Liquid diet shakes litter grocery shelves these days. From Muscle Milk to Slim-Fast, companies and consumers are recognizing the benefits of supplemented, nutritious and most importantly portable meals for the waistline-conscious. However, all diet shakes are not created equal, and provide varying calorie counts depending on multiple factors.
Brand
Different brands provide different formulas for their shakes, which alters nutritional content. For example, a Slim-Fast Rich Chocolate Royale Shake contains 190 calories per 11-oz. can, but one Ensure Rich Dark Chocolate Nutrition Shake packs 250 calories into an 8-oz. bottle. Given that these are both meant as meal replacements, the calorie content is extremely low for both, but the differences are stark.
Who They Target
Different shakes serve different populations. For example, Medifast offers a variety of shake formulas targeted to different nutritional needs. Its chocolate flavored PLUS for Women's Health Shakes contain 110 calories per bottle, but its chocolate flavored PLUS for Diabetics Shakes contain 20 calories less.
Flavor
By contrast, different flavors of the same brand's shake rarely alter calorie content. Slim-Fast shakes are all 180 to 190 calories, and Atkins shakes, regardless of flavor, contain 160 calories per 11-oz. serving.
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