Nutrition drinks are an excellent way of adding vitamins, minerals, and other healthy substances to your body.
However, just drinking one a day won't necessarily provide the nutrition your body needs. Believe it or not there are certain do's and don'ts when it comes to using nutrition drinks.
While these are the best nutrition drinks for aging adults, they are also very nutritious for anyone looking to get more nutrition, protein, minerals and vitamins while lowering their sugar and calorie intake.
PRODUCT | NUTRIENTS | FLAVORS | PRICE RATING |
|---|---|---|---|
Boost Original Complete Nutritional Drink | 26 vitamins and minerals, 3 grams of fiber, 10 grams of high-quality of protein | Rich Chocolate, Very Vanilla and Creamy Strawberry | |
Ensure Original Nutrition Shake | 220 calories, 9 grams of protein, 26 vitamins and minerals | Banana Nut, Butter Pecan, Coffee Latte, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla | |
Glucerna Shake | 180 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein | Butter Pecan, Chocolate, Chocolate Caramel, Strawberry, Vanilla, Variety Pack | |
Nutrisystem Shakes | 150 calories, 5 grams of fiber, 13 grams of protein | Chocolate and Vanilla | |
Medifast | 25 vitamins and minerals, 100-110 calories, 14 grams of protein | Dutch Chocolate, French Vanilla, Mocha, Orange Cream, Strawberry, Dark Chocolate | |
IdealShape IdealShake | 100-110 calories, 2g or less of sugar, 20-21 vitamins and minerals | Chocolate, Chocolate Cream Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and 14 other flavors | |
Huel Starter Kit | 29.6 grams of protein, 13.2 grams of fat, 7.9 grams of fiber | Gluten Free - Unflavored Unsweetened, Gluten Free - Vanilla, Unflavored Unsweetened, Vanilla | |
 EAS Myoplex Shred Protein Shake | 1 gram of sugar, 210 calories, 42 grams of protein | Berry Jacked, Chiseled Chocolate, Muscle Mocha, Cinnamon Swole |
8 Nutrition Drinks And Shakes
The following are eight of the best drinks and shakes currently on the market. Most of these come in several flavors, with chocolate and vanilla being the most popular.
Boost Original Complete Nutritional Drink
Boost Drink is a series of nutrition drinks, with options covering protein, complete nutrition, and weight loss needs.
Most flavors of their 8 oz bottles come packed with the following nutritional values.
It comes in a variety of flavors including vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
NUTRITION FOR BOOST
- BOOST ORIGINAL NUTRITIONAL SHAKE: BOOST Original provides 10 g protein, 240 calories, and 27 vitamins and minerals to...
- ENERGY METABOLISM: BOOST Original has 240 nutrient-rich calories plus 8 B-Vitamins to support energy metabolism....
- NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT: BOOST Nutritional drinks give your body protein, vitamins, & calories to help support normal...
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Ensure Original Nutrition Shake
Ensure's shakes are a gluten-free, lactose intolerance-friendly series of complete meal replacement shakes.You can take 1-2 shake daily to improve your strength and energy, and each 8 oz bottle includes these nutrition features
As complete nutrition drinks, Ensure is suitable for most seniors. It comes in 7 different flavors including: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan, coffee latte, banana nut, and dark chocolate.
NUTRITION FOR ENSURE
- IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT: Nutrients to support immune system health with protein, vitamins A and D, zinc, and antioxidants*...
- STRENGTH & ENERGY: Nutrition scientifically designed for Strength & Energy
- COMPLETE NUTRITION: Each Ensure Original Shake has 220 calories and 9 grams of protein, to provide you with complete...
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Glucerna Shake
Glucerna is focused around helping people with Type-2 Diabetes, providing a low-sugar and high-protein option.
Glucerna is not for sole-source nutrition or tube feeding. It does provide the following nutritional values in every 8 oz bottle:
Glucerna comes in vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, chocolate caramel, and rich chocolate.
Glucerna is also available in bars.
NUTRITION FOR GLUCERNA
- HELP MANAGE BLOOD SUGAR*: Glucerna shakes have CARBSTEADY, unique blends of slow-release carbohydrates to help minimize...
- DELICIOUS TASTE TO HELP CURB CRAVINGS: Making a smart choice can still be delicious with Glucerna shakes
- LISTEN TO THE PROFESSIONALS: Glucerna is the #1 doctor-recommended brand for people with diabetes
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Nutrisystem Shakes
Nutrisystem's line of protein shakes are focused on helping with weight loss and feeling full for a more extended period.
It helps to cut down on hunger pangs and lets you focus on the rest of your life. They have ready to drink bottles or shake mixes that you can easily make.
Every packet serving provides the following nutritional values from their powdered shakes.
Nutrisystem shakes come in vanilla, chocolate, mocha caramel, along with on-the-go bars and ready to drink bottles.
NUTRITION FOR NUTRISYSTEM
- Nutrisystem Nutricrush Chocolate Shake Powder Mix, 20 Pack
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Medifast
Medifast is part of a medically-supervised weight loss program. Most people who use these shakes are morbidly obese and need to lose a significant amount of weight. So you may find the other options to be a better choice if you don't fall into that category.
There are 6 different flavors that you can buy, and you can see the nutritional values of those flavors here:
Medifast shakes come in Dutch Chocolate, French Vanilla, Mocha, Orange Cream, Strawberry, and Dark Chocolate.
NUTRITION FOR MEDIFAST
IdealShape IdealShake
IdealShake is another set of weight loss shakes from IdealShape.
While it's more affordable than Medifast, it's also meant for people who are closer to a healthy weight to begin with that want to control their hunger.
It comes in a powder mix with 30 servings, and each serving is packed with this nutrition:
IdealShake protein shakes come in a variety of 17 flavors including: Chocolate, Chocolate Cream Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Super, Cinnamon Bun, Cookies 'N Cream, Key Lime, Mint Chocolate Chip, Mocha, Orange Cream, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Vanilla, Vanilla Chai, Vanilla Super, Vanilly, and Variety.
NUTRITION FOR IDEALSHAKE
- LOW FAT + LOW SUGAR: If you are craving a smooth and creamy meal replacement with only 110-120 calories and 2g of sugar,...
- PROMOTES LEAN MUSCLE MASS: 11g of whey protein in every tasty serving combined with daily exercise will help increase...
- VITAMINS AND MINERALS: Our meal replacement powder is packed with 22 vitamins, minerals and 5g of dietary fiber.
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Huel Starter Kit
Unlike the other options on this list, Huel is a nutritionally complete shake.Note that this does not mean it's nutritionally complete for seniors with special dietary needs - but most will find it more than suitable.
They have a macro split of 37% of energy from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins, and 3% of fiber. In a 100 gram serving of vanilla you can get these nutritional values:
This means that a day's supply has all of the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats you need, as well as at least 100% of all essential vitamins and minerals.
Huel has 4 flavors available: Gluten Free - Unflavored Unsweetened, Gluten Free - Vanilla, Unflavored Unsweetened, and Vanilla.
NUTRITION FROM HUEL
- Includes 2 pouches of Huel, each pouch containing 3.85 pounds of meal powder (or 7,000 calories worth), a shaker, a...
- Made from real food. Huel meal powder contains a carefully chosen blend of pea and rice protein, oats, flaxseed,...
- High in protein and fiber, very low in sugar.
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EAS Myoplex Shred Protein Shake
Shred caffeinated protein drinks are especially high in protein, offering 42 grams of it in each 16 ounce shake.
Aside from helping with muscle mass, that's more than enough protein to ensure you'll feel full for quite some time.
Myoplex comes in 4 flavors: Berry Jacked, Chiseled Chocolate, Muscle Mocha, and Cinnamon Swole.
NUTRITION FROM MYOPLEX
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How To Correctly Use Nutrition Drinks
Nutrition drinks can provide significant benefits, but only when you use them correctly. The first thing you should do is look at the label to determine the proper use of a given drink.
Some nutrition drinks are meal replacements and are meant to provide total nutrition for one meal. Other drinks are supplements and are intended to be taken alongside other foods.
You shouldn't consume more than one nutrition drink per-day unless directed to by a doctor or the label suggests taking multiple times a day. Or unless the drink is meant to be the only thing you consume each day as a meal replacement. But keep in mind not all nutrition drinks are meal replacements.
Kinds Of Nutrition Drinks
There are several common types of nutrition and meal replacement shakes that can supplement your health. These nutritional shakes include the following:
Protein Nutrition Drinks
Protein shakes are designed to provide nutrients and are especially helpful if you live an active lifestyle and want to build or maintain muscle. If you're seeking to keep a low-calorie diet, protein nurtitrion drinks are typically a good option.
Protein
There is a lot to learn when it comes to protein. So generally speaking, what is protein and what constitutes high-quality protein? Protein is made up of amino acid chains. Amino acids can be understood as the building blocks for protein.
There are two types of proteins found in milk: whey and casein. Today we're going to take a better look at whey protein. Whey is a by-product of the transformation process of cow's milk into cheese.
It is known as the ultimate protein source because it has a strong source of branched chain amino acids. Amino acids are particularly helpful in repairing torn muscle tissue and building new muscle tissues.
You can find whey protein in protein powder. This does not mean you should only get your necessary protein from supplements and protein powders. Getting the majoirty of your daily protein from meats and fish is the most effective because you still consume essentail viatmins and nutrients.
When to Drink Protein Drinks
It is best to drink nutritional shakes or protein drinks after you exercise. This is because your body will naturally begin to heal muscle immediately following a workout or physical exercise.
Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are meant to help you feel awake and energetic throughout the day. Remember to pace yourself - even if you feel great, you shouldn't try to act beyond your abilities. Furthermore, energy drinks often contain a large amount of artificial sweetners. Artificial sweeteners in energy drinks include things like sucralose (splenda), stevia, saccharin, and aspartame.
Diabetic Drinks
Diabetic drinks focus on helping you regulate diabetes. They can't cure it, but they can lessen its effects.
Weight Loss
As the name suggests, these drinks are focused around helping you lose weight. Few drinks can accomplish this all by themselves. Instead, they're meant to be used as part of a balanced diet and exercise plan. If used incorrectly, it is possible that you might slow your metabolism which results in weight gain. With that said, make sure you follow the directions and use weight loss drinks in conjunction with exercise and proper dieting.
Elderly Nutrition Requirements
Seniors often have special nutrition requirements. Aside from needing fewer calories than younger people, you may have medical conditions that impact your diet and the overall functioning of your body.
Most nutrition drinks provide a dense source of multiple nutrients, making them an ideal way to get the nutrients your body needs in as few calories as possible.
How Nutrition Drinks Help
Nutrition drinks help by providing an easy way to get the nutrition that might otherwise be spread out in many different foods. Also, the liquid form of the drinks is often easier for seniors to consume than solid foods.
Nutritional drinks can either be taken as a side with a meal or as a replacement for the meal itself. When they do replace meals, they can reduce the burden of needing to prepare food. With this in mind, it is not a good idea to use nutritional drinks to replace every meal.
Other Meal Replacement Alternatives
Nutrition drinks are one of the easiest ways to get the nutrients you need, but they're certainly not the only way.
Other options include meal replacement powder (which is usually mixed with a liquid like water or milk) and meal replacement bars (a solid variant, and somewhat dense to fit in everything you need).
As always, it's best to follow your doctor's recommendations if you have any medical condition that impacts your dietary needs.
