5 Benefits of Meal Replacement Shakes

90% Kitchen, 10% Exercise, 100% Healthy.

As cliché as it sounds, this is true and backed by science. The most important aspect of being healthy is eating proper nutrition. Thanks to today’s science, many nutrition supplements are available on the market. One of the most popular nutrition supplements is the meal replacement shake that contains the available amount of nutrients you get from a typical meal. 

What are Meal Replacement Shakes?

As the name implies, these are instant shakes that generally contain high protein and fewer calories. People favor replacement shakes because they are quick, portable, and convenient. However, it is an important reminder to be careful in indulging in these tasty shakes. Although they contain nutrients for an average person, replacement shakes don’t usually have fruits, vegetables, or grains. Meaning they don’t fully supply your body with the necessary nutrients such as specific vitamins and minerals you get from whole foods. 

How Do Meal Replacement Shakes Work?

Designed for high protein consumption, these shakes fill you up without containing huge amounts of calories. Therefore, it is helpful for people on the weight-loss journey without losing muscle mass. These shakes come in single-serving bottles or powder form that you mix with milk or water.

Also, some people tend to confuse replacement shakes with protein shakes. Both may seem similar, but they have different nutritional compositions. Protein shakes are intended to support protein intake of an existing diet to gain muscle and improve sports performance. While meal replacements are designed to help with weight control by reducing the amount of fat, carbs, and sugar consumed.

That being said, it is essential to consider what you need for your fitness journey. Remember to get as much information as possible before adding replacement shakes to your diet. That being said, here are 5 advantages of meal-replacement shakes.

Aids Weight Loss

This goes without saying that replacement shakes alone will not result in permanent weight loss. To have an effective weight loss strategy, you must have regular exercise and a tailored diet. If you aim to lose extra weight, meal replacements are ideal to be included in your diet.

As support in your weight-loss journey, meal replacements make you full while giving you the nutrients found in an average meal. Meal replacements can also prevent you from having those “snacks” by keeping you satiated therefore maintaining calorie control.

That being said, meal replacements should not be abused and should not be used without proper calorie calculation. This is to ensure that your body receives the appropriate amount of nutrients and calories it needs.

Convenience

Stir and drink. That’s how quick and easy meal replacements are made. Without a doubt, they are more convenient than preparing an entire meal. Whether you are on your way to work or working early hours without having the time to cook up some food, shakes are pretty easy to take with you. A shake allows a healthy alternative to fast foods because meal replacements contain important nutrition to continue your day.

So if you are about to buy some fast food, think twice because you probably have to spend more money on a burger with little nutritional value.

Help Short-Term Weight Loss

A significant advantage of meal replacements is delivering sufficient nutrients, such as high amounts of protein, without consuming many calories. If you are an athlete aiming for a specific weight for a weigh-in, meal replacements are an ideal addition to your diet. This allows you to shed some extra fat and maintain muscle mass.

However, if your aim is to lose weight for the sake of a healthy life, then meal replacements are not suitable for your long journey. A successful weight-loss or weight maintenance program should involve long-term weight-loss diets, regular physical activity, and medical care. Replacing a few meals for shakes may help you drop some pounds in the short term but not be effective in the long run. You can quickly gain the weight right back when you get fed up with drinking shakes and return to your regular diet.

Reduce Cravings

Cravings are the result of an increased blood sugar level in your body. That’s why you notice that if you eat sugary foods, most likely you’ll get cravings after an hour. That’s just how our body works. After the pleasure of eating a bag of chips, you’ll be left with the guilt of eating. This harms your progress and the motivation to stick with your diet.

Thankfully, with the aid of meal replacements, you can balance out your blood sugars and keep your appetite under control. The relatively high amounts of protein in meal replacements play a significant role here. Protein makes you feel satiated for a longer time than carbohydrate-rich foods. This results in reducing the cravings for unnecessary snacks and foods that can affect the progress of your weight-loss journey.

Save Money

Although a healthy diet is the best solution to a healthy lifestyle, organic produce doesn’t always come cheap. Meal replacements can be a more economical, healthy choice for one or two of your daily meals. This brings down the cost of your grocery needs while staying healthy. However, this only works as a short-term strategy because you still need to have a whole food diet to stay healthy for a long time. 

Key Takeaway

Meal replacement shakes are designed to work as a complete meal, containing the nutrients usually consumed in a typical meal. As such, there are various meal replacements fortified with protein, fiber, and minerals such as calcium. However, you should not rely too much on meal replacements for an extended time. Because of the risks of having a low-calorie state, your body needs to recuperate and feed on nutrition-packed whole foods to function properly.

That being said, you must get approval from your doctor or a registered dietitian before regularly replacing meals with shakes. If you’re aiming to lose weight for a short time, meal replacements with other healthy strategies are ideal for your journey. Ultimately, choose meal replacements that contain whole food ingredients, have a variety of vitamins and minerals, and contain only small amounts of sugar.