Whether you have a busy schedule or don’t like to cook, you may wonder how you can eat throughout the week. Meal replacement shakes have become popular, but they’re not for everyone. Consider the differences between meal replacement shakes and real food.
Meal replacement shakes are a great alternative to unhealthy meal choices. If deciding between a shake and some chips, the shake is the better option. Shakes also have plenty of nutrients, but they don’t have the same nutrients and fiber as real whole foods.
If you want to lose weight or eat a healthier diet, you should consider meal replacement shakes. They can help you control your portions and avoid overeating, and the right ones have the nutrients you need. Keep reading to learn how meal replacement shakes compare to real food.
Convenience
One of the biggest ways meal replacement shakes and real food differ is convenience. You can buy shakes in bulk and keep them around for when you need them. If you have a long day with no break to eat lunch, you can throw a meal replacement shake or two in your bag.
You can sip on the shake while you work, so you don’t need a dedicated lunch hour. They’re especially useful if you have to run many errands and need to eat in the car.
While you can also pack an apple or banana, other real foods are harder to eat on the go. You may have to make a sandwich or cut up some vegetables ahead of time. If you have a busy schedule, it can be hard to find the time to do that.
It’s also a problem if you find out the day before that you’ll be having a busy schedule. You may not be able to go to the grocery store and prepare a healthy meal. Drinking a meal replacement shake is a healthier option than most fast food.
Portions
If you struggle with portion control, you may enjoy consuming meal replacement shakes. Most of them come in single-serving containers, so you know just how much to eat or drink. That can keep you from overeating so that you can focus on other parts of your day.
You won’t have to worry about calculating calories or other nutrients since the shake has that all ready to go. Even if you don’t need to lose weight, portion control can be very difficult.
In most cases, real food doesn’t come ready to eat. You’ll have to portion out the various fruits and vegetables you have. While that doesn’t take a ton of time, it can be hard to figure out how much you need to eat.
If you find the best meal replacement shake for you, you won’t have to worry. You can drink your shake, knowing that it has the right serving size and proportion of nutrients you need.
Taste and Flavor
While meal replacement shakes come in different flavors, they aren’t as varied as real food. Even within the fruit family, some foods taste nothing alike. That means there’s something for every taste bud or food preference.
You can still get the nutrients you need even if you don’t like apples or carrots. Now, some meal replacement shakes come in a few flavors, like vanilla or chocolate. However, you probably won’t have as many options as real food.
But some meal replacement shakes can still taste good. If you’re craving chocolate but want something healthy, you can look for a chocolate-flavored shake. Then, you can fill your flavor craving and get essential nutrients.
When comparing meal replacement shake and real food flavors, consider what you want. Both offer a few different tastes to suit your needs. You can even combine the two throughout the day for a balanced diet.
Variety
If you get bored with your meals, you may not like to have meal replacement shakes that often. Even if you rotate between flavors, shakes all have similar textures. You also will drink all of your shakes, and you can’t prepare them in different ways.
But when eating real food, you have more choices. You can eat fruits and vegetables raw, or you can cook them. For something raw, you can throw them in a blender and make a smoothie. If you want to cook food, you can sauté your vegetables or roast them in the oven.
You can eat your fruit alone or as part of a salad with some leafy greens. Or you can combine your favorite fruit with some spices to make a tasty dessert.
While you don’t have to make every dish out there, you can explore when you use real food. You don’t have to limit yourself to having a shake all of the time. Real foods have more variety, so it can be hard to get bored with them.
Nutrients
Both meal replacement shakes and real foods can provide the nutrients you need. But in both cases, you should do your research. Consider what nutrients you need help getting and how you can get those things.
For example, fruits tend to have natural sugars and a decent amount of water in them. Vegetables can have a lot of fiber, and nuts have high levels of protein. You can choose what foods to eat based on your goals.
If you’re considering meal replacement shakes, make sure they are a true meal replacement. Read the label to check for protein, carbohydrates, and fats. See if the shake contains any vitamins or minerals.
A good meal replacement shake will have all of the nutrients you need in the right amounts. Because while you need protein, you don’t need to overdo it. The same is true with fats, carbohydrates, and other nutrients.
For Weight Loss
Another time when you may consider a meal replacement shake vs. real food is when you want or need to lose weight. A meal replacement shake can help lose weight because of the nutrients and portion control.
As long as you stick to one shake at a time, the shake’s lower calorie content can be an easy way to fill your hunger cravings. You can lower your caloric intake without feeling hungry or lightheaded.
However, you should also incorporate real food into your diet. Healthy, whole foods provide the nutrients you need to maintain your weight loss. But when used correctly, meal replacement shakes can be just as safe and healthy as food.
Make sure you consult with a doctor or nutritionist to help with your weight loss. That way, you can lose weight healthily, and you can increase your chances of maintaining your new weight.
Cost
If you’re used to eating junk food and fast food, you may be in for a sticker shock when changing your diet. Both real food and meal replacement shakes are more expensive than chips and candy.
However, real food doesn’t cost as much as meal replacement shakes when you compare them per calorie. It may look like a package of berries costs a lot. But those berries contain calories and other nutrients that you need to function.
And since meal replacement shakes are usually lower in calories, you would need to consume more of them to maintain your weight. However, you can find real foods that cost the same as a shake but have more calories.
When comparing the cost of a shake and real food, compare their nutrition facts. You may find you get more bang for your buck when you choose fruits and vegetables. Still, the extra cost of a shake can be worth it for the added convenience.
Conclusion
Meal replacement shakes and real food offer unique benefits, so you should combine them for a healthy diet. But you should know when each option is an easier or a better choice for you. That way, you can get the nutrients you need, no matter your schedule or needs.
Our Top Recommended Meal Replacement Shakes
NAME | DESCRIPTION |
#1
Shakeology | Shakeology is our most recommended meal replacement shake because it's a nutrient dense shake that includes:
Thus, making it perfect for weight loss, increased energy, digestive health, reduced cravings, and overall better health. Plus, Shakeology has stood the test of time as it has been around since 2009 without compromising its whole food ingredients. Instead, Shakeology has improved their flavors in taste and potency, and has even added vegan and gluten free options. Learn More About The Clinically Tested Shakeology Shake Here |
#2
Ample Meal | Ample Meal is an interesting meal replacement as it focuses more on healthy fats. Ample Meal includes:
With Ample Meal, you can get a nice fulling 400 calorie meal with 2 scoops or do a single scoop of 200 calories if your goal is weight loss. Similar to Shakeology, it’s free of all the artificial junk that most meal replacement shakes have today. |
#3
MacroMeal | MacroMeal is another interesting meal replacement shake as it contains a blend of fast, medium, and slow digesting protein that delivers sustained energy. MacoMeal also includes the following core ingredients:
Although not technically a meal replacement as it’s low in carbohydrates, people have found it to be filling because of the MCT oils and slow digesting proteins. |
Sources
- The Austin Times: Meal replacements vs. real food: What you gain and what you lose
- WebMD: Meal Replacements: Choose Those Bars and Drinks Carefully
- Inverse: Scientists Debunk Meal Replacement Myths: Shakes, Diets, and Vitamins
- Cheat Sheet: Are Meal Replacement Shakes a Waste of Money?
- Well and Good: Meal-Replacement Shakes Are Back With a New Look-but Are They Healthy?
