Shake Reviews

Optifast is a meal replacement shake brand that offers high protein, ready to drink, and post-surgery formulas. Calories range from 160 to 200 depending on the specific brand chosen

The intended benefit of these shakes is a complete nutritional source for sustained weight loss support. Follow the link here to learn about which shakes were featured in the top 10 ranked list.

Optifast Review

The price for Optifast is unknown as they ask for one to visit one of their clinics to learn more. There is an ingredients list however, which varies slightly depending on the specific brand. Here are some kinds of protein added to their formulas:

Calcium Caseinate: Protein taken from Caseinate which is a mixture of proteins. It retains amino acids, minerals, and carbohydrates.

There are some people who can develop life threatening allergies to casein.

Whey Protein Concentrate: Extract taken from the cheese making process that has 29% to 89% protein by weight. This is often taken by bodybuilders as a way to help support heal muscle growth. This is considered one of the best protein sources as it’s easy to digest and contains all the essential amino acids.

Our review experts have created a comprehensive list of the top 10 best meal replacement shakes.

Milk Protein Isolate: Powdered and processed milk protein which is cheap to produce and offers a preserved protein source. This retains nutrients and is considered a quality protein source.

Nonfat Dry Milk: Preserved milk which is spry dried and processed to help retain nutrients. This is cheap in price and can be found added to many processed foods in order to provide some protein.

The following are key ingredients found in Ideal Protein:

Milk Protein Concentrate: A 40 to 90% milk protein source extracted from skim milk which is processed. This form of protein is often added to prepacked foods as a cheap protein source.

Artificial Flavor: Man made flavor which is used to mimic natural flavors. This can be extracted from many different things including common allergens.

Carrageenan: Thickener and binder made from red seaweed. There have been studies which showed this ingredient may cause inflammatory bowel disease.

In looking at the kinds of ingredients used its clear the company has decided to make a very generic blend of ingredients. Many common meal replacement shakes have the same basic formula. Unfortunately, the company has not listed these ingredients online, which essentially would force those interested to take time to visit the actual company.

Click the link here to see our expert crafted list showcasing the top 10 best meal replacement shakes.



	Optifast	18Shake	GNC Lean	Herbalife	Visalus
Soy free protein
Helps with hunger
Low sugar
No artificial flavors or colors
Good taste
Money back guarantee

Sweeteners

These shakes are sweetened with ingredients such as fructose, dextrose, Acesulfame potassium, and aspartame. Fructose is widely considered a leading risk for obesity, and it’s one of the cheapest sweeteners available.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that fructose:

“diets high in fructose or sucrose consistently show hyperlipidemia… future risk of cardiovascular disease”

This sweetener is not only potentially harmful as it may cause weight gain, but it can also lead to a host of other diseases. Fructose is only added to this formula as it can provide a pleasant taste, but it’s also very cheap in price.

The artificial sweeteners Acesulfame potassium and aspartame have also shown the possibility for side effects. Some studies on aspartame have also shown that it can actually lead to increased appetite and weight gain.

The kinds of sweeteners added to these shakes are not wholesome, and they may lead to unwanted side effects.

Our review experts have created a comprehensive list of the top 10 meal replacement shakes.

Business

Nestlé Health Science creates these shakes and they have been sent a warning by the FDA back in 2009 for making false claims about their products.

This included claims that their shakes were good for those who needed support post-surgery, as well as claims that they would help improve the immune system and treat stomach issues.

These kinds of bold claims were debunked and the FDA asked them to stop making these kinds of suggestions unless they had evidence. They since stopped making bold unverified claims in order to avoid lawsuits.

Conclusion:

Optifast has different offerings in the form of benefits and flavors. The issue is that many cheap additives such as artificial ingredients and sweeteners are added. They also fail to list their pricing, but instead ask for potential users to go to one of their centers, which can be added pressure to buy into the whole Optifast brand. Far too many unwholesome additives are included as well as high amounts of calories which can contribute to weight gain.

Learn about which shakes were seen as the most effective for weight loss by clicking this link.