Atkins Shakes is a lineup of meal replacement shakes made to satisfy appetite while still following the Atkins diet of high protein low carbohydrate foods. Rich protein and just a few net carbohydrates are added with limited amounts of sugar.
The shakes intend to provide a full range of vitamins and minerals in ready to drink shakes. In reviewing many meal replacement shakes, our review experts have been able to create a list of the top ranked ones.
Arthur Berkowitz
"Meal replacement shakes used with natural foods may be an effective tool for weight loss. Drink the right shake at the right time by following our guide."
There is a total of 8 different flavors, all of which are available online and in many retail stores. On Amazon they currently sell a 12 pack offering 11 ounces each for $14.51. This averages to $1.21 per one shake or $2.42 for 2 shakes a day.
The shakes average to around 2 net carbohydrates, which is incredibly low for a meal replacement shake. Atkin’s diet emphasizes limiting carbohydrates in order to produce weight loss results.
Shakes contain 160 calories, 15 grams of protein, and 1 gram of sugar. The protein comes from a few different sources:
Milk Protein Concentrate: Skim milk which is filtered out to extract protein out. This helps to preserve the milk protein, and it also contains around 40% to 90% protein.
Calcium Caseinate: Made from skim milk which is around 92% protein. It is slow to digest and contains a blend of amino acids.
Whey Protein Concentrate: Made from the extract of the cheese making process. It gets rid of a majority of lactose and fats. It’s rich in amino acids and is often used to boost lean muscle growth.
Soy Protein Isolate: Soybean extract which contains around 90% protein by weight. Soy is the most often genetically modified crop, and it can often promote the creation of estrogen which can be harmful to both men and women.
In this link is our expert crafted list showcasing the most effective meal replacement shakes for weight loss.
Pros:
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Has a low amount of carbohydrates and sugar. Also offered in many different stores and in many ready to drink flavors.
Cons:
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Contains cheap thickeners, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. Also contains slightly more calories than the average meal replacement shake, which can make weight loss difficult.
Found in this formula a blend of artificial additives and sweeteners. Ingredients like carrageenan are good at promoting thickening properties, but they also have been shown in some studies to promote inflammation. This can potentially lead to unwanted disease in high amounts. Cornocopia.com found:
“Research links carrageenan to gastrointestinal inflammation, including higher rates of colon cancer”
This additive is not needed in a meal replacement shake, and it does not help promote appetite suppression or a fiber source.
Find the top ranked meal replacement shakes by clicking the link here.
Atkins vs Top Brands
Sweeteners
Included in this formula are additives like Acesulfame potassium and sucralose. Both artificial sweeteners which can help reduce the total sugar content, but which have also shown the possibility for side effects.
One study on sucralose was featured in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health:
“Administration… exerted numerous adverse effects including reduction in beneficial fecal microflora”
The issue with this is that it can lead to damage to the immune system, and increase the risk for chronic diseases.
Acesulfame potassium also has shown the possibility for unwanted symptoms. The Center for Science in the Public Interest found:
“have been shown to affect the thyroid”
“the additive might cause cancer”
Very serious risks are possible via the use of these kinds of sweeteners. While they have not shown the ability to cause obesity like standard table sugar, it has shown other potentially fatal symptoms.
Here is our expert created list showcasing the most effective meal replacements for weight loss.
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Calories
7.1/10
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Protein
7.9/10
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Carbs
6.5/10
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Sodium
7.7/10
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Price per serving
2.4/10
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Overall Rating
6.9/10
Business
The company is Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. and they have long been proponents of a low carbohydrate lifestyle for weight loss and overall health.
This diet is considered a fad and studies have shown it can only promote short term weight loss, mainly via the loss of water weight which is stored when one eats large amounts of carbohydrates.
The American Heart Association has also said that diets like this can increase one’s risk for heart disease.
The makers of the diet have also said that fatigue, dizziness, headaches, constipation, and other symptoms are possible especially during the initial phases of an Atkins plan.
Click here to see our complete shake research with best products.
Conclusion:
Atkins Shakes provide many flavor options and a limited amount of sugar which high amounts of protein. However, there are problems with the overall quality of ingredients. Some of these additives have shown the possibly to potentially cause side effects. There’s also the issue with the heavy use of artificial sweeteners, flavors, and thickeners.
The 5 Best Diet Shakes On The Market
Based on our own extensive research, the metrics provided by our Smarter Reviews Ranking System, and consideration of numerous reviews by Smarter Shoppers just like you, we've compiled a list of what we've found to be the top five products in this category, on the market today.
Conclusion
This brand made it to the #1 spot as the best meal replacement on the market for many good reasons.
It's incredibly well rounded and features a high quality protein blend, an appetite suppressing fiber, almost no sugar, and it's completely all-natural.
18 Shake is also backed by exemplary customer service satisfaction ratings and is recommended by a highly respected doctor who specializes in natural nutrition. The benefits can directly target the root cause of weight loss by increasing metabolism, suppressing hunger, and aiding overall health.
18 Shake is a truly effective meal replacement rich in vitamins and minerals that is potent enough to get rid of the last stubborn pounds, or help reduce excess weight.
Their return policy was also top of its class - a comprehensive, 30-day, risk-free, money-back guarantee, proving the company stands behind its products. This was a huge advantage versus the competition, along with total effectiveness projections that rivaled any other supplement we found. All in all, 18 Shake is our #1 pick.
UPDATE: 18Shake has a promotion that includes a 40% OFF discount, free shipping and a free weight loss e-book.
Expiration day: 04/21/2024
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: 18shake-official.com
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Conclusion
Vega One shake is good, but it has some issues.
It’s sold at a high price and there have been many customer complaints about the taste. For many it was unpleasant to drink and that they couldn’t stomach drinking it regularly.
It does have a high amount of protein and it’s sweetened with healthy stevia, but better alternatives exist that were rated much more favorably by customers.
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Conclusion
This brand does have a quality whey protein and its ingredients are all-natural, but it’s very pricy and not well rounded enough to provide sufficient quality. In fact, the nutrients it does have is low and not enough to be a satisfying meal replacement.
Though its 2 patented ingredients sound impressive, they’re flawed since one is not proven to be effective, and the other is unnecessarily expensive.
The expensive price tag doesn’t reflect the overall quality, as its hunger blocking value is low. There is other more affordable and better quality alternatives available now.
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Conclusion
It’s been reviewed favorably for taste and its selection of flavors, but customers often reported not feeling satiated even though it has 240 calories.
There’s an incredibly high amount of sugar and calories added, which isn’t helpful for weight loss. The sugar added is also from fructose, which can lead to unwanted side effects and an increased risk for obesity.
Much better options are available that feature more wholesome ingredients for weight loss at a much cheaper price.
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Conclusion
Shakeology is marketed well and there are a lot of impressive videos offered that try to show how useful it is.
The main issues are that there’s a potentially harmful kind of sugar, it’s one of the most expensive meal replacements available. Customers haven’t reviewed this brand favorably in terms of overall quality and customer service.
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18 Shake
GNC Lean
Herbalife
Shakeology
