Keto Science represents a range of functional nutritional supplements and meal replacement products tailored to support a ketogenic lifestyle. These products are designed to aid nutritional ketosis and complement carb-restricted diets, offering a variety of healthy fats, ketogenic meal supplements, and GoBHB ketone salts. This article explores various keto shakes and meal replacement options, with a focus on products that prioritize clean ingredients.
Understanding Keto Shakes and Meal Replacements
Keto shakes and meal replacements can be valuable tools for those following a ketogenic diet. They offer a convenient way to maintain ketosis, especially when access to suitable whole foods is limited. These products come in various forms, including pre-bottled shakes, powders, and single-serve pouches, making them easy to incorporate into busy lifestyles.
Key Considerations for Keto Shakes
When choosing a keto shake or meal replacement, several factors should be taken into account:
- Total Calories: Essential for meal replacement, ensuring adequate energy intake.
- Grams of Protein: Supports lean muscle tissue. Contrary to some beliefs, sufficient protein intake does not necessarily disrupt ketosis.
- Total and Net Carbs: The primary goal of a keto diet is to minimize carbohydrate consumption, focusing on net carbs (total carbs minus fiber).
- Fat Content: Fat is the primary energy source in ketosis, so a good keto meal replacement shake should be high in fat.
- Other Ingredients: Some shakes include ingredients like BHB, carnitine, chromium, creatine, fish oil, and various vitamins and minerals. Opting for products with natural sources of these ingredients is generally preferable.
Keto Science Ingredients
Keto Science products often include ingredients like:
- Ketogenic Blend: coconut oil, sunflower oil, MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil, avocado oil, grass-fed butter
- KetoProtein Blend: hydrolyzed collagen, egg white
- Other ingredients: cocoa, natural chocolate flavor, Himalayan pink salt, xanthan gum, silica, high purity steviol glycosides, Luo han guo extract, gum acacia and flaxseed
Meal Replacement Shakes: Full Calorie Options
These products provide enough calories, fat, and low net carbs to replace a full meal while maintaining ketosis.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
HLTH Code Complete Meal
Co-founded by metabolic scientist Dr. Ben Bikman, HLTH Code Complete Meal is designed with a deep understanding of how food impacts metabolism. This shake stands out for its higher protein content compared to other options. The company offers both traditional and vegan formulas. The traditional formula comes in chocolate macadamia and creamy vanilla flavors, both of which have a delicious taste and creamy texture. Even when mixed with plain water, the vegan powder has a pleasant taste and a relatively smooth texture that is surprising for most plant-based meal shakes.
While the taste and texture are commendable, a significant drawback is the use of synthetic vitamins and minerals. Research suggests that natural vitamins are more bioavailable and thus superior to synthetic forms.
Keto Fuel by Super Body Fuel
Keto Fuel, a keto meal replacement shake from Super Body Fuel, features fewer carbs and a higher concentration of MCTs compared to their regular meal shakes. When mixed with almond milk, it offers a pleasant taste experience. However, optimal taste and texture require refrigeration for about two hours. Additionally, the protein source is exclusively brown rice, which is not the most bioavailable or absorbable protein source for humans.
Low-Calorie Keto Shakes: Snacks and Smoothie Boosters
These shakes are not intended to replace full meals but serve as excellent snacks or smoothie additions. They typically contain high amounts of fat, often in the form of MCTs, and low amounts of carbs and protein.
Perfect Keto’s MCT Oil Powder
Perfect Keto's MCT Oil Powder is relatively gentle on the stomach due to its moderate MCT content sourced from coconut oil. However, with only 70 to 80 calories per serving, its use is limited to situations where meal replacement is not the goal.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Naked Keto
The unflavored version of Naked Keto contains just MCT oil powder and high-oleic sunflower oil powder. However, both powders contain fillers and flow agents, including inulin, sunflower lecithin, and silicon dioxide. Additionally, the use of sunflower oil, even the high-oleic variety, may be a concern for those avoiding vegetable and seed oils due to their potential for inflammatory effects. High-oleic sunflower oil has lower concentrations of PUFAs in lieu of stable MUFAs.
Fat Fuel
Fat Fuel offers a convenient option with single-serving pouches containing coconut oil powder, grass-fed butter powder, and MCT oil powder. The Cocoa flavor contains a minimal amount of erythritol, which is generally not a significant concern. It doesn’t market itself as a shake.
Protein-Focused Keto Shakes
These shakes prioritize protein content, typically from grass-fed whey protein or collagen peptides, with lower fat levels. As a result, they are not suitable as full meal replacements.
Perfect Keto Collagen Peptides Powder
Perfect Keto's collagen peptides powder provides 10 grams of protein per serving from hydrolyzed collagen, along with a moderate amount of MCTs (four grams).
LevelUp Grass-Fed Keto Protein Powder
LevelUp Grass-Fed Keto Protein Powder is a supplement that can be incorporated into a keto diet. It is a tasty shake that’s easy to prepare and contains no chemicals or fillers. It is neither a potent protein powder nor a keto meal replacement.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Products to Avoid
Some keto shakes contain unhealthy or irritating ingredients. Atkins shakes, for example, are generally considered unhealthy.
Ketologie Keto Shake
The Ketologie Keto Shake provides sufficient calories (300) to replace at least a small meal. The other disadvantage of the Ketologie Keto Shake is its high amount of carbs per serving.
Navigating the Keto Diet with Shakes
Maintaining a ketogenic diet can be challenging, especially when traveling or lacking access to appropriate food sources. Keto shakes and meal replacements can simplify this process, offering convenience and consistency.
Potential Downsides
- Cost: Keto shakes can be more expensive than regular protein shakes.
- Gut Irritation: Some ingredients may cause digestive issues in sensitive individuals. Gums that are derived from plants but some have the potential to cause stomach problems in people who are sensitive. Corn contains certain types of proteins that your body can’t properly break down. These prolamins can lead to or exacerbate leaky gut syndrome and the growth of harmful bacteria in your gut.
Purchasing Options
Keto shakes and meal replacement drinks are widely available online through manufacturer websites, Amazon, Walmart and Target.
Addressing Common Questions About Keto Shakes
- Do keto meal replacement shakes work? Yes, as convenient snacks or meal replacements when high-quality food is unavailable. However, they are not a miracle solution for weight loss or a substitute for a well-planned ketogenic lifestyle.
- What are the benefits of keto shakes? They help maintain ketosis by providing a convenient way to meet specific dietary requirements.
- What is the best keto shake? This depends on individual needs and preferences. HLTH Code is a top choice due to its clean ingredients.
- Do you need ketone supplements if you started a keto diet to lose weight? Probably not. Focus on staying in nutritional ketosis through diet.
- What drinks can you have on keto? Drinks low in sugar and carbs.
- Can you have a protein shake while on keto? Yes, but be mindful of individual reactions to protein intake.
- Are SlimFast shakes good? No.
- Are SlimFast Fat Bombs keto? Technically yes, but they are highly processed and contain undesirable ingredients.
- Can you have almond milk on keto? Yes, in moderation.
- Can you use heavy cream instead of coconut milk for smoothies? Yes, preferably from grass-fed cows.
- What’s the difference between protein and collagen? Collagen is a type of protein with specific benefits, but it is not a complete protein source.