For people who struggle with loss of appetite or can’t physically eat a meal because of surgery or chewing problems, nutritional shakes are a great idea. They contain many vitamins, minerals and a ton of protein to substitute a meal. However, these shakes should not be used as a substitute every day or unless necessary. If you are trying to lose weight, drinking too many or too often could give you the complete wrong result.

These shakes are designed for people who are simply not getting enough out of their food intake. However, people have been know to substitute all of their meals with these shakes in hopes it will keep them healthy. They are not supposed to function like a juice cleanse, which also still has its risks.

One major reason these drinks can be so unhealthy to someone who is not fully aware of their purpose is that to mask the taste of the protein, companies use loads of sugar. Of course it will taste better but that extra sugar is doing more damage than you would believe.
“I’ve honestly never checked the ingredients, I just assumed it was a healthy option,” says Debbie, parent.

Of course these are great for people who only had french fries and chicken nuggets for dinner but having whole foods is always better. The nutrition from the bottle is not the same as nutrition from fruits, vegetables and a protein like fish or chicken.

Knowing this, if you’re still a fan of drinking your food, opt for a more suitable choice like a fruit, kale and chia seeds smoothie. If protein is your problem, you can always buy some protein powder or research some alternative to add to your homemade smoothie. It is more affordable and ultimately better for you.