Soylent Shake Review 2024: Does It Work?

C-

6.0/10

1023 votes

Soylent Shake is a meal replacement that is said to be nutritionally balanced with 20% of one’s daily needed nutritional per bottle.

The company adds that it can keep one full whether in powdered or ready to drink form. The intended benefit is that it can replace some meals while providing an affordable, easy to drink, and all while not straining the environment. To read about the top 5 ranked best shakes for weight loss, click here.

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."

Do You Know the Best Diet Shakes of 2024?

Soylent Shake Review

Not all meals can be replaced on Soylent, but they do claim it provides all that’s needed for one to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Each bottle has 400 calories, and each serving of powder also has 400 calories. Reviews are often mixed as some felt that they could not drink much of it all at once, as it had what was often described as a bland taste with an unpleasant aftertaste.

In each serving there’s 20 grams of protein which is all soy based:

Soy Protein Isolate: A 90% and up protein by weight form of protein taken from soybeans. This has been processed to get rid of hulls and most of the fat content. While it does contain all the essential amino acids the body needs, there are also fears it may lead to unwanted side effects.

The soy in Soylent is genetically modified, and there are fears this can potentially lead to side effects in the future. A study featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found soy lead to delayed menstruation.

Another study in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal showed that it could promote breast cancer.

Pros:

  • Offered in powdered and ready to drink form and it contains a high amount of vitamins and minerals.

Cons:

  • High in calories, sugar, sodium, and contains genetically modified soy.

Other key ingredients used include:

Mono & Diglyceride: Emulsifying additive that is added to help preserve other ingredients. This can contain levels of Trans fats, which are notorious for causing cardiovascular related damage.

Soluble Corn Fiber: Processed form of corn that is treated to help provide non digestible fiber. This is slow to digest and can feed microflora. High Oleic Canola Oil: Treated form of canola that contains high amounts of monounsaturated fats. The reason it’s processed is to extend the shelf life, as polyunsaturated fats tend not to last as long.

Soylent is sold at a reduced cost for monthly subscriptions, but without this plan it retails for $64 per 35 meals worth for the powdered version. This amounts to $1.83 per serving. 12 bottles of the ready to drink unflavored version retails for $34, cacao or nectar sell for $39 for 12 bottles. This amounts to $3.25 per bottle. Their sodium content is also high per serving with either 14% of the daily value or 13% depending on the type chosen.

Soylent 18Shake GNC Lean Myoplex Isagenix
Soy free protein
Helps with hunger
Low sugar
No artificial flavors or colors
Good taste
Money back guarantee

Sweeteners

Each serving has 15 grams of sugar which is extremely high. The American Heart Association has advised a maximum of 25 to 35.5 grams of sugar a day, depending on gender. There are 2 forms of sweeteners added:

Isomaltulose: Sweetener in the form of glucose and fructose, which is found naturally in things such as sugar cane and honey. This is slowly digested and does not promote tooth decay.

Maltodextrin: This artificial sugar is often made from wheat and corn. This is easy to digest and is often added in health supplements for athletes requiring maximized energy output. It has no effect on blood sugar and adds no calories.

Sucralose: Artificial sweetener that is anywhere from 320 to 1,000 times much sweeter than standard sucrose. Studies have shown it can be potentially dangerous. The Center for Science of the Public Interest has given it a label of “Caution”. A study conducted by Duke University showed that sucralose:

“exerted numerous adverse effects… reduction in beneficial fecal microflora… enhanced expression levels of P-gp”

P-gp is only released by the body when it needs to get rid of potentially damaging compounds. The reduced microflora can lead to immune system issues.

It’s also best to avoid this much sugar for health reasons. Drinking an excess of sugar can lead to metabolism disorders, and it can make weight loss more difficult.

Discover effective weight loss meal replacement shakes via the top 5 list featured here.

  • Calories* (90)

    6.2/10

  • Protein* (9 g)

    6.4/10

  • Carbs* (13 g)

    6.6/10

  • Sodium* (135 mg)

    5.8/10

  • Price per serving* ($1.2)

    5.6/10

  • Overall Rating

    6.0/10


Business

The creators are known as Rosa Foods, Inc. and they are based out of Los Angeles, California.

Their Better Business Bureau page has 18 customer complaints and 2 negative reviews currently. Most of the problems had to do with delivery, as some never received Soylent but were charged regardless. There were also complaints about the lack of customer service support. Some were disappointed to be charged without first being given a shipping notification.

The company has also scheduled recalls after some people complained of side effect such a vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. A few instances occurred where they asked customers to get rid of their products, as they could lead to side effects. They were also forced to add a warning to their brands that it may contain substances which can lead to cancer via the intake of lead, cadmium, and arsenic. After analyzing their products, they were found to contain elevated levels of these potentially hazardous additives. Find real solutions for weight loss via the most well-rounded meal replacement shakes.

EDITOR'S TIP: Check our list of approved diet shakes to make a right purchase decision!

Conclusion:

While this meal replacement does have a full range of vitamins and minerals, it is also too high in calories and is not intended for weight loss. They also admit that they use GMO soy which can be harmful.

There is also a high amount of sodium per serving, which can retain water weight and increase the appearance of a stomach as well as raise blood pressure.

The company has also had to enforce many recalls due to complaints of side effects. Many customers have complained that they found the taste was bland and unpleasant to drink. There are better options such as more traditional meal replacement shakes which contain fewer calories, which have a better taste, and are made to be satisfying. Provided in the link is a showcase of the very best meal replacement shakes.


The 5 Best Shakes On The Market

Based on our own extensive research, the metrics provided by our Shake Reviews System, and consideration of numerous reviews by our 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.

18 Shake New Formula

#1

A+

9.6/10

1515 votes

Buy Now >>Read Full Review >>
  • Calories* (80)

    10/10

  • Protein* (15 g)

    10/10

  • Carbs* (14 g)

    9.2/10

  • Sodium* (100 mg)

    8.8/10

  • Price per serving* ($2.5)

    10/10

  • Overall Rating

    9.6/10

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 70% OFF discount, free shipping and a free weight loss e-book.

Expiration day: 04/27/2024

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: 18shake-official.com

Vega One Shake

#2

B+

7.8/10

68 votes

  • Calories* (160)

    8.7/10

  • Protein* (11 g)

    8.6/10

  • Carbs* (24 g)

    7.5/10

  • Sodium* (135 mg)

    6.5/10

  • Price per serving* ($3.49)

    7.7/10

  • Overall Rating

    7.8/10

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.

Yoli Shake

#3

B-

7.7/10

37 votes

  • Calories* (100)

    8.8/10

  • Protein* (12 g)

    8.6/10

  • Carbs* (28 g)

    6.8/10

  • Sodium* (55 mg)

    8.1/10

  • Price per serving* ($300/kit)

    6.0/10

  • Overall Rating

    7.7/10

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.

Isagenix Shake

#4

C+

7.0/10

647 votes

  • Calories* (240)

    6.1/10

  • Protein* (24 g)

    8.9/10

  • Carbs* (24 g)

    6.5/10

  • Sodium* (240 mg)

    6.9/10

  • Price per serving* ($3.8)

    6.4/10

  • Overall Rating

    7.0/10

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.

Shakeology Shake

#5

C-

6.9/10

300 votes

  • Calories* (160)

    7.1/10

  • Protein* (18 g)

    7.9/10

  • Carbs* (20 g)

    6.5/10

  • Sodium* (70 mg)

    7.7/10

  • Price per serving* ($4.0)

    2.4/10

  • Overall Rating

    6.9/10

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.