Meal Replacement Shakes

Yes, meal replacement shakes do work as an alternative to solid foods in certain situations. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, then numerous studies have shown that using meal replacement shakes for weight loss is effective, for a limited time. For example, one 2018 study asked obese participants to consume a liquid meal replacement for dinner for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, participants had lost a median 4.3% of their starting weight. Or, if your goal is to consume more protein, then meal replacement shakes can also be very effective. For example, with Huel Black Edition, you get 40g of protein per serving. This makes it easy to consume more of this macronutrient.

Meal replacement shakes could be said to be ‘good’ for you, but it depends on how you use them and the ingredients of the specific product you’ve chosen. At Huel, our meal replacement shakes and powders are nutritionally complete. This means they contain all the nutrients your body needs as part of a balanced diet. In this sense, they could be seen as being ‘good’ for you. They are not intended to replace solid food completely, but they’re suitable to use instead of some of your solid meals.

It depends on the ingredients of the individual product and how you’re using the meal replacement shake. If you are consuming nutritionally complete meal replacement shakes (like Huel) as part of a balanced diet, then they can be seen as healthy. On the other hand, if you’re using products that are not nutritionally complete and are using them to replace all your solid meals, then you may risk nutritional deficiencies. If you’re unsure, check with your GP or speak to a registered nutritionist.

Consuming meal replacement shakes can become monotonous because the flavour and texture do not change. After a few days, you may crave something different. One option is to use shakes and powders that come in a wide range of flavours, which can keep things interesting. Another option is to mix things up by using nutritionally complete solid meals - such as protein bars or ready meals that give you different textures or savory tastes.

No, our meal replacement shakes are not intended to replace homemade food. Whenever possible, we encourage cooking with whole foods. However, many people today struggle to make healthy, wholesome food at home every day. Our meal replacement shakes are designed to give you a quick, easy meal that is still nutritionally complete.