Healthy living is not always easy. Preparing a diet, counting calories, and getting enough exercise are some of the actions you need to master. That’s why many people are looking for an easy and fast way to lose weight. Losing weight with meal replacements is an option. But do they really work? And what are the points to keep in mind when buying a one? We will explain this to you over here!
What are meal replacements?
A meal replacement is a diet product that is intended to support you in losing weight. Various meal replacement products are available. Shakes are the most popular, but there are also bars, for example. Meal replacements are generally low in calories, fat, and sugar. They are also rich in protein and supplemented with various vitamins & minerals so that you can be sure that you are getting enough micronutrients.
Can you lose weight with meal replacements?
Meal replacements can indeed support you in weight control and weight loss. It supports weight management as part of an energy-restricted diet when replacing 1 main meal per day. They can help you lose weight when replacing 2 main meals as part of an energy-restricted diet.
By replacing a meal with a meal shake 1 to 2 times a day, you can limit your daily calorie intake. A shake is designed in such a way that it can replace a complete main meal. With this, you get a limited number of calories from different sources. This makes it easier to control the number of calories you eat.
It is important that you combine the meal replacements with an energy-restricted diet. During your diet, you should eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables and drink enough water.
Benefits of meal replacements
- Help you lose weight
- You get enough vitamins and minerals
- Consume limited calories
- Suppress your appetite
- Easy to use and consume
- Less time consuming
Cons of meal replacements
- The taste is often not digestible to everyone
- Not all products are suitable to replace all 3 meals
- Actually cannot replace healthy cooked meals
Things to consider before buying a meal replacement
Many different types of meal replacements are available today in the market such as Organifi Green Juice. That is why there are a number of points to keep in mind when buying a meal replacement. First of all, you should carefully check the nutritional values and ingredients. There are several available that contain a fair amount of sugar. This is the last thing you want! In addition, it is important that it should contain enough fiber.
The protein percentage is also important. Sufficient protein in your meal replacement will keep it feeling full for longer. Proteins also contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass and support the rapid recovery of the muscles after training. If you exercise a lot while losing weight, this is of course ideal.
And then there is the taste of the meal replacement. You will use it 1 to 2 times a day for a longer period. It is therefore important that you do not dislike the taste. That is why it can be useful to get a smaller package first so that you can test the taste.
Why you should consider meal replacements
Rich in proteins
Proteins are more saturated than carbohydrates and fats. This reduces the chance that you will succumb to temptation. Proteins ensure that the loss of muscle tissue during weight loss is limited. Muscle tissue uses more energy than fat tissue.
Maintaining muscle tissue can therefore aid in weight maintenance after the diet. Unfortunately, many meal replacements do not meet the recommended amount of protein of about 20 grams per meal.
The term ‘high in protein’ regularly appears on the packaging of meal replacements. This may be stated on a package when 20% of the energy comes from protein. But that does not mean that you are getting the recommended amount of protein.
Too low in fat
In addition to being ‘high in protein’, ‘low in fat’ is also a welcome claim. But due to the low-fat content, meal replacements often contain too little of the healthy fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. According to the Commodities Act, there must be at least 1 gram of linoleic acid (in the form of glycerides) in these types of products. For this, meal replacements should provide at least 20 grams of fat per day.
Suppress your appetite
Because you are going to replace 1 or 2 meals with every day, it can happen that you will be a bit more hungry during the day. Fortunately, these products can help with this. They can be used an hour before a meal. It absorbs large amounts of water and forms a natural substance that fills the stomach. This gives you a full feeling and makes following your diet a bit easier. In addition, fruit and vegetables are also good as a tasty & healthy snack.
