In our fast paced lives, meal replacements are a handy way to keep our nutrition in check when we don’t have time to cook up a dish. However, there are plenty of misconceptions about them. Historically, they often contained large amounts of refined sugars and hidden nasty ingredients.
The world of functional foods has made significant progress since then. Now meal replacements can be a genuinely healthy way to get a quick, nutritionally complete meal in if you’re short on time or as a weight loss tool – different shakes are available for different goals!
So, if you’re wanting to incorporate them into your daily life, here’s a guide on everything you need to know.
What are meal replacements?
Meal replacements are pre-portioned food alternatives, usually in the form of a shake, that are designed to give you all the nutrients that you would want to find in a healthy, balanced meal. A good quality meal replacement shake will contain protein, fibre, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals, all of which will help you stay healthy even if you’re trying to cut back on calories.
It’s also important to note what they aren’t. Meal replacements are not there to be ‘quick-fix’ diet solutions, nor should they replace ALL food for any extended period of time. To keep your diet healthy and sustainable, you should replace only one or two meals a day with a shake – but we’ll get onto this more later.
The evolution of meal replacements
From bland tastes to poor nutritional value, meal replacements haven’t always been the high quality they are nowadays. In recent years, though, the standard has risen significantly. Our very own meal shakes are made from real food ingredients, nutritionally complete and what’s more – they come in a huge range of flavours. From Blueberry Cheesecake to White Chocolate Raspberry, and everything in-between.
The evolution of meal replacements now means that there are different shakes for different goals. From lower calorie meals for those looking to lose weight to higher calorie meals for those simply looking for a quick healthy meal. From plant based meal replacements to gluten free meal replacements – there’s a reason we call them functional foods!
The amount of forms meal replacements take have expanded as they’ve evolved, too. Now, they come in powders, shakes, bars and convenient ready-to-drink options for a quick on the go calorie fix.
Are meal replacements healthy?
A good quality meal replacement shake can be a healthy option to add into your diet – as long as it’s well nutritionally balanced and used as part of a healthy, balanced surrounding diet. As they pack in all the nutrients you need, meal replacements are often both healthier and cheaper than a lot of the speedy food options you could go for instead. If you don’t have the time to cook fresh meals every day or meal prep for the week, opting for meal replacements can make lunches at work or quick breakfast options much more nutritionally beneficial than your classic meal deal or take-away.
So how do you make sure you’re using meal replacements in a healthy way? We’d only recommend using them 1-2 times a day, as part of a balanced diet. Your body will always benefit from a wide range of foods, and keeping fresh fruits, veggies and lean protein in your diet them will help ensure your diet is healthy and you’re getting all the nutrients you need
But why should you think about adding meal replacements into your routine in the first place? There are two main reasons these shakes could be a good thing to look into: if your lifestyle is too busy to prepare healthy whole foods, or if you’re trying to lose weight. Let’s dive into why.
Meal replacements for weight loss
One of the most common uses for meal replacements is to aid in weight loss. Because they’re serving controlled and loaded with all the vitamins and nutrients you need, shakes can help with portion control and easy calorie management – both essential parts of a weight loss journey. Our Diet Meal Replacement Extreme shake is perfect for this, as it’s high in protein and fibre, low in sugar, and contains 33 active ingredients backed by research to support weight loss and keep you feeling fuller for longer (while also tasting great). Of course as we’ve mentioned, consume these shakes as part of a healthy and active lifestyle.
Meal replacements for busy lifestyles
Our lives are jam-packed. Fitting in work alongside errands and social life can sometimes leave us very little time to prepare healthy food to eat through the week, so a meal replacement can be the perfect solution. From on-the-go breakfasts while commuting to a speedy lunch in-between work meetings, a shake can come in clutch when time is limited but nutritional intake still matters. Our Complete 360 Meal does this perfectly: it provides you with all the essential nutrients you need in one serving, and also keeps you satiated for 3-5 hours, tiding you over until your next whole food meal nicely.
Choosing the right meal replacement
All of our meal replacement options contain scientifically backed ingredients & provide a healthy and balanced source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, we appreciate you might want to do your own research!
We’d recommend looking for at least 3 grams of fibre, a low sugar content and over 20g of protein to help keep you fuller for longer. It’s also worth noting that any nutritionally complete meal replacement contains a good amount of carbohydrates, as it’s an essential nutrient for our bodies and not one to be scared of. Of course if you are following a keto diet this may make some meal replacements unsuitable for you.
You can tweak the shake you go for depending on your specific goals, too. Go for a lower calorie count if you’re trying to lose weight, or a more balanced nutritional profile if looking for convenience.
Take our 1 minute quiz to help find the right product for you.
Conclusion
Meal replacements have come a long way in their nutritional profile – now, they are a genuinely healthy way to add convenience to your mealtimes without sacrificing nutrition (as long as you choose a high quality one). Our range of meal replacements have been thoroughly researched to make sure they give you all the vitamins and nutrients you need, without any hidden nasties or high sugar quantities.
Should you replace EVERY meal with a meal replacement shake and completely abandon your delicious home cooked meals? Absolutely not. They’re there for those certain times in your day, week or month when time is tight and you’d benefit from a quick, delicious and nutritious meal.
References
Can meal replacement shakes help you lose weight? | Healthline
What to know about meal replacement shakes | WebMD