Meal Replacement Powder

Meal replacement powder is a term applied by supplement companies to products that are, as their name infers, meal replacements designed to substitute for a "normal" meal. Meal replacement drinks are also very popular among the public with a full 35% of all supplements purchased being meal replacement shakes. Weight loss pills have 20% of the market, creatine 16%, nutrition bars & energy beverages constitute 20% and the remaining 10% is spread over less well-known supplements, primarily herbs and multivitamins.

So, why are meal replacement drinks so popular? What are the benefits of meal replacement shakes? We hope to answer those questions for you in this web page.

Meal Replacement Drinks Info

Meal replacement powder products began to really mushroom in popularity around 1995, 1996 even though "muscle shakes" have been around for at least 45 years. Meal replacement drinks are not just for athletes, bodybuilders, and for those who want to be "buffed" but for those non-athletes as well who simply want to eat as healthy as they can.

Clearly, convenience is a factor for meal replacement shakes' popularity. You simply peel a top, and drink the contents. Or, open up a packet, add water or milk, drop in the packet's contents, and hit the frappe button, and in a minute, you have a meal replacement powder drink.

Convenience is not the only reason, though. Many bodybuilding aficionados and athletes have come to believe that the traditional method of eating three big meals a day is not as effective as eating 5 or 6 meals a day.

Why? Because eating 5 or 6 smaller meals actually allows for better digestive absorption. Plus, it changes the body's metabolism, allowing calories to be burned faster and fat from being stored. It is also advantageous due to a steady stream of nutrients feed energy levels as opposed to the three-a-day menu plan. Preparing six meals a day could be laborious, though.

Dedicated bodybuilders did it anyway, and the need for convenience and a substitute meal with a high content of calories, vitamins, and minerals was desired, and the meal replacement powder was born. Are there any disadvantages to meal replacement drinks?

There are. Some contend it's unnatural to eat or drink meal replacement shakes, that is lacks fiber. Detractors have a point. And that is why you want only clinically studied, and scientifically formulated meal replacement powder drinks.

So, which ones are the best? Before we give you our opinion, let us give you some key criteria to look for before selecting meal replacement drinks.

1. Look for products engineered and scientifically formulated at GMP compliant facilities by top notch scientists.
2. Look for meal replacement shakes that have not only protein, but whey protein as one of its ingredients -- this is the best protein available as it's more assimilable for it's not what we eat that's important, it's what is actually assimilated in the digestive system.
3. Look for formulas that have glutamine, vitamins, taurine.
4. Look for meal replacement drinks that have diversified offerings, i.e., fat-loss meal replacement shakes, low calorie, low carb, high calorie, many different flavors, etc.
5. Look for formulas that have a minimum of sugar and fat added.

Meal Replacement Drinks -- My Opinion

We've been using meal replacement drinks about 20 years and after trying numerous meal replacement shakes, we feel they not only have merit, but are convenient too. In addition, more and more medical scientists are coming around too. Whether you are a serious athlete or just someone who aspires to be in better shape, meal replacement powder drinks can be a excellent supplement to add to your diet. The product we recommend, and one I have used ourselves since 1998, is the company Experimental & Applied Sciences (EAS) product line Myoplex.

Their meal replacement powder products meet all of the above criteria as outlined in the previous section.We experienced the best gains in muscle mass while simultaneously losing bodyfat while using Myoplex in a bodybuilding supplement stack. We know from experience they work. We also know they are among the most rigidly tested supplements on the market.

They are truly scientifically formulated. Are there any negatives to Myoplex meal replacement drinks? There are. It has corn syrup and sucralose, a form of sugar, in it for taste. Obviously, corn syrup and sucralose are not ideal to have in a meal replacement powder, but when one considers all factors, i.e., taste of the shake, its vitamins, minerals, convenience, and price, I think you'll find as I did it's the best choice. In addition, some tastes in the Myoplex line are not as good as others. We personally don't like the strawberry cream option.

The chocolate version used to be fantastic -- it actually tasted like chocolate cake batter, but then they changed the ingredient formula. The pina colada, peanut butter, and vanilla aren't bad, though. We put fruit in our myoplex meal replacement shakes and that does wonders for its taste. I also sometimes put sucanat in it. Sucanat is an organic sugar from sugar cane that is not refined. It's actually healthy and good for you, and is a natural sweetener.

Sucanat is dark in color and is somewhat reminiscent of brown sugar although not as finely ground. You can find it in most health food stores.

Recommendation

Lastly, if you're interested in other Sports Nutritional Supplement information, we cover it at our home page with the Sports Supplements button on the navbar on my home page (or with the preceding link). I hope this Meal Replacement Powder web page has been useful to you.

Yours in health, hope, and harmony,
Nutritional-Supplement-Bible.com