If you're on a diet and on the go, meal replacements can facilitate weight loss, according to a University of Kentucky study published in the August 2009 issue of "Journal of the American Dietetic Association." But with so many meal replacement shakes and bars on the market, it's important to carefully read nutrition labels to avoid choosing ones that can sabotage weight loss goals and instead promote weight gain.
Best Meal Replacement Nutrients
Whether you're going to purchase a meal replacement or create your own recipes, keep in mind the best diet shakes and diet bars are low in sugar and don't contain any hydrogenated fats or palm oil. Since you're replacing a regular meal, it's also beneficial to choose brands fortified with vitamins, minerals and fiber to compensate for nutrients lost from skipping meals.
Best Meal Replacement Shakes
Meal replacement diet shakes come in the form of powders available in tubs, individual packets or convenient, ready-to-drink cans.
Brands including Myoplex Low Carb, EAS Body for Life and Met-Rx Lite are among the best choices for calorie restricted diets. Under 200 calories per serving, these meal replacement diet shakes provide nutrients including complex carbohydrates, at least 15 grams of protein and small amounts of simple sugars and fat.
Best Meal Replacement Bars
Beware of meal replacement bars with carbohydrates coming mostly from sugar---they may taste better, but they're about as nutritious as candy bars and promote fat storage.
Some of the best diet bars that can assist with weight loss goals include Detour, Atkins Advantage and PowerBar ProteinPlus reduced sugar. These bars are under 300 calories and have less than 6 grams of sugar.
Best Homemade Meal Replacements
You can create your own meal replacement diet shakes and diet bars with simple, healthful ingredients included in most weight loss plans such as fruits, vegetables, non-fat milk or yogurt, protein powder, oats, nut butters and ground flaxseed. By coming up with your own meal replacement recipes, you can also have more control over the calorie and sugar content and derive the benefits of consuming whole foods with vitamins, minerals and no added preservatives.
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