Advantages of Meal Replacement Shakes
Meal replacement shakes are great for people who want a simple and convenient approach to weight loss without much diet prep.
I personally don’t follow a strict meal replacement shake diet but do use meal replacement shakes as a post workout meal. I also use them sometimes a substitute for lunch or breakfast.
I just find it so much more convenient than having to prepare a meal. Just mix content using a blender or shaker cup. Maybe throw in a banana or two if your blending and your good to go.
The great shakes listed below are some of the best low carb meal replacement shakes for weight loss on the market. You can’t say this for all meal replacement shakes for example Isagenix.
They also happen to be very affordable compared to some ridiculously expensive shakes like shaekology.
As a self obsessed Nutrition lunatic, I have tested and trialled many of the low calorie meal replacement shakes listed below.
My favourite has to be Tru-fit and Orgain. However, the others below are right on par with the ones I personally take.
You can take 2 meal replacements a day, for example lunch or breakfast. I personally only do one meal replacement that is normally in the morning as a post workout or as a substitute for lunch.
I don’t recommend doing anything unhealthy. Some “starvation diets” such as calorie diets such as starvation life recommend placing all meals with meal replacement shakes, bars, and the occasional soup.
This is not healthy so do not set yourself up for a damaging weight loss transformation. 1-2 meals max is your goal here.
Tips if you are hungry
The below shakes should fill you up. You should also be on a high protein diet, which add to your fullness. However, in case those hunger pans come knocking on the door eat these snacks.
- Mixed Nuts
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Fruit
- Oat biscuits (Can also pick gluten free)
- Bananas
- Energy Nut bars (Make sure low sugar!)
Who are low carb meal replacement shakes for?
These shakes are incredibly versatile and can be used as post workout shake, a breakfast smoothie, a lunchtime meal replacement or a evening dinner.
The general myth is that meal replacements are only applicable to the gym and health freaks of the world that could not be further from the truth.
Meal replacements are perfect for all people and also people who do not hit the gym.
If you’re a father or mother, you all know the joys of a busy lifestyle. A meal replacement would be perfect to fit into your routine.
Working professionals who find it difficult to find the time to prepare a nutritious meal
College kids/Uni students who are looking for alternatives to the sugar and low quality shakes seen on popular body building forums.
Gym and Fitness boys and gals who are looking for a pre or post workout shake to fuel their muscles and energy.
Opinion on low carb meal replacement shakes
Every Meal replacement shake is geared towards helping you lose weight. This is why most shakes never really exceed the 200 calorie per serving mark.
In my mind meal replacement shakes are the exact opposite from mass gainers in the sense they have little carbs. Nonetheless, that still doesn’t mean you should be starving yourself.
Meal replacements are great for some short term weight loss but should never replace a healthy nutritious diet.
The recommended amount to replace meals is normally breakfast and lunch. I normally replace one meal a day. Either lunch or breakfast. Do NOT replace 3 meals a day.
Healthy whole foods that help you operate at a calorie deficit is always going to be the secret to long term weight loss.
Consequently, shakes should be used to help you along your journey but never as a full diet replacement.
How much calories should you really be eating at each meal?…Will a meal replacement shake really suffice?
I’m not a calorie counter personally. I normally just have a shake blended with a banana and 1 – 2 snacks in between meals.
Honestly I’m a little bit lazy to count every calorie that goes into my body. Remember with meal replacements the great thing is the calorie counting has already been done. The calories per-serving rarely exceeds 200 per serving.
If you really are a meticulous calorie counter for every meal, then my fitness pal is a great app to help you count calories.
Buying Low Carb Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight loss
I have used and researched the best workout shakes on the market below. Here my personal tips when buying the best meal replacement shake for weight loss.
- No one likes the same meal everyday. Vary it up by trying different shakes and different flavours. One day you can have Vega One and bananas and the next Labrada with blueberries and oats.
- Use shakes that contain all the nutrients the body needs. These include vitamins, protein, probiotics, carbs, fiber and minerals.
- Don’t ever be afraid to add snacks between meals or even into your shakes. Fruits, vegetables, berries, are all great options.
- I have said this many times but do NOT replace every single meal. Use meal replacement shakes only for the meals you find the most convenient to replace.
Best Low Carb Meal Replacement Shakes For Weight Loss
LABRADA NUTRITION
Labrada happens to be a very popular shake on the market. It has its roots invested in the fitness and bodybuilding world considering this shake was founded by pro body builder v Lee Labrada.
I normally recommend trying to pick shakes that are 3g or below in sugar level. However, Labrada is my exception to the rule.
Many people give up on their weight loss shakes because of the foul taste in their mouths.(there are ways to make crap shakes taste better.)
So I wanted to find something that taste good but doesn’t sacrifice in quality. Labrada is up there with one of the best tasting shakes on the market today.
For example, if you go for the chocolate flavour mixing it in with banana, oats. Or berries makes it taste like a creamy dessert.
Some shakes have a gritty or tough texture when blended. Labrada has a smooth thickness to it that is not over bearing. If your quite picky when it comes to taste then labrada is a great tasting shake.
I had the strawberry flavour and it taste similar to a milkshake I would have in a coffee shop.
In terms of feeling full I personally believe this is down to the individual. However, from my personal experience of trying this shake I have felt full after having it. You can always add additional carbs to your shakes likes oats if you do feel full.
- No foul taste or bitter after taste. Labrada is one of the best tasting shakes on the market
- Smooth creamy texture.
- Affordable price. Last time I checked Labrada was $32
- Protein, Fiber, BCAA’s and 21 g of vitamins and minerals
I prefer cost and also something that lasts at least 20 days. You will probably need to buy another meal replacement going into 3 weeks as you can run out.
Sugar is on the high end. For those who know me, I normally recommend no more than 3g of sugar. However, if 2 extra grams for a great taste is something you want to take into consideration then it is a great choice.
What I didn’t quite like was the amount of sugar recipes promoted on their company website. I’m always one for checking the background of a company. I thought many of them looked too sugary. I’m always overly cautious of sugar which is down to my skin condition. So that’s wasn’t really a turn on for me.
Labrada is a great meal replacement shake. Although Labrada’s main market is fitness junkies and muscle builders this shake is perfect for the normal person. Although slightly high in sugar at 5g it is quite clearly in the top 5 of best tasting shakes with all the ingredients of a top meal replacement shake.
TRUEFIT
Company background
I do not personally use TrueFiit, but this shake definitely meets every criteria for being an amazing shake.
Affordable, quality ingredients, low in sugar, great tasting and can be utilised as a post workout shake and meal replacement.
TruFit comes with all the crucial ingredients to replace a meal – Protein and amino acids, fibre, natural fruits and vegetables of which are non-GMO. Also includes some essential vitamins and minerals.
True fit meets the main requirement of being low in carbs.
Looking at the reviews of this shake it is clear that like Lambrada the shake is really good tasting. Flavours of chocolate and vanilla can be combined with milk or water. Milk/Almond milk is great to combine with shake when in the morning.
Low sugar – Another great benefit that for being a good tasting shake that its very low in sugar only at 3g.
Gas is another problem with some shakes. The protein source is from Whey protein. Whey protein can make you feel bloated and gassy. However, Truefit does not create that bloated gas feeling that some shakes do.
I thin this is down to the fact there are no artificial sweeteners or preservatives that cheaper shakes with whey protein tend to have.
Affordable – Some shakes are on the market for over $100… namely shakeology. Don’t ever get ripped off by going for these shakes when there are better alternatives on the market. For a high quality shake with plenty of vitamins and nutrients this shake is worth every cent.
TrueFit is one of the best rating shakes on amazon. However, if I was being picky the shake comes with 20 servings. So if you are looking to go a whole month with one tube be prepared to run out at the end of the 3 week mark.
What customers say:
Customers love the taste. Once again for a shake that is low in sugar at only 2 grams this is an amazing achievement. Customer say it tastes like a chocolate malt… mmmmm
Fullness
You never want to starve yourself thin. True fit although being low in calories and g per serving, leaves you full and satisfied. Having this for breakfast or lunch should keep you going throughout the day and until your next meal.
The texture is not gritty or chalky but quite smooth.
My struggles in the past was having crunchy type shakes that taste bad and are hard to gut. The texture is the opposite with true fit.
If combined with either a milk or water the shake can taste similar to that of a nesquick mix or chocolate malt. Its definitely up there being a great taste.
Truefit excels as a shake that is yummy, healthy, affordable, and nutritious. At 20 servings a container one could be extremely picky and say it does not last a full month.
However, Trufit still last about 3 weeks and more than makes up for its 20 servings with its amazing taste and ingredient blend.
Orgain Organic Plant Based Meal Powder
Orgain are a popular vegan nutrition and supplement company. The most important thing I love about Orgain is the fact they pride themselves on being one of the most healthy shakes on the market.
The fact their companies mission is all about finding the healthiest ingredients that are organic without the added sweeteners and preservatives some shakes have on the market is testament to their great values.
Remember damage never happens when you drink something for a short time. The damage is done long term so consuming something that is in effect replacing a meal needs to be well thought out and shake needs to be healthy!
If you are a vegan this product is perfect.
Lets take a look at the things this shake is free from:
- Non GMO
- Lactose free
- Soy free
- 1 grams of sugar
- Dairy Free
- Gluten free
I knew instantly after reading the ingredient list that Orgain really do uphold their “higher standards” to make sure their shakes are one of the healthiest on the market.
To lose weight one of the rules is to increase protein intake while restricting carbs. Orgain has a low amount of calories per serving at 150g and a high amount of protein at 21 g.
Like Trufit there are 20 servings per container.
Similarly, with all my shakes that are chocolate in flavour I love mixing 2 servings in with a banana and almond milk. Blue berries are also optional. This is also the recommended way to take Orgain.
Healthy protein sources that are better than whey: pea, brown rice, chia sea, organic hemp.
Tastes great…. remember to use my tip mix in with banana/ berries. This shake still tastes great on own, however, I always like the extra kick of a banana and it reminds me of a chocolaty dessert.
Texture
Smooth texture that blends well. Some protein powders a clumpy, however, Orgain is the opposite and can easily be consumed without any gag reflexes …
Great company background unlike some companies in this industries who put profit over quality. Orgain’s company mission is to create the healthiest and nutritious supplement products on the market. Out of all the meal replacement shakes right now, Orgain is certainly in top 10 for being healthy.
Taste is a personal preference. However, there are a couple of consumers on amazon who do not like the taste of the vanilla flavour. I can’t vouch for the vanilla as have never tried, I would stick to the chocolate.
There is a reason why I personally use Orgain. Orgain is vegan, contains organic greens, high in protein, lactose free and not ridiculously expensive. It taste pretty good too.
Optimum Nutrition NO:1
Optimum Nutrition is NOT a meal replacement shake but a protein shake. However, just because something is a protein shake does not mean it can’t be used as a meal replacement.
I would recommend optimum nutrition for those that are regular gym goers and lift weights on an occasional to regular basis. This product is the best of the best when it comes to building muscle and dropping those pounds.
The protein source is from quality ingredients like the other plant based meal replacement shakes recommended in this article. Pea, brown rice and Saachi inchi proteins are all the ingredients that make up the protein composition.
BCCAa’s are also a plenty in optimum nutrition. BCAAs stand for branch chain amino acids. They help push the body into a state of protein synthesis.
Most protein powders come without BCAAs in the standard form of whey protein isolate or plant based protein. Adding the BCAA’s gives that extra boost when it comes to building muscle.
This is because BCAA’s help enhances protein synthesis.
However, it also works at the other end and prevents muscle loss.
After a heavy workout Optimum Nutrition Protein really can help increase your weight loss by building/maintaining muscle mass.
Low carb
Optimum also acts as a great low carb meal replacement considering 1 serving only contains 140 calories.
How to get the most out of optimum nutrition
Like anything this shake chocolate flavour mixes well with almond milk. To get the added vitamins/ enzymes/ probiotics that meal replacement shakes have you can add berries, bananas. And leafy greens like spinach to add get all the nutrients your body needs.
Taste
Flavours include plant chocolate, and plant vanilla.. With any plant based protein sources, taste on average is generally worst than their less healthy whey protein alternatives.
Nonetheless, Optimum nutrition plant based protein tastes great for a shake with no added preservatives or sweeteners.
Some shakes have a bitter or grainy after taste. Optimum nutrition does not. The chocolate flavour tastes very much like chocolate milk.
- Strength,
- Endurance
- Perfect for veggie option as vegans miss out on some BCAA’s nutrition.
- Simple ingredients that do the job!
- Non GMO etc… all high standard practices.
- Help Lose weight and build muscle at the same time.
- Price is very affordable
However, I picked a protein shake for good reason. This shake is geared towards those that workout. This shake is a great post workout shake that can be combined with oats, berries, and berries to also act as a meal replacement shake.
It does not come with the added vitamins of a Trufit or Orgain, however, these can be added in their natural wholefood form when blended together.
I personally picked this shake for those who are regular gym goers and need a healthy high protein protein shake in their diet in order to lose weight.
Its pretty much guaranteed that you will lose weight if you workout and take this shake while operating at a calorie deficit.
After a tiring lifting session your muscles are exhausted and need rebuilding. Unlike unhealthier shakes that are essentially whey protein isoloate combined with sweeteners, Optimum Nutrition is healthy plant based protein sources that fuel your muscle growth while helping to burn fat.
Conclusion
If you feel are busy and don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal, the nutritional shakes above will set you on a focused direction to losing weight.
All shakes are versatile, high quality, and taste great.
In my mind there is nothing wrong with taking meal replacements shakes. The main goal is to find ones that are low in sugar and feed the body the nutrients it needs to lose weight.
Related articles:
Alternatives to shakeology that are way way better.
I really love when people such as yourself takes the time to post their findings of whatever it is they are researching. That said, I’m in the midst of looking for a meal replacement shake but am too busy (too lazy) to do the homework myself. So I really appreciate your posting the pros and cons with as much detail as you did. What a great help it is to me and such a time saver! Thank You!