No time to read the entire review and just want to find out what best meal replacement shake for men is? We recommend Ample Original as the best overall choice.
Running on a hectic schedule can compromise your health. In fact, many guys skip meals to make more time for other activities.
While it’s true that meal preparation can be time-consuming, there has to be an alternative that still allows you to meet your health and nutritional needs.
Men are considered to be more prone to nutritional deficiencies than women. With this in mind, skipping meals or finding unhealthy meal options can definitely cause more negative effects on a man’s health.
Fortunately, meal replacement shakes can be the ideal alternative.
These ready-to-drink meal alternatives have been steadily gaining popularity over the years. This post provides further information on what meal replacement shakes are.
Although they are often mistaken for being the same as a drinkable meal replacement, protein shakes typically have a different formulation.
A meal replacement shake is usually more nutritionally dense and filling than protein shakes. They are formulated to address specific fitness or health needs. They are also very convenient to prepare, so they are a good option for those who eat on the go.
When consumed occasionally, the benefits you reap from meal replacement shakes include faster weight loss or gain, extra fuel during workouts, and the nutrients you need and would have missed if you skipped meals.
In this post, we have reviewed the 7 best meal replacement shakes for men. But first, let’s talk about why guys should consider these type of drinks.
Quick Look at Our Top Picks for Best Replacement Shakes for Men
Don’t have time to read the entire review? If you’re a busy person who doesn’t have time to read this entire review, we’ve simplified everything. Here is a table to provide you with a quick rating of the best meal replacement shakes for men.
Why Do Men Need Meal Replacement Shakes?
Of course, we all wish that we had time to carefully craft all of our meals each and every day. But the truth is, we live in a fast-paced society, and have to keep up with our demanding schedules.
Rather than skipping meals in an effort to save time, having a meal replacement shake on hand can be a good way to meet your daily nutritional needs. Shakes for meal replacement are also easier on the go when you’re rushed.
Wherever you are and no matter what you are doing, having a meal replacement does not have to be a hassle. It is as easy as drinking a bottle of water.
No utensils, plates, or napkins are needed, which makes this a great option if you are driving around all day.
It may seem simple to do a quick grab-and-go at the nearest fast food place if you’re short on time, but meal replacement shakes are a much healthier option than a greasy meal that will probably leave you with an upset stomach.
Grabbing a shake will also help you reach your fitness goals a lot faster than choosing the drive-through.
In fact, there are meal replacement shakes formulated to aid in weight loss, weight gain, bodybuilding, and correcting some dietary or nutrient deficiencies.
Whatever your goal is, there is a shake out there that can help get you there.
The right meal replacement shakes for men can specifically help you by making sure that you are filling in the gaps in your nutrition.
If you have a nutrient deficiency, having a meal replacement shake can help you take the guesswork out of figuring how much of a certain nutrient you will be eating in a meal.
You simply have to find a meal replacement shake that contains the nutrient that you need, and calculate how much you need to consume before your busy day starts.
This lower-calorie option can easily be brought to work or into meetings, and it can help improve your overall health.
Now that you know why you should drink meal replacement shakes, let’s look at some factors to consider when choosing a product.
What Things Should You Consider When Choosing Your Meal Replacement Shake?
First off, you want to make sure that you are getting your nutrition from sources that will benefit your body.
This means that you don’t want the calories in your meal replacement shake to mainly come from sugar.
Look for a product that has fewer than three grams of sugar per serving. Once you find one that is in this range, limit your options to those that are between 250 and 350 calories.
You don’t want to drink any more calories than that, and if your shake is low in sugar, there is no reason for it to have more than 350 calories per serving.
This is especially true if you are most interested in healthy weight loss shakes.
You also want to look for a product that has at least 15 grams of protein. This will keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time by increasing your body’s production of satiety hormones and reducing your levels of ghrelin, which is a hunger hormone.
This will decrease your cravings until the next meal, and keep you on track with your weight goals. Another way to make sure that your meal replacement shake keeps your hunger satisfied is to choose one that has at least five grams of fiber.
It takes a long time for your body to digest fiber, so you will stay full while your body burns calories digesting your meal replacement shake.
You definitely want to choose a product that has been fortified with vitamins and minerals because this is how your body will get the proper nutrition that it needs.
This also means that you can look for a product that specifically suits your needs in this area. For example, if you have low iron, you can find a meal replacement shake that has extra iron in it.
Alternatively, if your iron is high, you will know to avoid this product. Along these same lines, you also want to choose a product that provides nutritional support for your fitness goals.
Shakes are specifically formulated and available for people who want to lose weight or gain weight, and for athletes and bodybuilders. So make sure to choose the one that is right for you.
Finally, look for a replacement meal shake that contains a lot of unsaturated fats (the healthy kind) and low amounts of saturated fats.
You want to keep healthy fats in your diet, and you will be missing out on them if you drink a shake that is fat-free and you skip your meal.
But remember, you don’t want to have any saturated fats in your diet, so it is still important to avoid those.
Once you have found the right meal replacement shake for your needs, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind before using it on a regular basis.
Things to Keep in Mind When Using Meal Replacement Shakes
Your shakes should not replace solid, real food for all of your meals in a day. Instead of having a meal replacement shake for every meal, use them for one or two meals per day at the most, depending on your fitness and health goals.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, you can go ahead and substitute two meals a day with shake.
If you use the shakes alongside a healthy diet, you can eventually incorporate more whole foods into your day. However, a slow taper is a critical component because you will be figuring out how you can eat more healthy foods throughout the process.
To enhance the nutritive value of your shake, you can add natural foods or juice powder products before blending it up. Just make sure to keep an eye on the sugar content. If you add a lot of fruit, you will also be adding a lot of sugar.
Think about adding in some kale or half of a frozen banana. If you want to increase the protein in your shake, add a tablespoon of peanut butter.
Now let’s look at some of the best ready-to-drink meal replacement shakes that are on the market today.
The 7 Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Men
1. Best Overall: Ample Original
Ample is the meal replacement shake with everything you need. Convenient portability? Check. Great taste and texture? Check. Complete nutrition and lasting energy? Check. Affordable cost per meal? Check. It’s our top overall meal replacement shake for men because it checks all the boxes.
Ample Original is a drinkable meal with complete nutrition and made from real-food ingredients. It’s made from coconut, grass-fed whey, macadamia nuts, and other wholesome foods, with no artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, or sugar alcohols.
It has a mild sweetness, with hints of cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors, for a delicious taste you will love.
This shake has a balanced, easy-to-digest blend of macronutrients, including proteins, carbs, and healthy fats, along with probiotics for comprehensive nutrition and optimal health.
The balanced nutrition gives you energy that lasts for hours, without blood sugar spikes and crashes. The meal replacement powder mixes well with water, milk, or coffee, and shakes into a rich, creamy, satisfying texture.
Ample Original is available in pre-portioned, BPA-free bottles in 400 calorie or 600 calorie sizes, so you can simply add your preferred liquid, shake, and go. It’s also available in a bulk canister with 15 400 calorie portions.
It has a very affordable cost per meal, and you can also take advantage of a 15% subscription discount. Ample Original is backed by a 30 day money back guarantee.
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2. Best Value for the Money: RSP TrueFit – Lean Meal Replacement Protein Shake, Gourmet Chocolate Milkshake
RSP TrueFit is the best value for your money for a meal replacement shake. The ingredients are of high quality, and it is completely free of artificial flavors and preservatives.
Consumers like the fact that this meal replacement shake is well priced while still being high in nutrients. It also contains a lot of fiber, probiotics, and enzymes that come together to make a well-rounded and delicious shake.
Each serving of this meal replacement shake has 160 calories, 25 grams of protein, eight grams of fiber, and only two grams of sugar.
You will also get about 30% of your recommended daily intake of a lot of nutrients in each serving, including vitamins A, C, D, E, B-complex, and magnesium.
There are also ingredients to help keep your digestive system healthy, including seven digestive enzymes and a billion probiotic bacteria.
The protein in this shake is a combination of whey concentrate and isolate, and the fiber comes from prebiotic soluble fiber as well as sweet potato powder.
Finally, this shake contains one gram of a superfood blend that includes various fruits and vegetables.
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3. Best for Taste and Feeling Full: Organifi Complete Protein All-in-One Shake
The Organifi Complete Protein Shake is loaded with protein, digestive enzymes, and superfoods for great health, and is one of the most delicious meal replacement shakes on the market.
Recognized by Reader’s Digest, the Los Angeles Times, mindbodygreen, and other sites, this vegan meal replacement drink keeps you full and energized for hours.
The Organifi Complete Protein All-in-One Shake is 100% vegan and USDA certified organic. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and keto friendly.
It has organic, plant-based proteins and nutrition derived from healthy ingredients like pea protein, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, coconut, and monk fruit, with the delicious flavor of real vanilla beans.
Sweetened with natural monk fruit and enriched with digestion-soothing enzymes, this shake offers complete nutrition with incredible convenience. Every shake contains 20 grams of plant-based proteins, along with all the nutrients of a daily multivitamin.
Organifi Complete Protein All-in-One Shake is available in delicious vanilla or chocolate flavors and mixes easily with water or your favorite milk. It has a 24% discount when you subscribe. It’s backed by a no-risk money back guarantee.
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4. Best for Organic, Natural Option: Orgain Organic Nutrition Shake
Prevention Magazine awarded the Orgain plant-based protein powder their Cleanest Packaged Food award, and this high-protein shake has been certified by Vegan Action.
It’s USDA Certified Organic, and is gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, lactose-free, and non-GMO, for the most organic, natural, complete protein you can get in a meal replacement shake.
The Orgain Organic Nutrition Shake has 21 grams of plant-based protein per serving, but it also has a complete and balanced amino acid profile, so you are getting optimal proteins for a healthy diet.
Made with organic pea proteins, chia proteins, and brown rice, it has no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners.
Each serving also contains 6 grams of dietary fiber for healthy digestion. It mixes up smoothly without grit and has a delicious flavor.
It can not only be mixed up as a shake, but it can also be used in cooking and baking, so it’s incredibly versatile.
The Orgain Organic Nutrition Shake comes in a wide range of flavors, including creamy chocolate fudge, chocolate coconut, chocolate peanut butter, peanut butter, vanilla bean, and naturally unsweetened.
You can save 20% on the price by subscribing, and it has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
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5. Best for Body Builders and Fitness Enthusiasts: Premier Protein 30g Protein Shakes, Chocolate
Premier Protein 30g Protein Shakes, Chocolate offers the best value for the price. It has a great flavor, is low in sugar, and offers 30 grams of protein per serving. Each serving only has 160 calories and one gram of sugar, but it offers 24 vitamins and minerals.
This meal replacement shake contains no artificial colors, gluten, or soy. The protein is derived from milk, meaning it is a mixture of casein and whey proteins, which are both slow-digesting proteins.
This shake has a healthy amount of micronutrients in it, including electrolytes, 25mg cholesterol, and about one-quarter of all of the main vitamins and minerals that you need every day. It also contains healthy fats.
The chocolate flavor receives rave reviews from customers, with some noting that they love to mix it with cold brew coffee for a quick breakfast.
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6. Best Low Carb Option: BioTrust Low Carb Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder
If your goal is weight loss, BioTrust Low Carb Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder is the best option for you. It contains the proprietary enzyme ProHydrolase, which encourages better protein absorption.
Offering 24 grams of protein per serving, this meal replacement shake contains whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, and ultrafiltered micellar casein.
This blend of high-quality proteins helps suppress your appetite, increase your energy levels, and build lean muscle mass. It is a low-carb option for a meal replacement shake, and it is free from artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors, and hormones.
The ingredients in this product have been backed by research, and are shown to keep you full between meals. Users have found this to be true, and recommend this product if you are trying to lose weight.
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7. Best for Coffee Lovers: Click All-In-One Protein and Coffee Meal Replacement Drink Mix
Click All-In-One Protein and Coffee Meal Replacement Drink Mix is the best option for people who love coffee. Not only does it have a great coffee flavor, but it is also low in calories, so you won’t be ruining your diet like you might be with other coffee-flavored beverages.
This innovative meal replacement shake provides your body with a huge dose of lean protein, along with artisanal, cafe-quality coffee with a double shot of gourmet espresso coffee in each serving.
This product was made after a need was seen in the fitness market for a low-sugar, healthy, and delicious protein supplement.
It uses a unique protein blend of 70% whey isolate protein and 30% micellar casein protein, which gives you 25 grams of pure, slow-burning protein in each serving.
This meal replacement shake is low in carbs and sugar, so it is perfect for those who are on a low-calorie diet. You can choose whatever kind of milk you want to mix this powder with, from almond to soy to regular.
You can also choose to drink it cold or hot, depending on your preferences.
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Final Thoughts on Best Meal Replacement Shakes For Men
All featured meal replacement shakes are the best diet meal replacement shakes for their categories. However, the best option is Ample Original, for its ingredients that are of high quality, and because it’s free from artificial flavors and preservatives.
Keep in mind that there is no meal replacement option that can sufficiently take the place of a full meal. Make it a point to consume real and nutrient-packed foods to stay healthy.
And if you’re looking for more articles health and nutrition, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 7 Best Probiotics for Women’s Digestive Health
- 40 Fat Burning Foods (or How to Build the Ultimate Healthy Grocery Shopping List)
- Tea Benefits for Weight Loss and Living a Healthy Life
