Some diet plans include the substitution of regular meals with liquid shakes. Slim Fast Foods Company, the maker of Slim-Fast products, is one company that uses flavored shakes as part of its diet plan. One of it products, the Optima Shake Mix, supplies less sugar than other mixes. While nutritional values may vary slightly among the different flavors, the milk chocolate flavored Optima Shake Mix provides an example of the types of nutrients Slim-Fast Optima shakes contain.
Fat
One serving of the Optima Shake Mix supplies 3g of fat. This provides 5 percent of the recommended daily values of this nutrient. Saturated fat makes up 2 percent of this, while polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat supply the rest. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises limiting your intake of saturated fat as part of a balanced diet.
Sodium
This shake mix contains 120mg of sodium, equal to 5 percent of the recommended daily values. Necessary for fluid balance, too much of this mineral may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure.
Potassium
The Optima Shake Mix provides 260mg of potassium in each serving. Drinking one shake helps you consume about 7 percent of the recommended amount for the day. Along with sodium, this nutrient plays an important role in balancing the water in body tissues.
Carbohydrates
One shake supplies 6 percent of the daily recommended amount of carbohydrates. The 18g of carbohydrates contain 4g from dietary fiber and 6g from sugars. Among other things, this nutrient helps provide your body with energy.
Vitamins
Optima shakes contain an assortment of vitamins. These organic food substances work in a variety of ways to help your body function properly. One chocolate flavored Optima shake contains 15 percent of vitamin A, a vitamin that helps stimulate immunity and assists in bone and tooth growth. With 45 percent of vitamin C, this drink mix provides almost half of the recommended amount of the vitamin that plays a significant role in protecting body tissues from oxidation damage. The shake also contains the full amount of the daily recommendation for vitamin E, an important element that assists in the formation of red blood cells and healing. Slim-Fast Optima also contains varying amounts of other important vitamins, such as the B vitamins.
Minerals
Minerals play a variety of roles in promoting good health. The Slim-Fast Optima shake contains 20 percent of the recommended intake of calcium, a nutrient that promotes bone health, and 30 percent of iron, an important mineral that helps red blood cells carry oxygen to every body part. Optima shakes also contain many other important minerals, such as phosphorus, magnesium, copper and zinc.
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