Protein Shakes and Meal Replacement Shakes
|
|
If you are eating 5 – 6 small meals per day and/ or following a low carb/ high protein diet, it may not always be possible or practical to prepare or eat low fat meals consisting of protein and complex carbohydrates. Although whole food should always be your first choice, when the situation does not allow, a meal replacement/ protein shake is healthier than filling up on junk food or skipping a meal altogether. If you can have a chicken salad or tuna sandwich, it is better to choose these options. When going for a meal replacement, limit yourself to shakes, since meal replacement (MRP) and protein bars tend to be high in sugar. Note: It is not advisable to replace more than 2 of your 5/ 6 meals with protein shakes.
Advantages of Protein Shakes/ Meal Replacement Shakes
Meal replacement shakes or protein shakes are:
-
More practical either at work or while on the run. Therefore, if you can, keep a tub of protein powder/ MRP shake at work or get a protein shake from a juice bar.
-
Convenient
-
Reduce the need to think about food during the day
-
Calorie counting has already been done.
Meal Replacement Shakes vs. Protein Shakes
There is a difference between meal replacement shakes and protein shakes.
Meal replacement shakes and other meal replacements such as bars, soups, puddings and other snacks are designed to REPLACE one or two of your daily meals. Meal replacement shakes are specially formulated for weight loss and weight maintenance. These shakes are designed to give you a wide range of essential nutrients in a low calorie meal substitute, rich in proteins and low in carbohydrates (typically 2:1 ratio). A good MRP shake contains both carbohydrates and protein and between 200 and 400 calories.
A protein shake or smoothie on the other hand, is simply that - protein. This shake contains little or no carbohydrates, fat and other essential nutrients. Protein shakes are very low calorie and are not designed to replace a meal. Instead they function as a supplement to provide your body with a generous amount of quality protein for those who wish to increase their protein intake. Essentially, protein powder shakes provide a quick fix/ snack of high quality protein without the fat and carbohydrates. However, you can increase the calorie and carbohydrate content by mixing the protein powder with juice or milk instead of simply water. If you are at home, you can of course make up your own protein shake in a blender, adding various ingredients such as fruit, fruit juices, yoghurt and low fat ice-cream to the protein powder to make it a more complete (and delicious) meal. This is a good option for breakfast or if you are feeling hungry, have a sweet tooth and want a snack. Some people like to add psyllium husks to increase the fibre content of their shake.
It is important to recognise the difference between shakes, as there is a big difference in calorie content between meal replacement shakes and simple protein shakes.
Meal Replacement shakes |
Protein Diet Shakes |
Complete meal. Can replace a meal. |
Not a complete meal. Cannot replace a meal. Supplement/ snack designed to supply you with high quality proteins. |
Provides balance of carbohydrates, protein and essential nutrients. |
A true “protein shake” is only protein. Little or no carbohydrates. Most common protein sources are whey, eggs, soy, and casein. |
A serving may contain between 200 – 400 calories. |
A serving typically contains less than 200 calories. |
Specially formulated for fat-reduction, weight loss, and weight maintenance. |
Supplement to your diet plan. |
Special Fat Reducing Properties?
Meal replacement foods and protein shakes do not have any special fat reducing or muscle building properties. They are simply powdered foods, supplementing an existing healthy diet - not replacing it. These products are not superior to whole foods. Your metabolism increases when processing and digesting whole foods, but does this to a much lesser degree when processing liquid foods.
When buying a meal replacement shake or protein shake powder, consider the following points:
-
You need to be able to mix the powder with water, juice or milk.
-
Meal replacement shakes should offer a proper balance of calories from protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and all the essential vitamins and minerals
-
No or low in saturated fats, trans-fats and sugars. Some shakes are very high in sugar.
-
Make sure the calorie content is right for you. This will different depending on whether you are using the shake as a meal replacement or snack.
-
Too much sugar or too few calories can cause you to eat more and defeats the purpose of weight loss.
-
Remember to look for low carb meal replacements if you are on a low carbohydrate diet.
-
Compare different brands in order to make the most informed decision. Compare calorie, fat, protein and carbohydrate content. When looking at carb content, see how much of those carbs are sugar.
Tip: bodybuilders are experts in this field. Don’t limit yourself to Atkins and Slimfast products, experts tend to favour brands such as Myoplex, Met-rx or Labrada. We all have different needs. To know what works for you, check them all out, compare and then make a final decision.
It is not wise to simply judge your protein or meal replacement shake by taste alone, as the adding of sugar and carbs by some companies to make a thick, creamy and tasty milkshake with tricky labeling and hidden ingredients, may not help your weight loss goals. Your first priority should be to buy the highest quality supplements you can find, then consider taste.
Best time to take protein shakes?
For those who are flexible regarding which meals you want to replace with shakes or if you are simply using protein shakes to supplement your diet, there are times when it is thought to be more advantageous than others. However, there are no large studies confirming or disproving this theory.
-
Breakfast. You have not eaten for approximately 8 hours and a whey protein shake (whey is a fast digesting protein) is ideal.
-
Immediately after your workout. This is a good time, as after exercising your muscles need to rebuild and repair themselves.
Research
Preliminary findings of a study recently published in medical journal Fertility and Sterility (December 2007) suggest that a daily serving of soy may prevent postmenopausal women from gaining fat around their abdomen (stomach area). In this study 18 postmenopausal women were given a shake every day for three months. However, half were randomly assigned to drink a soy-based shake each day, while the other half was given a shake containing milk protein (casein). The women, who drank the soy-based shake, were found to have lower levels of abdominal fat. These findings are thought to be the first to demonstrate that soy protein can affect abdominal fat distribution.
Recipes
This is a great way to satisfy a junk food craving without sending your blood sugar through the ceiling, while simultaneously nourishing your body with plenty of protein and healthy unsaturated fat. Add all ingredients to blender, whip, and serve.
-
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
-
2 tbsp sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding mix (dry)
-
1 tbsp natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
-
8 oz. water (or low-fat milk)
-
3-6 ice cubes
Jennifer Garner often likes to start the day with a protein shake. Her favourite recipe?
-
1 cup frozen berries
-
2 cups water
-
1 cup crushed ice
-
1 scoop whey protein powder
