Shakeology review is here to share the unrevealed points about this product. It is a kind of nutritional beverage.
As per the company, the drink has a tendency to deliver the essential nutrients.
Therefore, it means if you are using this shake product, as per their claim, you do not need any additional support.
According to their claim, Shakeology can work in your health and fitness goals as well as in maintaining the weight in a good range.
Moreover, these shakes are available on the Beachbody distributors or online.
Meal replacement shakes, and protein shakes are all the rage these days, and they are improving their popularity graph in the weight loss industry without a doubt.
Dieters usually go for these shakes when they are after reducing their calorie intake, better level of performance and a significant decrease in their hunger to achieve fitness and wellness goals.
Despite the fact, there are rather a vast variety of meal replacements, and protein shakes are available, this product is a mixture of both due to Shakelogy ingredients.
Thus, a cross of meal replacement and protein shake has got much popularity among the users around the globe.
Shakeology has been present as a daily dose of all the vital nutrients; this marketing slogan has literally brought them some real genuine followers, and Beachbody enthusiasts are among them.
This review talks about all the details that you need to learn about this shake option to support your decision whether or not you should go for this product.
What is Shakeology?
Shakeology is a type of nutritional beverage.
Its launch took place in the year 2009 by a team of wellness enthusiasts, and this team includes Darin Olien, (the co-founder and CEO of Beachbody).
Beachbody is an organization that is into selling supplements, nutrition programs, and workout videos.
Moreover, Beachbody uses MLM (multi-level marketing) to promote and sell their goods. This shake is one of the products that are also part of this process.
There are around 3,40,000 + coaches who are part of promoting and selling these products.
These coaches are using various platforms for promotions, and social media platforms are also part of it.
If you look at the Beachbody weight loss program closely, you will notice that Beachbody Shakeology is at the heart of this program.
We are saying so because according to a report, the members of Beachbody get advice to use this shake every day.
How does it work?
Shakeology is present on the market as a “superfood nutrition shake” that believes to have properties that can aid the users in the weight reduction process.
It may also be helpful in elevating the energy level, decreasing the craving for junk food, and better aid in healthy digestion.
What is in Shakeology?
A cross between a protein meal replacement and a protein shake, Beachbody Shakeology is available in numerous different flavors.
Some of the flavors like chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla are available for consumers who do not consume food items that include any dairy or animal products.
Most of these shake options on Beachbody include 17 grams of protein, per serving it is 36 gram around, and it will give you 14 to 160 calories approximately.
Shakeology shakes hold a mix of proteins that have Pea and Whey protein in it.
It also includes herbs, probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Super-Green and Super-Fruit mixes have vegetables and fruit in a powdery form in it, such as goji berry, pomegranate, chlorella, and kale.
The dieters are recommended to add one single scoop of this shake with eight to twelve ounces (up to 355 ml) of juice, water, nut milk and drink this shake at least once or twice a day.
Even though most of the dieters have the tendency to use Shakeology as the meal replacement technique, they tend to do it on a regular basis.
Preferably, the company suggests users of Shakeology use it as supplementation to a healthy meal or as health plus convenient snack option.
Can Shake Support Your Weight Loss?
Drinking a shake that is just of a few calories and replacing a meal with it, most definitely ends up in weight loss for the majority of the people.
It is important to note that it is not the solution.
If you are replacing your meal with a shake of a few calories, it is like just replacing your main meal with a small portion meal. The main point here is calorie deficit can make the weight loss happen.
Now, it does not matter how do you make that calorie deficit happen?
You have two options;
i. One is to consume fewer calories
ii. The other one is improving your energy consumption process via more physical activity.
When you happen to prepare Shakeology with water, it will give up to 160 calories. This 160 number is the number of calories that you get when adding two eggs in your diet.
For a proper meal, these 160 calories are not enough, once or twice; they may be okay but not on a regular basis.
However, when a dieter starts taking Shakeology instead of a proper lunch, breakfast or dinner, the weight loss will happen due to the presence of a fewer number of calories.
It is also important that the dieter maintains the calorie deficit instead just overeating other food items all day long.
Moreover, there are studies available that confirm that low-calorie meal replacements are quite helpful and it includes shakes as well.
These meal replacements (if chosen right) can actually make short term weight loss happen.
However, most of the studies indicate that it is better to focus on the overall calorie deficit.
This whole calorie deficit technique is quite influential when it comes to keeping the weight in a healthy range.
It is far more likely to bring the results for long term weight loss as compared to any meal replacing program.
For instance, a study around 132 overweight subjects learned that short term weight reduction was almost the same between the teams who were on meal replacement shakes or provided calorie deficit techniques via using regular food.
There was another surprising revelation.
People, who managed to lose weight through techniques of managing fewer calories of regular food, were able to maintain their weight loss for a more extended period of time as compared to those who lost weight through meal replacement.
This study clearly indicates that although meal replacement programs are able to generate the same results as the calorie reduction techniques, for keeping the weight off for a longer period asks you to learn calorie reduction.
Additional Benefits
Apart from the fact that Shakeology can help you out in the weight reduction, Shakeology have some other benefits too.
First of all, it is a far better option than the other beverage options.
It will indeed be alright to declare that Shakeology is a much better option than hundreds of protein shakes or other meal replacement options that are currently present on the market.
The reason for giving such statement is most of these shakes have added sugar, artificial flavors, preservatives and unhealthy oils in them.
In spite of the fact that this shake has sugar in it, but the ratio is significantly negligible.
Like, one serving of vanilla-flavored Shakeology just has 7 gm of sugar. On the other hand, some other brands usually even contain sugar up to 18-25 gram in just one single serving.
Moreover, there are no preservatives, coloring agents or any artificial flavor added in Shakeology.
Considerable Downsides of Shakeology
Despite the fact that there are numerous health benefits relatable to the Shakeology use, there are downsides too.
It is a type of supplement and not a real food item.
No matter how many benefits it has to offer, it is not right to neglect the fact that it is a supplement and not real food.
It has mineral, protein, vitamins and other healthy nutrients to offer.
However, if you happen to prepare a meal at home, you can easily get the same the benefits.
For Instance, if you mix frozen berries, almond butter, Greek yogurt, cashew milk, Chia seeds, and fresh kale, it will offer you the boost of nutrients without adding any additional sugar that is present in Shakeology.
Additionally, it is crucial keep in mind that there is no comparison in nutritional supplements (men made) and real food items without a doubt whatever the company claims are.
Scientific Claims
Unfortunately, there are no scientific claims available on Beachbody or Shakeology website.
You can see claims like Shakeology is clinically proven. It works for weight loss, maintaining cholesterol and blood sugar in a healthy rage.
However, the obvious point here is, this study was arranged by an independent company, but Beachbody sponsored it.
The study even was not published online. Moreover, in the study, people replaced two meals per day with this shake.
This is something that Shakeology advises users not to do as it will generate a higher calorie deficit.
There was another Clinical trial studying the impact of Beachbody Shakeology on weight reduction.
However, it is crucial to learn that Beachbody sponsored this study too.
Moreover, Beachbody faced a lawsuit in the year 2017 that they settled in $3.6 million.
This lawsuit banned the company from claiming Shakeology with extreme health claims.
his lawsuit banned the company from claiming Shakeology with extreme health claims.
In reality, it does not have a much scientific background to prove these bold claims.
No list of Shakeology ingredients
The product claims to have so many superfoods, but there is no list available that what these superfoods are.
Shakeology claims that it is superb for attaining prebiotics, chlorella, digestive enzymes and adaptogens.
However, there is no list given with ratio of these ingredients.
It is also important to learn that the research does not support all the ingredients that are present in this shake. Their quantity is important, increase ratio can cause issues.
For instance, this shake has adaptogens in it. Adaptogens (herbs) that can counteract stress in the human body, and it is scientifically proven.
According to a study, in 64 subjects that if the treatment of stress includes an adaptogen (ashwagandha root), the stress levels will go down significantly.
However, Shakeology ingredient list does not declare the ratio of each ingredient; the chances are this ingredient is mainly present in Shakeology just to impress and not because of its benefits.
It is not the case just of this particular ingredient, but this brand of shake did not mention any of the ingredients either.
These are herbs, enzymes or other ingredients like fruits extracts.
Their presence in the food supplement just seems to be due to make shake look impressive.
Thus, it is ambiguous that the amount of these superfoods that Shakeology is holding is even helpful or not to actually make an impact.
Good Foods
Shakeology and Beachbody websites are keen on healthy eating.
They encourage dieters to opt for healthy eating, and they ask to focus on clean eating. That literally means to go for the food items in their natural form.
This is a good sign because having clean eating in the food directly impact deleting processed and unhealthy food options from the diet.
All the meal plans, on the Beachbody site, target carbohydrates, lean proteins, fresh produce, and healthy fats.
Food that you need to include in your diet
- Fruits: Berries, apples, grapes, grapefruit, apricots
- Proteins: Chicken, eggs, lean beef, tofu, turkey and seafood
- Starches and grains: quinoa, oatmeal, barley, brown rice, beans, and sweet potato
- Condiments and seasonings: garlic, lemon juice, and herbs
- Vegetable Greens, tomato, Peppers, zucchini, greens
- Healthy Fats: avocados, cheese, coconut, nut butter, seeds, nuts, olive oil
- Dairy: non-dairy milk, milk, unsweetened yogurt
Furthermore, dieters are promoted to drink Beachbody Shakeology at least one time a day.
If you happen to visit, Beachbody and Shakeology sites, you will notice that they have shared various Shakeology recipes.
Recipes on how you can make your shake experience even better like by adding butter or coconut.
Avoidable foods
There are food items that are considered better to be avoided due to the fact that they are unhealthy options.
They may give you a wonderful taste, but eventually, they are taking a toll on your health.
- Refined grains: baked goods, white pasta, white bread, and white rice
- Processed foods: processed meat (a big no), crackers and fast food
- Fatty and fried foods: pizza, French fries, chips, fried chicken
- Foods with added sugar: cookies, juice, sweetened yogurt, candy, and soda
The advice to users is to prepare their meal at home so they can inhibit their unhealthy food buying habits
Beachbody also encourages the dieters for using food items that possess better nutrient value.
For example vegetables, nuts and fruits rather going for options those have little or nothing to offer to your health.
Final Comment
As per our review and research, Shakeology is a great option for all those who want to include something healthy or willing to have lesser calorie intake.
However, replacing it with your meals on a daily basis is not right. It is important to remember that real food is real food.
If you happen to eat fewer calories, the weight loss eventually takes place. Yet, skipping an entire meal with a supplement is not an option.
It does not matter how popular or good that meal replacement is.
So what does it mean? Should you avoid this shake?
No, we are not saying this. Beachbody Shakeology kind of shakes can be a good addition but take them as a healthy snack option.
Maybe you can take them once in a blue moon as a meal replacement but not on a daily basis.
Some of the protein shakes on the market literally cost you a lot. Even in that kind of scenario, it is great to have Shakeology.
However, still, use it as a snack and not as a meal replacement.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/meal-replacement-shakes
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-use-meal-replacements-for-weight-loss-1087706
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851659/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-shakes-sipping-to-slimness#1
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76baqRzwzk0