Losing weight is not always easy. Given the hectic pace of modern life, people have turned to diets or dubious weight loss schemes. Meal replacements, along with diet and exercise, offer an alternative, effective solution to weight loss and weight management. The benefits are based on the convenience of meal replacements, their ability to satisfy hunger, and providing nutrients that your body needs every day.
In my last post, we discussed the difference between meal replacements and protein shakes, and how these products cater to specific goals and needs.
Today, I would like to dig deeper into why meal replacements work better than typical calorie-restricted diets, according to science and research.
The Science Behind Meal Replacement Products
There’s nothing magical about meal replacements, and they’re not as bland or boring as food replacements in science fiction may suggest. Today, there are a hundred or more ways to prepare meal replacement shakes that taste great and fill you up for hours.
When we talk about the science of meal replacements, I primarily want to discuss three aspects that relate to their efficacy for weight management:
Protein and Glycemic Index
Nutrient Density
Behavioral Changes
Protein and Glycemic Index
Protein is the most satiating macro-nutrient – meaning it controls hunger for longer than carbohydrates or fats. Getting the right amount of protein to control hunger at every meal every day is a key to achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight.
Meal replacement shakes also have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly a food causes blood sugar levels to rise. When you consume foods with a high GI, your blood sugar will spike and then fall sharply, promoting lethargy and hunger.
However, a meal replacement shake, like other foods with a low glycemic index, release sugar into the blood more slowly – providing another way for meal replacements to help control hunger. For comparison, an Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 meal replacement shake, before mixed with milk, has a low GI, whereas orange juice has a moderate to high GI.
Whenever you consume foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meal replacements that have a low glycemic index, your body digests them more slowly than simple carbohydrates and sugar in snack foods.
As a result, there is a slower rise in blood sugar. Protein, which helps to lower the glycemic index, has an independent proven effect on controlling hunger. Getting the right amount of protein is key to the effectiveness of meal replacements. Meal replacements that have a low glycemic index can curb appetite despite their lower calories compared to typical meals.
It’s important to note, however, that a low GI doesn’t necessarily mean a food is high in nutrients. This is why the next concept is so important.
Nutrient Density
Nutrient density refers to the ratio of nutrients to calories in a food. A food with low nutrient density provides lots of calories, fat, and sugar with few essential nutrients. Cookies, cakes, pasta, and sugary soft drinks fall in this category. High nutrient density foods provide lots of nutrients per calorie and include fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish, and meal replacements.
In other words, nutrient density is a measure of how much nutrition you get per serving or per calorie eaten.
For example, an Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 meal replacement shake is 170 calories when mixed with 8 oz. nonfat milk. It provides high-quality protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. On the other hand, a croissant is around 200-300 calories, but will only provide empty calories from saturated fat and sugar, with no other significant nutrients. Source https://iamherbalifenutrition.com/contributors/david-heber/
Comments