packed with GMOs. The company also chose to use sucralose in order to keep the sugar content low. Keeping the sugar below a gram per serving is an impressive feat, but sucralose (also known as Splenda) can cause an inflammatory response in the body.

According to Prevention, the consumption of sucralose can change the amount of good microbes in your body by 50% or more, and this alteration is associated with weight gain. The only flavor available in the Vi-Shape formula is sweet cream, However, you can also purchase packs of individual flavor mix-ins, which come in chocolate, strawberry, banana, peach, and orange. The price of Vi-Shape is $44 for a supply of 30 meals, an average price for a meal replacement shake.