Why are meal replacement shakes considered taboo

Meal replacement shakes have been on the market for many years. Many people find them convenient, while others believe that one should always focus on eating 'regular' food.

But what exactly is a meal replacement shake? Why are meal replacement shakes considered taboo by some, and why do others see them as a solution? We'll answer these questions in this article.

To start, what is a meal replacement shake?

A meal replacement shake is intended to replace one or more meals daily. This could be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, where instead of a 'regular meal,' you have a meal replacement shake.

Why are meal replacement shakes considered taboo?

In recent years, a taboo has emerged around the use of meal replacement shakes. This 'bad reputation' has several reasons, and we'll outline the main ones below:

1: Poor advice on meal replacement shakes

Often, providers of meal replacement shakes advised people to 'live on a meal replacement shake.' This means the advice was to have a whole day entirely reliant on a liquid meal. In our view, that's not the purpose of a meal replacement shake. In our opinion, a meal replacement shake should be used at times when you have little time or a desire for convenience, but it shouldn't replace 'normal food.'

2: Poor quality of meal replacement shakes 

In addition to the advice, the quality of meal replacement shakes is often lacking. Most meal replacement shakes contain inadequate ingredients, extra sugars, and many artificial colorings and flavorings. They also often lack the right amount of fiber and nutrients to ensure you get enough of them.

3: Crash diets

Another problem that sustains the taboo is the well-known yo-yo effect. This is particularly seen in people using meal replacement shakes to lose weight. They often adhere to a 'crash diet.' This is a diet that mainly relies on meal replacement shakes and creates a large calorie deficit. Although you can lose weight quickly this way, it's not the right approach, and people often experience the yo-yo effect, reverting to their old weight due to a too strict diet.

If you want to lose weight with a meal replacement shake, our advice is to use a meal replacement shake for a period of 6-10 weeks to replace a daily meal and create a calorie deficit while eating healthily and varied. This way, you're more likely to stick with it and avoid the yo-yo effect.

To shake or not to shake?

In the past, meal replacement shakes were mainly used by people wanting to lose weight, but we're seeing more and more people using them who don't want to lose weight. They use a meal replacement shake primarily as a supplement to their daily diet.

If you have long days, are often on the go, have many meetings, don't have time for an elaborate lunch, or need extra energy but prefer to skip the often unhealthy snacks at gas stations or sports cafeterias, a meal replacement shake can come in handy.