Low-calorie meal replacement shakes are ideal for weight loss. But what if gaining healthy weight or having a nutritious liquid meal at hand are the goals? That’s when high calorie nutrition shakes can be a real keeper.
Let’s see why you may want to use one in your diet.
What Exactly Are High Calorie Meal Replacement Shakes?
Meal replacements cater to a vast range of dietary goals. And since they do, each meal replacement shake is different when it comes to caloric value. Some aim to deliver less than 200 calories per portion. Others come packed with well over 800 calories per serving.
Which ones can we consider as high calorie?
In essence, any meal replacement shake with the total caloric value just north of 300 calories. Along with that, a high-calorie meal replacement shake must provide a well-balanced macro ratio. And include a diverse set of essential vitamins and minerals to be truly nutritious.
But what is there to gain from such meal replacement shakes?
Key Uses for High Calorie Meal Replacement Shakes
Meal replacement shakes with a high caloric value are especially suitable for:
- Gaining weight in a healthy way In many ways, gaining healthy weight is harder than shedding extra pounds. For one thing, it’s easier to eat less food than stuff yourself with it. A high-calorie meal replacement shake delivers a wealth of calories in one smooth drink.
- Replacing a skipped meal Skipping planned meals is a bad idea for any diet. If you’re pressed for time, a high-calorie meal replacement shake will help you eat on schedule.
- Enjoying nutrient-dense snacks on the go Bad snacking habits are the reason why most diets fail. High-calorie meal replacement shakes don’t send insulin through the roof and give you satiety that lasts.
- Loading up on calories before workouts High-calorie meal replacement shakes make for a decent source of fuel that you can consume on the go.
- Recovering from intense activities With a high-calorie meal replacement shake, recovering from physically demanding activities becomes bliss.
- Fixing nutrient deficiencies in the diet Some diets foster nutrient deficiencies. For instance, vegans tend to miss out on protein. High-calorie meal replacement shakes can help fix that.
As you see, there’s a number of reasons you may want a high-calorie meal replacement shake. How do you find a decent one, though?
Finding the Best High Calorie Meal Replacement Shakes
To zero in on the high-calorie meal replacement shakes that are also top-quality, stay tuned for:
- Macro ratios that suit your diet Ideally, the macro ratio must be a good fit for your diet. If you’re a vegan, shakes with a high protein content reign supreme. And if you’re on a keto diet, shakes with minimal carbs, moderate protein, and ample fats are superior.
- High-grade sources Macro ratios aren’t everything. It pays to check where the macros are coming from. Go for meal replacements that rely on high-quality plant-based sources. For instance, using brown rice and pea for protein, flaxseed and coconut for fats, or oats for carbs.
- Dietary fiber To function well, the gastrointestinal tract needs prebiotics to sustain the prevalence of good bacteria in the gut. Decent sources of dietary fiber, such as acacia gum, are a naturally rich source of prebiotics. And it speaks well for a meal replacement if it uses them.
- Nothing artificial or plain toxic inside One way or another, people take meal replacement shakes to support health. Poisoning the body with dubious artificial ingredients, genetically modified components, and non-organic food sources doesn’t help with that.
- No allergens You may not have a strong sensitivity to lactose, soy, and gluten. But these allergens still undermine your health in a slew of ways. It pays to opt for high-calorie meal replacement shakes without these components.
- Healthful ingredients Wholesome ingredients from superfoods aren’t a must for high-calorie meal replacement shakes to include. But why not give your preference to the ones that do, supporting health with these components?
If you look for these criteria, decent high-calorie meal replacement shakes won’t be hard to spot.
Let’s see if they’re a match for you.
Are High Calorie Meal Replacement Shakes for You?
If you want to gain healthy weight, boost peri-workout nutrition, or enrich your diet, high-calorie shakes will do the trick. We hope our guide has helped discover why. And uncover what to look for in a high-calorie meal replacement shake.