Best Meal Replacement Drinks iMore 2020

When choosing the perfect meal replacement drink, you want to make sure you're getting all the well-balanced nutrients you need. Checking the nutrition label and the contents therein is essential. We've done the heavy lifting for you here, and researched the very best, most nutritionally balanced, meal replacement drinks out there and why you'll love them!

Best Overall: Ensure Plus Nutritional Drink

This drink provides complete nutrition with 350 calories, 13g of high-quality protein, and 3g of fiber. Scientifically designed for strength and energy, Ensure Plus is a great-tasting way to get your protein and antioxidants in, plus it's the #1 doctor recommended brand which makes it the best meal replacement drink overall.

Packed with many essential vitamins and minerals, this one is worth the price tag.

Pros:

  • Balanced nutrition
  • 26 vitamins & minerals
  • #1 doctor recommended brand

Cons:

  • High calorie
  • Too much sugar for diabetics
  • Shouldn't be consumed by those with galactosemia

Best Overall

Ensure Plus Nutritional Drink

The Classic

Ensure Plus with Fiber, from the #1 doctor-recommended brand, is a great-tasting way to get your protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (vitamins C, E, and selenium) every day. Providing you with well-balanced nutrition to keep you healthy, energized, and moving all day long.

Best Value: Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake

This shake is seriously clean. Orgain Organic Nutritional Shakes are soy free, gluten free, non-GMO, contain no artificial ingredients, and most are certified organic. These shakes contain 16 grams of organic protein (from organic whey protein concentrate and organic grass fed milk protein concentrate), 2g of dietary fiber, 21 vitamins and minerals, 10 fruits and vegetables (including acai, spinach, kale), and 250 calories per serving, making them a nutrient dense, low-cal option.

Considering that they are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iodine, pantothenic acid, magnesium, zinc, and copper, they have a little bit of everything and at $26 a 12-pack, they provide a lot for a little, making them the best value.

Pros:

  • Nutritionally balanced
  • Great value
  • Great taste

Cons:

  • Not 100% organic
  • Contains dairy
  • High sugar content

Best Value

Orgain Organic Nutrition Shake

Go Organic!

This organic meal replacement drink contains 16g of organic whey protein concentrate and organic grass-fed milk protein, 2g of fiber, 21 vitamins and minerals, as well as 10 fruits and vegetables. It contains 250 calories making it a great low-cal nutritious option.

Best Protein: Muscle Milk

If maximum protein is your goal your very best option is definitely Muscle Milk. It contains 40g of quality protein and 9 essential amino acids. Muscle Milk provides high-quality proteins that are designed to keep your body in a positive protein balance to help promote exercise recovery, provide sustained energy and help build and maintain lean muscle.

Pros:

  • High Protein
  • Contains 9 essential amino acids
  • Prolonged protein delivery

Cons:

  • Not "non-dairy"
  • Not for people with kidney issues
  • Varying taste reviews

Best Protein

Muscle Milk

Got Milk?

With 40g of protein and only 200 calories, this drink is not messing around. It provides 20 essential vitamins and minerals and 9 essential amino acids with an immediate and prolonged protein delivery in the body.

Best Vegan: OWYN Vegan Protein Shake

If you're vegan, sometimes it's hard to get the protein you need. This meal replacement shake provides you with 20g of pure plant protein to deliver all 9 essential amino acids and naturally occurring branched chain amino acids to enhance muscle recovery and promote optimal daily health. This is delicious well-balanced nutrition made for active and healthy people.

Pros:

  • Vegan
  • Contains essential amino acids
  • High plant protein

Cons:

  • Pricey
  • Not Kosher
  • Varying taste reviews

Best Vegan

OWYN Vegan Protein Shake

Amino Vino

This 100% plant-based protein drink delivers 20g of protein and is loaded with amino acids to enhance muscle recovery and promote optimal daily health for the active lifestyle.

Bottoms UP!

Your meal-replacement drink should offer all of the nutrients you would get from a full-blown meal, including protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Our personal fave is the Ensure Plus Nutritional Drink because it's the #1 doctor recommended brand and contains the nutrition and calories you need.

You really can't go wrong with any of these meal replacement beverages as they have a lot of nutrients and benefits to offer, and they can accommodate a wide range of specific needs. These drinks taste great, and are designed to promote and maintain an active, healthy lifestyle for the consumer on the go, which is why they win the prize as the very BEST meal replacement drinks out there. Cheers!

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