Slim-Fast meal replacement products, manufactured by Unilever, are designed to encourage weight loss. These ready-to-drink shakes are vitamin- and mineral-fortified and rich in fiber. Slim-Fast meal replacement shakes come in a variety of flavors and varieties. While they should never permanently replace "real food," they may be used for a short time as a tool to help you control your caloric intake.
Slim-Fast Nutrition Basics
The Slim-Fast original shake comes in five flavors, including Creamy Milk Chocolate, French Vanilla, Cappuccino Delight, Rich Chocolate Royale and Strawberries 'N' Cream. One serving (one can or 325 ml) of the Creamy Milk Chocolate shake provides 190 calories, 10 g protein, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 25 g total carbohydrates (18 g sugar and 5 g dietary fiber) and 230 mg sodium.
Other Versions
Slim-Fast shakes come in two other versions: high protein and lower carbohydrate. The high-protein shake comes in Extra Creamy Chocolate flavor and provides 190 calories, 15 g protein, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 24 g total carbohydrates (13 g sugar and 5 g dietary fiber) and 220 mg sodium. The lower-carbohydrate version comes in Creamy Chocolate or Vanilla Cream. One serving of the Creamy Chocolate also provides 190 calories, 20 g protein, 9 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 6 g total carbohydrates (1 g sugar and 4 g dietary fiber) and 260 mg sodium.
Minerals
In theory, a meal replacement beverage such as Slim-Fast should meet at least one-third of your requirement for most major vitamins and minerals. These shakes are low in zinc and iron, offering 15 percent of the recommended daily value, or DV, for each in one serving. Iron is especially important for women, who are at a greater risk of deficiency due to menstruation. Iron helps build red blood cells and forms hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to all body cells. Zinc aids in wound healing and selenium acts as an antioxidant. All these minerals are important for a healthy immune system.
Light Meal-Replacement Criteria
Slim-Fast shakes are designed to encourage weight loss. Therefore, they should be calorie-controlled but offer a balance of carbs, protein and fat (and dietary fiber) for optimum satiety. According to Bodybuildingforyou.com, light meal replacement shakes should offer about 200 calories and nearly 20 g protein. All the Slim-Fast shakes provide 180 to 190 calories per serving and vary in protein content (between 10 and 20 g).
Best Choice Overall
The original Slim-Fast shakes are fairly high in added sugars (18 g or 4.5 tsp.) and too low in protein (10 g) to adequately replace a meal. The lower-carb shake is too low in carbohydrates and high in fat to be healthy. The high-protein shake offers the best balance of nutrients with a breakdown of about 31 percent calories from protein, 24 percent calories from fat and 45 percent calories from carbohydrates.
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