Meal replacements are foods designed to replace one or more meals in a day. They are commonly used for weight management but have other possible uses.
What are meal replacements?
According to FSANZ, a formulated meal replacement is a food that has been formulated to replace one or more meals (but not all meals) per day. It must contain a minimum of 12g of protein, 850kJ (203kcal) and 25% RDI of the following vitamins: A, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folate (B9), B6, B12, C, D, E and minerals: calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc (1).
In my view, a product containing only the minimum requirements is not good enough, particularly considering that most people do not eat enough core foods (protein-rich foods, vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, dairy foods, nuts and seeds) to meet their macro- and micronutrient requirements.
FSANZ also reminds us that very low energy diet (VLED) or very low calorie (VLCD) products are distinct from meal replacement products. The former are medically indicated (for example, for individuals to lose weight prior to bariatric surgery) and can be used to replace all daily meals.
Types of meal replacements
By far, the most common and popular of meal replacements are shakes (i.e. ready to drink) and powders (which you mix with water or milk). Other formats include bars and soups, which can be helpful to increase satiety and/or deal with palate fatigue (because shakes and powders are sweet).
Meal replacements – pros and cons
Ideally, we should get the majority of our calories from whole, minimally processed foods. However, this is not always possible or practical.
Meal replacement pros
- Convenient
- Time saving
- Shelf stable
- Light and portable
- Can be more nutritious to a food alternative (e.g. discretionary choices)
- Can be effective in weight and diabetes management (2, 3, 4)
Meal replacement cons
- Can be expensive
- May not be as satiating as a real food meal
- May lead to altered bowel habits, e.g. constipation
- May not lead to sustainable positive eating habits
- May lead to inadequate nutrient intake depending on the product
Meal replacements – when to use them
When to use meal replacements
- If you are struggling with eating food due to loss of appetite, nausea, swallowing issues, etc.
- If you hate cooking, cannot cook or cannot purchase a meal that will meet your nutrient requirements
- If you are travelling, hiking or camping and don’t have access or capacity to carry real food
- If you are using weight loss medications and are struggling to meet your protein requirements
- If you legitimately do not have time to break for a proper meal, for example you make a living playing video games (note: this is not an endorsement for neglecting work breaks!)
When not to use meal replacements
- If you have disordered eating, eating disorders or any other type of unhealthy relationship with food
- If you have an allergy or intolerance to any of the ingredients in the product
- If you are using them as a drink in addition to your normal meals and your goal is body recomposition or weight loss
- If they do not satiate you and you end up overcompensating by overeating (especially on snacks)
Some good meal replacements
As mentioned above, products that are formulated to meet the bare minimum requirements are not ideal. Below is a table comparing the nutrition content of popular meal replacement shakes.
| Nutrient | Average amount per serving | |||||
| Formulite Creamy Vanilla | Macro Mike PB Vanilla Ice Cream Macro Shake Meal Replacement | True Meal Replacement French Vanilla | The Fast 800 Vanilla | CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet Vanilla | The Man Shake Vanilla | |
| Energy (kJ) | 869 | 854 | 888 | 853 | 626 | 850 |
| Calories (kcal) | 208 | 204.1 | 212 | 204 | 151 | 203 |
| Protein (g) | 34.8 | 29 | 26.5 | 21.6 | 16 | 30.3 |
| Fat, total (g) | 3.6 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 8.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| – Saturated fat (g) | 2.6 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 2.2 |
| Carbohydrates, total (g) | 9.9 | 11 | 13.9 | 7.8 | 12.9 | 9.7 |
| – Sugars (g) | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4 | 4 | 11.3 | 2 |
| Dietary Fibre (g) | 3.5 | 6.2 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7 | 7.1 |
| Sodium (mg) | 164 | 289 | 378 | 51 | 142 | 180 |
If you would like to purchase Formulite products, use this link: https://formulite.com.au/ref/53/ and use code gaby10 for a 10% discount (code may not be utilised in conjunction with other promotional offers, such as multi-buys, discounted trial packs, bundled products, or any ongoing sales).
References
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Based on content sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 3 December 2024. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au
- Churuangsuk C, Hall J, Reynolds A, Griffin SJ, Combet E, Lean MEJ. Diets for weight management in adults with type 2 diabetes: an umbrella review of published meta-analyses and systematic review of trials of diets for diabetes remission. Diabetologia. 2022 Jan;65(1):14–36.
- Min J, Kim S-Y, Shin I-S, Park Y-B, Lim Y-W. The Effect of Meal Replacement on Weight Loss According to Calorie-Restriction Type and Proportion of Energy Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021 Aug;121(8):1551-1564.e3.
- Guo L, Xi Y, Jin W, Yuan H, Qin G, Chen S, et al. A 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Meal Replacement Diet and Glycemic Control for Adults With Diabetes: The EARLY Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw open. 2024 Jun;7(6):e2416786.
[Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash]
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