Q My son is always too busy to eat and seems to rely on shakes for his meals and snacks. I grew up using a plate with a meat, starch, and vegetable on it. Can this be healthy? SC, Greenville
A I grew up with first the four then the seven food groups, before the pyramid and now the plate. There are many ways to look at eating healthy with todays food supply. Greyson Vann, a third-year Brody medical student wanted to share what he might tell a patient that asked this question. Here is what he has to say.
For full disclosure, I am an avid user of meal replacement shakes (MRS), replacing nearly every breakfast and most lunches during the week. MRS have aided me in both losing weight and maintaining my weight loss.
Sold as mixable powders or as ready-to-drink shakes, the popularity of MRS has been growing in recent years. The global market size hit an estimated $16.1 billion in 2018. With this increase in popularity, it is important to ask if meal replacement shakes are a healthy alternative to traditional foods.
The short answer to this question: It depends on how they are used as part of a larger diet plan.
Not all MRSs are created equal, with each offering different amounts of calories, macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). The typical calorie content of an MRS is 200-400 calories, although some offerings may be as low as 100 calories. Carbohydrate content can differ drastically between MRSs, with some providing less than 10 grams per serving while others provide nearly 50 grams per serving. Many contain 20 grams or more of protein.
It is not uncommon to find them containing 8 grams or more of fiber, nearly a third of the recommended 25 grams per day and higher than the typical 1-3 grams in commercial fiber supplements. The amounts of each micronutrient included can also vary considerably, ranging from less than 10 percent to greater than 100 percent of the recommended daily intake per serving. Commonly included micronutrients are B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Some shakes may even include omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants and probiotics. The variability in nutritional content between brands makes it essential to read the Nutrition Facts Label.
The shake that is best for an individual will depend on dietary preferences and health needs, including low-carbohydrate/high-protein, gluten free, or vegan diets, to name a few. Some options are geared toward weight loss, while others aim to provide nutritionally complete meals. Those providing nutritionally complete meals will provide the average person with all his or her necessary calories, macronutrients, and essential vitamins and minerals if he or she were to consume a shake for every meal of the day. With many shakes coming in under $3 per meal, MRSs can provide more bang-for-your-buck than nearly any fast-food meal, while being more convenient to consume.
Weight/fat loss studies that compare people who incorporate MRSs into their calorie-restricted diets and people who eat calorie-restricted diets with only traditional foods have found that both groups have significant amounts of weight/fat loss after 12 weeks. However, those who consumed shakes were able to maintain their weight/fat loss at one year, unlike those who did not. Those using MRSs on calorie-restricted diets also were more likely to receive adequate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals.
Through weight loss and improvement in diet quality, MRSs can help improve blood glucose, insulin, and triglyceride levels, as well as lower systolic blood pressure, all of which are important in decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. These changes also are possible eating a properly planned diet containing a variety of traditional foods. However, individuals may struggle with portion control or lack access to healthy foods, something MRSs can eliminate.
Shakes are not without their drawbacks. Studies show that liquid meals are not quite as effective as solid meals at providing a lasting full feeling. The thickness of the shake also affects how full one feels after consumption, with thicker shakes making one feel fuller. Additionally, there is evidence that chewing food may make one feel fuller faster and decrease food intake. From personal experience, especially when consuming multiple shakes per day, the flavor can become monotonous. While it is easy to resist eating additional food when eating alone, it can be extremely tempting when watching others eat traditional foods. Additionally, it is not uncommon to experience looser stools and an increase in the number of bowel movements per day when shakes are first introduced until your gut becomes adjusted to the dietary change.
Meal replacement shakes can be a healthy alternative to traditional foods. Most studies incorporating them only utilize the shakes for one or two meals per day. If choosing to use MRSs, they may make the most impact when used in place of crunch, on-the-go meals when less healthy options are more likely to be consumed. However, be sure to ask your doctor about any special dietary needs before making changes. A visit with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can help you select the right MRS for you and plan the other meals, so you meet your health and lifestyle goals.
Professor emeritus Kathy Kolasa, a registered dietitian nutritionist and Ph.D., is an affiliate professor in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Contact her at kolasaka@ecu.edu
Read more from the original source:
Shakes offer health, weight loss benefits | Columnists | reflector.com - Greenville Daily Reflector
