EASNA review the best meal replacements
Eating three nutritious and
calorie-controlled meals per day is not easy especially in the modern office
environment. If it were, then the vast majority of people in the Western world
would be in better shape. The fact that they are not is largely down to hectic
lifestyles and poor dietary choices.
Meal replacement shakes help
people swap out an unhealthy meal (usually breakfast or lunch) with a
high-protein shake containing many vitamins and minerals. There are many meal
replacement shakes out there, and it can be pretty overwhelming.
This review will look at the top seven
meal replacement shakes currently available. Go through the pros, cons, and
ingredients lists to help you decide which is the best meal replacement for
you.
We're looking for complete nutrition, that's all your vitamins and minerals, taste, consistency and value. Pretty straight forward.
Instant Knockout - Best For Weight Loss
Rootana - Best Vegan Meal Replacement Overall
PhenQ - Best Gluten Free
Everything you want to know about meal replacement powders
Yes, meal replacement shakes should be thought of as food. They are mostly made from natural food ingredients, and while some may have artificial sweeteners and some fillers, they do not contain ingredients harmful to your health.
You will need a shaker with a well-fitted lid. Pour 500 ml of cold water into your shaker and add the meal replacement shake powder (usually around 100 grams). Fix the top on tight, and then shake the shaker vigorously for between 10 seconds and 30 seconds. Then drink.
Most people would benefit from replacing just one meal per day with a meal replacement. But if you are looking to lose weight, then two per day is advisable. Rarely do people take three per day, but this is only for a short period.
Quite a few meal replacements are vegan. On this list, IK Complete, Rootana, PhenQ and Huel are vegan friendly
The vast majority of meal replacement shakes contain artificial sweeteners. They allow the shakes to taste very lovely without increasing the sugar/calorie content. If you are allergic to artificial sweeteners or prefer to avoid them, then Rootana is ideal as it uses natural coconut sugars as its sweetener and avoids artificial sweeteners altogether.
Instant Knockout Complete is a
meal replacement shake designed specifically for weight loss. Instant Knockout
makers are mostly known for their highly effective fat burner “Cut”. Both
supplements have a synergistic relationship, each one complementing the other.
Not that you can’t get superb
results by just taking one of the other. The main reason we like it is that when we compare it against the other high protein meal replacement shakes designed to keep you full it tastes infinitely better. Comparing it against Huel Black is not even close, this tastes good and actually has a really nice consistency.
Complete is very high in protein, with
35 grams of plant-based protein per serving and 35 grams of carbohydrates (13 grams
of fibre) in a shake containing just 400 calories.
It also contains several vitamins
and minerals, particularly vitamin D, known for its weight loss properties and
ability to enhance your mood.
Complete has an excellent
ingredients list, packed full of real food ingredients such as oat flour, pea
protein, soy protein, brown rice protein, chia seeds, flax seeds, and MCTs for
healthy fats.
Combining IK Complete with a
healthy diet is a great way to achieve stellar results if you want to lose
weight. Adding IK Cut will upgrade your results further.
Instant Knockout Complete Meal Replacement Ingredients
Plant-based protein – Pea protein, soy protein
• MCT Oil
• Brown rice
• Oat flour
• Golden flaxseed
• Vitamin & Mineral blend
• Chia seed
How to Take Instant Knockout Complete
Fill a shaker with 500 ml of ice-cold water and add two scoops (100 grams) of Instant Knockout Complete powder. Shake thoroughly for ten seconds, then drink. You can take Instant Knockout Complete up to three times per day, and it is also possible to combine it with Instant Knockout Cut to increase your fat-burning results.
Pros
• High in protein
• High in fibre
• Top quality ingredients
• High in vitamin D
• Combines amazingly with IK Cut fat burner
Cons
• Only available from the IK website
• Only one flavour available
| Category | Score |
| Taste | 10/10 |
| Health | 10/10 |
| Consistency | 9/10 |
| Customer Satisfaction | 9/10 |
| Fullness | 10/10 |
| Value | 7/10 |
| Overall | 10/10 |
Rootana differs from all the
other meal replacement shakes by avoiding the use of artificial sweeteners
entirely. It provides a 400 calorie bounce high in protein, fibre, and
nutrients. It avoids artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and colourings. It
contains 24 vitamins and minerals, each serving providing 20% of your
recommended daily intake.
There are three flavours
available; vanilla, original, and cacao, all using coconut sugars as a natural
food sweetener that contains fibre, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, and
antioxidants. A great alternative to artificial sweeteners such as sucralose
that provide zero nutritional benefits.
Rootana uses pea protein isolate
as their primary protein source; they also have ground oats, golden milled
flaxseed, sunflower seed oil, and sunflower lecithin in the formula. You are
getting a lot of healthy fats, omega three fatty acids, fibre and lignans.
Rootana Ingredients
• Oat flour powder
• Pea protein isolate
• Golden milled flaxseed
• Sunflower seed oil
• Coconut sugar
• Sunflower lecithin
How to Take Rootana
Grab a shaker and fill it with 500 ml of water. Add five heaped tablespoons of Rootana (100 grams) and shake it for 10 seconds
Pros
• High in protein
• Free from artificial sweeteners
• Free from artificial preservatives and colours
• Packed with vitamins & minerals
• Great taste
Cons
• Only available from the Rootana website
• Only three flavours available
| Category | Score |
| Taste | 10/10 |
| Health | 8/10 |
| Consistency | 9/10 |
| Customer Satisfaction | 9/10 |
| Fullness | 10/10 |
| Value | 10/10 |
| Overall | 10/10 |
The third meal replacement on
this list comes from PhenQ, a supplement company known for its weight loss
product. PhenQ Meal Replacement Shake is a low-calorie, high protein product
that uses many high-quality real food ingredients.
It has adaptogens in the form of
reishi mushroom extract, is high in vitamin D3, and contains ashwagandha, Panax
ginseng, and astragalus (often used to reduce fatigue). This is a clever
supplement, but its biggest draw is that it is entirely gluten-free.
Something that few meal
replacement shakes can claim to be.
The biggest issue with PhenQ is
the same issue that affects Ka’Chava; it is too low in calories, containing
only 254 calories per serving, so it's not a good day to day shake. Luckily, it is half the price of Ka’Chava, so
you could easily double the number of servings while still keeping costs low. It did used to be full of cheap fillers, but they've recently updated the recipe and it tastes a lot better and is far more nutritious. Although it is the worst tasting on this list, it's alright and considering it's gluten free that's actually quite substantial.
Phen Q Meal Replacement Ingredients
• Gluten-free oat flour
• Carb10 – premium pea starch
• Whey protein concentrate
• Vegan micronutrient blend
• Flaxseed powder
• Digestive enzyme complex
How to Take PhenQ
Mix one scoop of PhenQ powder
with 400 ml of water or milk. Shake or stir and then drink. You can add an
extra scoop to double the calories if you want.
Pros
• High in protein
• Great range of herbal ingredients
• Superb flavour
• Gluten-free
Cons
• Very low calorie
• Only three flavours available
| Category | Score |
| Taste | 5/10 |
| Health | 8/10 |
| Consistency | 7/10 |
| Customer Satisfaction | 9/10 |
| Fullness | 7/10 |
| Value | 5/10 |
| Overall | 7/10 |
Name a flavour, and Huel probably has it; they have many products. Their v3 powder (main meal replacement) has ten flavours; then there is a higher-protein, lower-carb version of Huel called Huel Black. You also have Huel’s savoury range, superb and Huel meal replacement bars.
This is a company that likes to have all bases covered. Huel is also well-priced, and it offers a decent product. High in protein, high fibre, and filled with vitamins and minerals. Sure, some flavours can be hit and miss, and the digestive issues that occur during the first week are legendary, but this is a delicious meal replacement shake with a large and loyal following.
Huel Meal Replacement Ingredients
• Oat flour
• Pea protein
• Ground flaxseed
• Brown rice protein
• Tapioca flour
• Sunflower oil powder
• Micronutrient blend
• MCT powder
How to Take Huel
Take your Huel shaker and fill it
with 500 ml of cold water. Put two scoops of Huel powder into the shaker and
then shake it vigorously for 15 seconds.
Pros
• Huge variety of flavours to try
• High in protein
• Excellent customer service
• High in fibre
• Offers a higher protein/lower carb alternative (Huel Black)
Cons
• Hit and miss flavours
• Can cause bloating and digestive issues at first
| Category | Score |
| Taste | 8/10 |
| Health | 8/10 |
| Consistency | 8/10 |
| Customer Satisfaction | 9/10 |
| Fullness | 7/10 |
| Value | 7/10 |
| Overall | 8/10 |