Weight loss shakes also known as meal replacement shakes were originally designed to help people easily absorb nutrients. They are now intended to offer a convenient alternative to traditional weight loss diets while providing nutrition equivalent to a full meal.
Shakes for weight loss promise rapid results. Their formulas generally consist of high protein (milk and soy-based powders), coupled with low carbohydrates, and supported by vitamins and minerals.
Meal replacement shakes have become increasingly popular over recent years because they are less restrictive than the diet programs. They can help cut calories without making you completely forgo the foods you enjoy.
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What Is the Best Weight Loss Shake?
There are so many weight loss products on the market that it is often difficult to choose the best healthy meal replacement. To help you choose and find the best weight loss shake, we compared nutritional values, flavors, and value for money.
Product quality has the most influence on our rankings because we want it to be a real meal replacement and not just a powder full of sugar.
We gave more points to products that have natural ingredients while being low in artificial flavours and preservatives.
One of our ranking guidelines is that products should have as few ingredients as possible. In general, we believe that if products contain a never ending list of ingredients, the brand is usually trying to cut corners and obfuscate the low quality.
We prefer products that are a blend of good fats, carbs, and proteins because these are essential to a balanced human diet.
And we took into account the value for money. Changing your diet is a long term commitment and should fit your budget so you can sustain it.
Top 5 Weight Loss Shakes Ranked
1. KetoLogic
This keto meal shake for low carb weight loss is one of the best value for money weight loss shakes. It supports ketone production, which is superior fuel that is efficiently used by muscles and the brain, generating more energy per unit of oxygen consumed than carbs or protein.
It can boost your metabolism, support your gut microbiome, and reduce internal inflammation.
To lose weight, replace one meal with Ketologic weight loss shake which comes in two delicious flavours – vanilla and chocolate.
2. SlimFast
The best weight loss shake is the SlimFast Chunky Chocolate Shake Powder meal replacement shake for weight loss. This product contains 15g of protein per serving and 23 essential vitamins and minerals. The standard 450g size gets you 12 servings.
What we like most about this product is that it contains no added sugar while still having a delicious chocolate flavour.
To prepare this sugar free shake, take 250ml of cold skimmed milk, add two level scoops of powder to the milk (scoop provided), cover and shake well for approximately 20 seconds. For best results you can use a blender and ice.
In addition to chocolate, SlimFast comes in vanilla and banana flavour.
SlimFast is intended to replace one or two meals a day for safe and effective weight loss. It’s so tasty, it’s basically like a dessert.
3. Labrada
The runner-up shake to lose weight is Labrada Nutrition Lean Body Hi Protein meal replacement shake. It contains 35 grams of high grade protein to provide a sustained supply of amino acids, 21 essential vitamins and minerals for optimum wellness, and healthy carbs to keep your energy levels up throughout your day.
Labrada Nutrition Lean Body is also gluten free and comes in eight delicious flavours: salted caramel, power latte, vanilla, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate, cinnamon bun, strawberry, and molten dark chocolate cake.
With balanced protein, carbs and fibre to help curb your appetite, this meal replacement shake is one of the best available products that can help your body slim down.
4. Optifast
Next best is Optifast which you can order on Amazon for fast shipping and reasonable price. This weight loss shake comes in vanilla, banana, caramel, chocolate, coffee, strawberry, chai, and mocha flavour.
Optifast is a nutritionally rich very low calorie product. A great thing about it is that the brand has a local Australian website that provides guidance for you to adopt its suggested Optifast VLCD Program. The website is also packed with other tips and information for healthy weight loss.
Based on online reviews, Optifast seems to be very effective in helping people lose weight and satisfying hunger. It’s available in a range of flavours. The only thing that it could do better is to improve the taste.
5. Redcon1
Redcon1 lite meal replacement is made of whole food sources and intended to provide a real meal in a powder form.
Compared to other shakes for weight loss, Redcon1 is a blend of whole foods including blueberries, oats, salmon, chicken, and eggs. It has 24g of protein per serving and only 2g of sugar. It is keto friendly and has low carbs.
The best thing about this product is the focus on balanced ingredients that are necessary for a healthy diet.
Do Meal Replacement Shakes Work?
A meal replacement shake is not a magic solution. They could be a starting point that helps you get on the right track to losing weight. Since they are so convenient you may be more likely to stick to the plan and keep going once you get the taste of losing fat.
After this initial stage of using shakes, long term weight loss will likely require a lifestyle adjustment. This includes a healthy diet and a regular exercise program.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are meal replacement shakes packed with corn syrup, preservatives, and other counterproductive ingredients. These are often cheaper but best to avoid.
The best meal replacement shakes come with vitamins and minerals that contain essential nutrients, protein, and are low in carbs.
Are Aldi Shakes Good for Weight Loss?
People seem to love Aldi products and shakes are no exception. While they are generally less expensive than other weight loss shakes, Aldi shakes seem to offer value without compromising on the quality.
Aldi shakes won the Canstar Blue Award for two years in a row (2019 & 2018) with these being based on customer satisfaction.
There are also many examples online of people losing significant amounts of weight by just replacing one meal per day with an Aldi shake [1].
Based on this, they may be worth a try.
What to Look for When Buying a Meal Replacement Shake?
You should know what to look for when purchasing weight loss shakes. There are so many brands in the weight loss market that it can get overwhelming when deciding what to purchase.
If purchasing a weight loss product from a local Australian business, the main thing you should look for are products labelled “formulated meal replacement”. These products meet the requirements of Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code [2].
You can also figure out quickly whether a meal replacement shake is good or bad by simply reading the label and knowing what the ingredients mean.
Here is a table that can simplify the process for you:
| What to look for | What to avoid |
| 12–25g of protein per serving | High calorie count (more than 400 calories per serving) |
| 20+ vitamins and minerals | No fibre |
| Healthy fats (10–13 grams) | Artificial flavors |
| Convenient packaging and preparation | Added sugar |
Another way to quickly narrow down the product range is to ask yourself what dietary requirements you have. Are you looking for gluten free, natural, organic, or vegan friendly options?
How Much Weight Can You Lose With Meal Replacement Shakes?
There are many factors that can influence how much weight you can lose including the quality of shakes, your current weight, and individual circumstances, and your level of commitment to make changes to your lifestyle that last.
It also can make a difference whether you replace one, two meals a day or even three (more doesn’t mean better results in the long run and it depends on the shake).
Potential Benefits
Burn Fat Fast
Losing weight comes down to taking in fewer calories than you expend. You can do this by eating less, hitting the gym, or going for a run. In general and for the majority of people the best way to lose weight is a combination of physical activity and a healthy diet.
For those that need to lose weight quickly and in the short term, meal replacement shakes are a good option because they can substantially reduce calorie intake while giving your body the right nutrients to function properly.
Provide Nutrients
Meal replacement shakes are intended to provide a complete assortment of nutrients you are meant to consume in a meal.
The best weight loss shakes contain protein, fibre, and wholesome ingredients.
This should enable you to meet your nutrient needs while cutting back on calories.
Avoid Unhealthy Meals
As much as weight loss shakes can help you lose weight by giving your body the right nutrients, they also play an important role in helping you avoid low quality foods.
One of the biggest reasons people cite for not eating healthy is the lack of time to prepare meals.
When you are stressed and in a hurry, busy with work and family, it’s much easier to grab fast food.
The processed foods do not have the right nutrients and are full of sugar, refined carbs, and artificial ingredients, which make you gain weight.
Meal replacement shakes solve this problem by giving you a healthy, convenient alternative to processed foods and fast food.
Potential Side Effects
Dieting, whether in the form of a meal replacement shake or traditional diets, is part of life for many people. However, most experts would suggest that focus on health is the only way to lose fat and keep it off [3].
If you experience any side effects, you should stop using weight loss shakes immediately. Also, before starting any diet or regular meal replacement program, it is a good practice to consult with your GP or dietitian and make them aware of your plans and progress.
Not Satiating
Meal replacement shakes may also not be as satisfying as solid food. The value proposition of diet shakes is that they are an easy and convenient way to help people lose fat, but they may not be satisfying. Liquid food may not curb hunger as much as solid food and that’s one of the reasons people end up overeating and even gaining more weight than before.
Poor Ingredients
There are many weight loss shakes made with wholesome ingredients like those best ranked above.
Unfortunately, there are some on the market that contain added sugars, corn syrup, vegetable oils, artificial flavors, and chemical preservatives. These are easily avoided by reading the label.
Look for high protein shakes, rich in fibre, and common ingredients found in a healthy diet. Also, they shouldn’t contain more than a few grams of sugar (preferably sugar free).
Expensive
Meal replacement shakes can get expensive if you end up using them long-term. You need to take into account your personal financial situation before committing.
However, the benefits of losing weight will likely make the cost worth it.
The Bottom Line
To lose weight long term, you need to make lifestyle changes and have a better choice of diet on a daily basis.
Weight loss shakes might be able to help you get some results short term that will hopefully provide you with an incentive you need to keep going once you start seeing the results.
