Top 5 Most Effective Meal Replacement Shakes

Meal replacement shakes are a trendy way to lose weight in recent years. However they often get a bad rap. Many people think they're full of bad-for-you ingredients, like excessive amounts of sugar, or that they taste like fruit-flavored, liquefied chalk.

It's true that for the most part, it's better for you to eat a full meal instead of grabbing one in a can. But if you’re short on time and need a quick fix, there are some meal replacement shakes that are good options for immediate fuel. 

But what, exactly, makes for a good shake? “I tend to look for at least 25 grams or more of protein with the fewest ingredients possible,” says Elizabeth Ann Shaw, MS, RDN. You should also check the label for red flag ingredients, and "avoid flavors that have artificial dyes or coloring in them,” says Shaw.

The short story? They work for many people as an alternative to other meals. Meal replacement shakes – like all dietary methods – are not perfect, but they offer great benefits in losing weight.

Whether you’re too “on-the-go” for a real lunch or are looking for a one-stop solution to weight loss, a meal replacement shake is a nice option. Instead of worrying about nutrient and caloric content, you can just down a shake and be sure it’s going to satiate your hunger, fuel your body, and help you stay (or get) lean.

Our research team ranked the Top 5 Most Effective Meal Replacement Shakes below:

1. Quest Nutrition Protein Powder, Multi-Purpose, 24g Protein, 96% P/Cals, 0g Sugar, 1g Net Carbs, Low Carb, Gluten Free, Soy Free, 2lb Tub, Packaging May Vary [Multi-Purpose Mix]

"This stuff is great for pumping up the protein content in smoothies. No weird fake sugar or added flavors to interfere with the taste of your fruits/veggies. I haven't tried it in baked goods yet, but protein pancakes are in my future!" - Heather Sullivan

2. Usana Nutrimeal

Hectic mornings and busy days can make it tough to stick to your goal of eating better to support your health. More often than not, they lead down a fast-food drive thru. Or to skipped meals, which isn’t a recipe for feeling focused and energized. Making a better dietary choice is doable and delicious with convenient USANA® Nutrimeal™ meal-replacement shakes.

Each gluten-free† Nutrimeal is packed with fiber and protein to help nourish your daily well-being in a number of ways:

• Makes it convenient to get balanced nutrition on-the-go
• Keeps you feeling energized
• Helps control hunger
• Curbs cravings
• Supports digestive and cardiovascular health
• Supports weight-management goals
• Helps maintain muscle mass

Drinking USANA Nutrimeal is a great healthy habit that will help you manage your weight and keep your dietary choices on track. It makes a quick, easy breakfast or nutritious lunch on-the-go. It’s also a great solution for those who need a boost of quality nutrition to ensure they stay strong and healthy, including athletes or older adults.

Nutrimeal is available in three varieties—Dutch Chocolate, French Vanilla, or Nutrimeal Free—so you can choose the flavor and protein option that works best for you. Every shake serves up delicious nutrition that will satisfy your hunger, so you can feed your appetite for life.

3. Elite Protein Plant Based Formula

Elite Protein was designed with 25 grams of Pea and Hemp Protein to help aid in faster muscle recovery. This complete protein shake is extremely convenient and will help keep your body conditioned for Optimal Performance.

Formulated with a premiere Superfood blend, Elite Protein’s organic ingredients will supply you with the high quality nutrition on the market. Say goodbye to Chalky protein drinks. Customers love the fact that Elite Protein is smooth and delicious and lacks the chalky texture and “fake sugar” aftertaste of most proteins.

Although Elite Protein was designed as a Post Workout Protein shake, the formulation equally serves as the Optimal Meal Replacement shake due to the amount of organic nutrients and no sugar added profile.

4. GNC Total Lean Shake

GNC is yet another “protein plus a vitamin pill” products. The protein comes from a blend of high-quality dairy-derived proteins, and the fiber content–8 grams per serving–is good.

One drawback, especially for the carb-conscious–is the intentional addition of maltodextrin to up the carbohydrate content of the meal replacement shake. It comes through in the micronutrient department, but it’s artificially sweetened and flavored, and there are better, more holistic meal replacement shakes out there.

5. Fit & Lean

Fit & Lean’s philosophy might be be best-described as the “shotgun approach.” With an ingredients list about a mile long, it certainly isn’t lacking when it comes to breadth of ingredients. There’s everything from superfood powders to weight loss supplements like garcinia cambogia, plus a protein blend from multiple different protein sources.

Such a broad array of ingredients does communicate some lack of an overarching purpose for the supplement, though–it feels like Fit & Lean just threw in everything that might help with weight loss, without much thought as to how the ingredients interact with each other.

BONUS: Herbalife

Herbalife Shakes are meal replacement shakes created and sold by a popular supplement company of the same name, Herbalife. While they don’t contain any fat-killing or metabolism-heightening ingredients, you can lose weight by using them as a substitution for a numeral of high-calorie meals you may have grown accustomed to eating. While they have a low calorie count, Herbalife Shakes also contain enough vitamins and nutrients to keep you going through the day as if you weren’t skipping your regularly scheduled portions of food.