Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Seniors

Seniors and their caregivers who are looking for convenient food options frequently choose meal replacement shakes.

A protein-enriched shake can be an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals that requires little to no preparation time and is easier to ingest than some regular food. 

Seniors need a nutrition-rich diet, and shakes can provide added nutrients without added work.

Meal replacement shakes are processed drinks consumed as a substitute for a standard meal of solid food. Most shakes have measured levels of nutrients, vitamins, minerals or calories and are often used to support either weight loss or weight gain efforts. 

Since seniors require a diet rich in proteins and vitamins B12, D and calcium, they often use shakes as a dietary aid to ensure they get the right levels of nutrients.

Before adding protein shakes into the diet, consult with a physician. Added levels of protein or other nutrients can cause adverse effects when combined with certain medications and medical conditions.

For seniors who need to lose weight because of heart conditions or other issues, a low-carb meal replacement shake can help jump-start weight loss. Some studies have found that those who drank meal replacement shakes for weight loss experienced better results than those who did not.

The additional protein contained in the shakes can help satisfy hunger pangs. Seniors may also find that diet shakes are more convenient and shelf-stable than other types of diet food.

A person’s weight is affected by the number of calories burned compared to the calories eaten. People trying to gain weight must take in more calories than are being used by the body throughout the day. 

Experts have recommended that older people consume .45 to .6 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Meal replacement shakes can be an easy way to add caloric intake.

While meal replacement shakes are commonly called protein shakes, not all protein smoothies or shakes can take the place of a full meal from a nutritional standpoint. Although they contain similar ingredients, there are also important differences.

Both meal replacement shakes and bars can provide additional nutrition. For those trying to lose weight, the bar typically keeps a person feeling full longer than a shake. For many seniors, however, shakes are easier to ingest. Bars should be eaten in combination with drinking a glass of water.

While meal replacement shakes should not be used to replace all meals, they make a useful alternative for some throughout the day. When evaluating which is the best shake, several criteria can be used, including quality ingredients, convenience, nutritional value, taste, price and customer satisfaction ratings. Many of the best shakes are available for purchase online.

For the best meal replacement shake for men, the recommendation goes to Labrada Lean Body. It contains both fast- and slow-release proteins to help sustain energy. On multiple occasions, Labrada won the Gold Medal Taste Award from the American Culinary Institute.

 Its high-quality rating comes with a moderately high price. This healthy meal replacement shake can be used for either gaining or losing weight depending on other food choices.

Ensure ranks on top as the best replacement shake for women. There are multiple flavors to choose from, the mixture contains no harmful ingredients, and many people report enjoying the taste. 

There are different formulas depending on the intended use, including either losing or gaining weight. The price is considered moderate and depends on whether purchases are made individually or in bulk quantities.

IdealShake by IdealShape ranks as one of the best meal replacement shakes for weight loss, as long as you are willing to mix up shakes for each meal. Hunger pangs can be the biggest enemy of weight loss, and the all-natural hunger blocker has been reported to control hunger for hours. 

Customers also made positive reports about the taste, and shake preparation is quick and easy.

For those who want a premixed, ready-to-drink shake, the top choice is GNC Lean Shake. Many customers enjoyed the taste of this low-carb meal replacement shake. Its fiber helps seniors feel fuller for a more extended period.

For those who are trying to gain or maintain weight, one of the top meal replacement shakes is Ensure. Customers report gaining and maintaining weight levels while substituting these nutritious shakes for one or two meals per day. It comes in multiple serving sizes, flavors and varieties. 

In a survey of 321 seniors ranging from 50 to 80 years old who reported lacking energy or appetite, participants self-reported improvements in activity, strength and energy after adding one to two servings of Ensure per day.

While Soylent meal replacement powder is considered healthy, seniors may want to be careful when drinking the café varieties that contain caffeine. MET-Rx shakes contain casein, a protein derived from cow’s milk that has been shown to cause tumor growth in some studies; however, other studies refute this finding.

Those with diabetes should carefully review the sugar content when choosing a brand, as Ensure, Advocare, Soylent and SlimFast range from 12 to 18 grams of sugar per serving.

Meal replacement shakes often become a valuable part of a senior’s diet. As the desire to make meals changes and the ability to ingest heavy meals or hard-to-eat foods diminishes, healthy meal replacement shakes can make up for nutrient deficiencies.

Added nutrition can also help battle osteoporosis, or brittle and fragile bones, and sarcopenia, a reduction in muscle mass, which can become serious problems the older one gets.

While being convenient to make or take with you, shakes also provide an easy way to measure daily nutrition and calories. Depending on the intended use, shakes can curb appetite, help maintain or gain weight, boost energy or supplement nutritional intake.