What should a meal replacement shake have?

Meal replacement shakes are made with the intention to provide the nutrition of a full meal. Some come in a powdered form which can be taken by mixing it with water or milk, while others come prepared in a can or bottle which can be taken directly. However, their ingredients and nutrient compositions can vary to a significant extent. For the best possible health outcomes, it’s recommended to replace only one meal a day. Doing just this should also have an impact on weight loss.

Benefits of meal replacement shakes

• Meal replacement shakes are portable and convenient. They may also help you avoid unhealthy meals, which are one of the biggest barriers to losing weight
• Traditional diets may lack some nutrients. In this case, these shakes are a great substitute to fill that void and provide you with the required nutrients.
• Calorie intake is one of the most important factors when it comes to losing weight. Meal replacements are surely a perfect way to stick to a low calorie diet without feeling hungry as they help you to feel full and help you to lose weight faster.

What to Look For In a Meal Replacement Shake?

Your meal replacement shake should contain following mentioned things to provide you the required nutrients-

CALORIES 

Any meal replacement shake should contain 200-400 calories on an average. Moreover, calories below/above this range will not provide you with adequate amount of nutrition to replace an entire meal.

LOADS OF PROTEIN

For weight loss and a better looking body, protein is a vital nutrient. Benefits of protein includes- boosting metabolism, reducing appetite, increasing muscle mass and changing various weight-regulating hormones. Protein also helps you to feel full and suppresses the cravings. This in turn reduces the calorie intake and helps in losing weight/reducing body fat.

An ideal protein shake contains between 10-20 grams of protein per serving.

AMPLE AMOUNT OF FIBRE

Fiber is surely an important for our digestive health. Benefits of fiber are – regular bowel movements, helps you feel fuller & curb cravings, helps the body absorb nutrients, improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Fiber also helps in prevention of some diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer.

An ideal meal replacement shake contains 3-5 grams of fiber.

SUGAR PER SERVING

To improve the flavor, companies add excess sugar to these shakes which can lead to negative health effects. Some of those effects include weight gain, increased acne, as well as low energy.

An ideal meal replacement shakes contain 10 grams or less of sugar per serving. You should avoid shakes with more amount of sugar than this.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients essential for our body to carry out different types of functions and develop normally. These are not naturally produced in our bodies and must be procured from the food we eat. The known vitamins include A, C, D, E, and K, as well as the B vitamins. Some known minerals essential for health are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine etc. Vitamins and minerals aid to shore up bones, heal wounds, and support your immune system. They also convert food into energy, and repair cellular damage.

An ideal meal replacement shake should contain 33% of the daily value of vitamins and minerals.

FATS

Studies have found that healthy unsaturated fats (like monounsaturated or polyunsaturated omega-3 or omega-6 fats) help you to feel full for a longer time. They also help you to reach satiety by suppressing cravings as well as help to regulate your appetite.

An ideal meal replacement shake will have maximum 10-15 grams of fat per serving. Furthermore, you should opt for the shakes with high amounts of omega-3s and unsaturated fats over saturated and trans fats.

These shakes can surely become a substitute of a meal by filling in the void/nutritional gaps. However, you should not use these shakes for long-term as they can never replace a real meal & may not be the best option for overall health. Maintaining a well-balanced diet outside of meal replacement shakes is recommended to remain healthy!

Where can I buy genuine Meal replacement shakes?

You can buy genuine Meal replacement shakes at bodyfuelindia.com. We procure all the supplements from solely brand-authorized official importers & promise to deliver only authentic supplements at the most pocket-friendly prices to provide you the best online shopping experience!

Top Meal replacement shakes –

Purchase Genuine Meal replacement shakes from Body Fuel at best prices and offers. The Top selling Products in India are –

• Optimum Nutrition ON Opti-Fit