Slim-Fast is a meal-replacement diet plan in which proprietary shakes, widely sold in supermarkets, chain stores and pharmacies, substitute for solid food. The Slim-Fast plan recommends replacing two meals a day with shakes, then choosing fresh fruits, veggies and more shakes or meal replacement bars as snacks. You can mix your own Slim-Fast shakes from powder using skim milk or you can purchase the premade shakes in cans.
Slim-Fast Nutrition Information
A 325 ml Slim-Fast shake has around 190 calories, with 50 calories from fat. The total fat is 6 g, with 1.5 g of saturated fat. Slim-Fast contains no trans fat, 1 g of polyunsaturated fat and 3 g of monounsaturated fat. One shake contains 5 mg of cholesterol, 200 mg of sodium, 550 mg of potassium, 23 g carbohydrates, 5 g of dietary fiber, 18 g of sugar and 10 g of protein.
Ingredients
According to Slim-Fast.com, the ingredients in a Slim-Fast shake are fat-free milk, water, sugar, canola oil, gum Arabic, milk protein concentrate, cellulose gel, hydrogenated soybean oil, potassium phosphate, monoglycerides and diglycerides, maltodextrin, soy lecithin, cellulose gum, natural and artificial flavor, carrageenan, sodium bicarbonate, soy protein isolate, modified corn starch, sodium citrate, sucralose and acesulfame potassium (non-nutritive sweeteners), caramel color and citric acid.
Side Effects
Dieters who use meal replacement products to lose weight rapidly risk regaining the pounds when they begin eating "normally" again. Lasting weight loss requires sustainable lifestyle changes, such as eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and implementing an exercise regimen. Diets that require you to eat or drink one thing over and over again may be difficult to sustain long term, and you risk missing out on important nutrients if your diet does not include a variety of healthy foods.
Pros of the Slim-Fast Diet
The Slim-Fast diet offers easy calorie and portion control for those who have difficulty preparing healthy meals for themselves or prefer convenience foods. The new Slim-Fast 3-2-1 plan offers a low-sugar option, which improves the nutritional profile of the product. Given the wide availability of Slim-Fast products, it may be one of the prepackaged diet plans customers are more likely to find on sale. Adding to the diet's affordability is the fact that chain stores have begun to sell generic or store-brand versions.
Cons of the Slim-Fast Diet
According to Colorado State University Extension, a major drawback of the Slim-Fast plan is that is promotes use of proprietary shakes, frozen entrees and snack bars rather than teaching good eating habits. Although the plan does promote exercise, it may not provide adequate information about how to sustain weight loss once the products are discontinued. The canned Slim-Fast shakes contain sugar and hydrogenated oils, making them a much less healthy option for dieters than whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.
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