Advanced dietitians and physical trainers, these days, recommend meal replacement shakes for weight loss.
The logic behind this trend is that a regular meal has more calories in comparison with these shakes.
That is why they can help in weight loss training.
Apart from following a low-calorie and low-fat diet, at least a one-time meal is asked to replace with these weight loss shakes so that you can see faster results.
The point of doubt, here, is that can these shakes have all the nutritional value of a regular meal?
Are they a replacement for food items? Are Meal Replacement Shakes Good for Weight Loss?
Or even Are Meal Replacement Better than Protein Shakes?
If you’re looking for all that then look no further than this article. Here, we will take a deep dive into it.
What are Meal Replacement Shakes?
Meal replacement shakes are different from supplements. They offer you all the nutrients that a conventional meal (vegetables, lentils, grains, fruits) offers.
But the technology of cutting on the carbs is crucial.
Instead of focusing on food items, they concentrate on the nutrients. Meal replacement shakes contain protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
In addition, different flavors and key ingredients are added too, for the sake of variety.
Also, Meal replacement shakes for weight loss tend to be high in protein.
An increased amount of protein keeps you full for a comparatively long time. They are available in either powder form or ready-to-use shakes.
The big question, here, is that are the claims made by them, true? Are they healthy and harmless? Do they surely work?
Let’s take a look into this.
Do Meal Replacement Shakes Works For Weight Loss?
A Meal replacement shake is a fabricated thing. It doesn’t serve you real vegetables, fruits, or grains.
There are either concentrates or extracts. Sometimes artificial lab-made nutrients are also added to it.
Studies show that they succeed in lowering the number of calories. People up for sports, bodybuilding, and weight loss, find them beneficial.
A substantial amount of protein curbs your hunger too. You feel full for a longer time.
Another benefit of using Meal Replacement Shakes for weight loss is a quick burning of fat. In the case of receiving lesser calories, our body turns to synthesizing fat for energy.
This further trims those extra lobes from your physique.
Now, since they have manufactured ingredients, we might wonder if they’re safe to consume or not. How many health benefits do they deliver? Are there any side effects of meal replacement shakes?
What are the Pros of Meal Replacement Shakes?
Here, in this section, take a look at what health benefits meal replacement shakes offer.
Higher Nutritional Value – MRS has a higher level of nutrients. As they replace a whole meal, they make sure there are no health glitches.
More Fiber- They are rich in fiber. It solves the problem with digestion and bloating. Plus, ensures the extraction of fat from the body.
Weight Loss Companion –MRS serves you low calories. Your body burns fat and accumulated calories for energy.
Convenient Consumption- They are available in the form of powder you can mix with milk or water. Some MRS comes in ready to use single-serving bottles also. You can easily carry them while traveling or places where taking a meal in a formal manner is a bit difficult.
It seems, however, that taking it for granted can not be a great idea. We must consider the other side too. We must look for some downsides as well.
The Cons of Meal Replacement Shakes
Apart from these oblivious benefits, meal replacement shakes also possess some downsides as well. Some of those include:
Synthetic Ingredients – Meal replacement shakes supply you with no real veggies or fruits or grains. There are all artificially processed nutrients in there.
Not So Healthy- Their guarantee of 100% health benefits can’t be trusted blindly. Chemicals and processing methods sometimes affect the nutritional value of a substance.
Can Be Allergic- If there are preservatives and added flavors or chemicals are mixed with these MRS that you are allergic to, it’s better to stay away from them.
That is why you need to go through a genuine analysis of meal replacement shakes before using them. Some cautionary measures that would be thoughtful are:-
Scan The Ingredient List- You must look for any hidden ingredient like added flavor or preservative that can be harmful or allergic.
Once A Day- Health advisers recommend Meal Replacement Shakes for weight loss. But that doesn’t mean you rely upon them the whole day. Only a single meal, either breakfast or lunch or dinner, should be replaced on a single day.
Go For Variations- If something is monotonous, you are likely to discontinue it soon. Go for different flavors. Choose different meal times that you can replace each day.
In addition, upon comparing meal replacement shakes vs protein shakes, certainly you can notice the difference in their formulation.
Protein shakes supply your body with only proteins. On the other hand, meal replacement shakes avail you of several nutrients along with proteins as well.
Before anything else, and apart from these facts, you do need to be patient with yourself and the new stuff you are opting for.
Conclusion
Meal Replacement Shakes, therefore, are recent in the fitness arena. It is not as bad as you might doubt.
But the health benefits are also not as good as they are marketed to be.
Choose carefully when it comes to the health of you and your family. It doesn’t mean that you discard anything new as risky, but to think wisely before acting, is what saves the day.
