Meal replacement shakes come in handy when you are too rushed to whip up an actual meal or just need something healthy and filling while on the go. In this sense, most homemade shakes have an advantage over store-bought shakes in terms of freedom of choice when it comes to flavor, ingredients and number of calories.
However, creators of meal replacement shakes have upped the ante to provide more choices to clients in terms of flavor and nutrition with various companies taking into account the number of calories contained in each serving, as well as the amount of proteins, fiber and healthy fat in each shake.
Nutritional Facts to Consider in Buying Meal Replacement Shakes
According to Wendy Bazilian who penned The SuperfoodsRx Diet, the best shakes contain between 325 and 400 calories, 10 to 13 grams of healthy fat from sources like nuts, avocado, fish and olive oil, 5 grams of fiber and between 15 and 25 grams of protein.
IdealShape shakes which come in 7 flavors: chocolate, chocolate vegan, café latte, greenberry, strawberry, tropical strawberry vegan and vanilla, all contain the same amount of nutrients. IdealShape nutrition facts include 100 calories, a gram of sugar, 3 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 11 grams of carbohydrates and proteins.
These nutrients make the shakes ideal as both breakfast and lunch replacements containing 30-90% of the recommended daily value of nutrients. Since meal replacement smoothies or shakes are meant to provide the same nutrients as actual meals, these nutrients help make the shakes as filling as they are healthy.
Additionally, all the IdealShape shakes are gluten free and kosher, with the exception of the Cookies N Cream flavor. They do however contain whey protein that may affect anyone with a dairy allergy or is lactose intolerant as well as soy lecithin, which is a factor to consider when choosing a shake.
Natural hunger-blockers also make up part of Ideal Shape nutrition facts. The natural blend of hunger-blockers helps in controlling hunger cravings by suppressing appetite and stimulating the body to release Cholecystokinin (CCK) that sends signals to the brain telling it; it’s full through the use fiber and Slendesta.
Other IdealShape Products
Along with the shakes, IdealShape also creates protein bars, weight loss supplements and energy water enhancers that help in enhancing weight loss. The supplements include IdealBlock, IdealTrim and IdealBurn which help the body convert carbohydrates into energy, control appetite and burn fat as well increasing metabolism respectively while IdealRenew is a probiotic that helps improve digestive health. The IdealBar is a snack bar that helps with weight loss and the IdealBoost range of products are water enhancers that also act as hunger blockers and in providing energy.
IdealShape also offers additional weight loss products such as free eBooks with tasty recipes for weight loss smoothies, workout plan and a 12-week meal plan, a shaker bottle exclusive to some deals, an option to buy single-serving packs that contain a majority of the flavors with the exception of Cookies N Cream at a low cost and a 30-day money back guarantee. Learn more on where to buy ideal shape shake products range here. Be sure to check out the coupon that is also available.
Other Considerations
Some of the most annoying things about shakes are the gritty chalky texture and horrible aftertaste that make most shakes impossible to choke down. IdealShape however, offers several options that are quite tasty as well as a recipe booklet with plenty of suggestions on how to make the shakes tastier and healthier by adding various ingredients. The shakes are pretty smooth once blended without the chalky aftertaste. The powder shakes can be blended with almond milk, juice or just plain water or ice for a smooth tasty shake.
The programs included consist of two shakes and bars with a helpful meal plan as well. The preparation is not so difficult either as they can just be mixed in a shaker bottle or using a blender if other ingredients such as fruit or yogurt are being included in the shake. Since the shakes only contain 100 calories, you can add fruits, nuts or milk to make it more filling or tastier according to your preferences.
This will not have an impact on your calorie intake. The snacks however such as the IdealBar, the snack bar, come prewrapped making them easy to pack for the gym or for work and come in various flavors such as chocolate peanut butter, strawberry yoghurt, honey roasted almond or even s’mores.