Slim-Fast is the name brand of a line of calorie-controlled meal replacement products, manufactured by Unilever. Reduced-calorie, ready-to-drink shakes provide a quick source of nutrition in the form of a fortified beverage. According to the Slim-Fast website, when consumed in place of two meals, these drinks encourage weight loss. They fit the criteria for a light meal replacement, contain fiber and help you to control your calorie intake, however; some of the shakes are high in sugar and contain artificial ingredients.
Replace a Light Meal
Slim-Fast shakes can act as a stand-in for a light meal or snack and, if part of a healthy, calorie-controlled diet, may encourage weight loss. They offer a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat for optimum nutrition, and dietary fiber for optimum satiety or a feeling of fullness. The website Bodybuilding for You recommends that the "best" light meal replacement beverages provide about 200 calories and 20 g protein. Slim-Fast shakes provide 190 calories each and 10 to 20 g of protein.
Convenient and Portable
Skipping meals altogether is a healthy-eating and weight loss diet "no-no." Doing so can leave you starved later in the day, cause dips in your blood sugar and result in low energy levels. Skipping meals may cause serious health risks, according to the BBC website. Protein-rich shakes, such as Slim-Fast, are portable, convenient and non-perishable. They are an option for those who might otherwise skip a meal. Although protein, vitamins and minerals are available from many whole foods, they may not be as convenient.
Contains Sugar and Sweeteners
The Slim-Fast formulated shakes contain less sugar than some protein shakes, which is beneficial even though the third ingredient in the product, after fat-free milk and water, is sugar. A serving of any but the low-carbohydrate variety offers about 18 g of sugars, which is the equivalent of about 4.5 tsp. of added sugar. Consuming sugary beverages, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans, or USDA, promotes tooth decay. Some of the sugar is replaced with non-nutritive sweeteners, such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium. While sucralose is thought to be safe, acesulfame potassium is not. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI, recommends avoiding food products that contain this chemical sweetener as it has not been well tested and my be unsafe.
Displaces Healthier Foods
If you choose reduced-calorie meal replacement beverages often, you may be missing out on the benefits of consuming real, wholesome and natural foods without artificial ingredients. The USDA recommends choosing, on average, 3 cups, or the equivalent of milk daily; 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables; 2 cups of fruit; 6 oz. of lean protein or the equivalents and 6 oz. of whole grains, on average, even for weight management. It is difficult to fit in all of these nutrient-rich foods when you are replacing them with canned beverages.
References
- Slim-Fast: The Plan
- Slim-Fast: Shake Nutrition Information
- BodyBuildingforYou: Light Meal Replacement Buying Guide
- BBC News: Skipped Meals Health Risk
- US Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans--Carbohydrates
- US Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans--Food Groups to Encourage
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