The options for meal replacement shakes are endless and staring at all the tubs and packets in the grocery store makes me nervous! To try and ease my own stress (and hopefully yours!) these are some key nutrition items that I check for to eliminate any lemons from the protein powder shelf.
1) Calories - I try to stay within the 90-120 calories (per serving) range for protein powders so I can keep the end product around 300 total calories (1 cup of vanilla almond mlk + 1 banana = 200 calories).
2) Sodium Content - In general, it’s good to try to eat a lower sodium diet. Too much sodium can irritate high blood pressure, but on a lighter note it can just make you hold water. When you’re holding water you’re usually contradicting the entire reason you’re wanting to have a meal replacement shake, which is weight loss or maintenance. I try to keep the sodium per serving in my protein shakes to under 150 mg.
3) Sugar Content - Bottom line, too much sugar isn’t good and will make you crash a few hours after drinking your shake. Try to keep the per serving amount under 10g.
4) and the obvious…. PROTEIN! I know this is pretty obvious, but many times the reason people are drinking meal replacements is to try to up their daily protein intake without dramatically increasing calories. I would say to keep the protein to calorie ratio to one gram per every 10 calories (ie if the protein shake is 90 calories per serving, then try to have around nine grams of protein).
OR if you don’t feel like going through all the work, here are a few of my favorites:
- Anything from Herbalife (but the Chocolate Mint is pretty epic!)
- Perfect Fit Protein
- Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein
- Garden of Life Raw Protein - Original
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