Finding an alternative to solid foods can be necessary for many reasons. Medical patients and those who want to manage their weight can substitute meals with nutritious shakes. For the best results, drinks need to have the right blend of nutrients to be considered a complete meal.

Although it’s possible to get a complete meal in a drink, not all meal replacement shakes are formulated in the same way. To identify which drinks can be used as a complete meal, look for these four things: calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. The right amount of each will indicate whether or not a drink is a good supplement for a well-balanced meal. Finding delicious drinks to substitute for meals can help you reach your health goals and support nutrition.

ENU focuses on formulating healthy shakes so you can get the nutrients you need in just a few sips. Our drinks contain enough calories, protein, carbs, and fats to work as meal replacement shakes. Visit our website today to learn more about how you can use ENU Nutritional Shakes as a meal replacement.

Can I Get a Complete Meal in a Drink?

Drinking your meals is an easy way to get the nutrients you need. That doesn’t mean you have to put your dinner in a blender; you can use meal replacement shakes that are fortified with the right ingredients. It’s possible to get a complete meal in a drink, but choosing the right product to support your health is important.

Not all meal replacement shakes are the same. Some contain unhealthy ingredients or not enough of the right stuff. Drinking unhealthy meal replacement shakes instead of eating solid foods can contribute to unsafe weight loss and malnutrition.

The right meal replacement shakes can substitute entire meals when you need them. They can help you lose weight healthily or gain weight healthily. Meal replacement shakes, like ENU Nutritional Shakes, can aid in managing nutritional intake. They can help you get a complete meal without eating solid foods.

How Is It Possible to Get a Complete Meal in a Drink?

To get a complete meal in a drink, you have to pick the right shake. Many beverages aren’t formulated to contain the correct amount of nutrients to replace a meal. If you want to have a complete meal from a drink, the drink must have enough calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats.

Calories

Replacing meals can be tricky. Regardless of your health goals, the meal replacement shake you choose must have enough calories. ENU Nutritional Shakes have 400 calories per serving, making them a great meal replacement. Drinking these shakes to aid in weight loss can be beneficial, as it leaves you in a safe calorie deficit. Adding meal replacement shakes into your diet as an additional meal can help you easily manage your nutrition.

Too few calories and your drink won’t properly replace a complete meal. The energy-dense calories in ENU Nutritional Shake can make you feel more alert and satiated. To properly replace a complete meal, drinks must have the right number of calories per serving.

Protein

Protein is an essential part of every meal. It’s recommended that you consume between 20-30 grams of protein per meal, depending on your weight and goals. When choosing a drink to replace a complete meal, it must have enough grams of protein. Our meal replacement shakes have 20 grams of whey protein per serving. Whey is an easily digestible protein substance that’s quickly absorbed. If your drink doesn’t have protein, it won’t adequately replace a complete meal.

There are many reasons why you may want to drink your meals. Weight management is one of them. Protein-dense meals are necessary during weight loss, as protein leads to muscle growth. When you lose weight, it’s important to maintain muscle mass. Too little protein in your diet can prevent you from retaining and gaining muscle during weight loss. When you want to get a complete meal in a drink, that drink better have protein.

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. Complex carbs are different from simple carbs, however. The former gives you energy, and the ladder offers little nutrition. Drinks with insufficient amounts of complex carbohydrates can’t properly replace a complete meal. Complex carbs are typically found in healthy, natural foods like brown rice and quinoa. The carbs in ENU Nutritional Shakes are these kinds of complex carbohydrates. Our shakes have upwards of 40 carbs per serving, so drinking them can give you the complex carbs you need in a meal replacement shake.

Heart-Healthy Fats

The last of the three macronutrients, heart-healthy fats, are necessary for every meal. Your body can’t produce heart-healthy fats on its own, so regularly eating them is important. Meal replacement shakes should source their fats from healthy sources, like sunflower and coconut oil. Our balanced ENU Nutritional Shakes have 16 grams of heart-healthy fats per serving. Our fat blend is optimized to include four added grams of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). This promotes fast nutrient absorption, so your body can quickly access the nutrients you’ve just consumed. The fatty acids in MCTs can contribute to weight management and overall health.

Should I Use Shakes to Replace Complete Meals?

Getting complete meals in a drink can be a convenient solution for many people. If you want to lose weight, or gain weight, substituting meals with a shake can help. Oncology and cystic fibrosis patients can benefit from meal replacement shakes to get the nutrients they need when it is difficult to eat solid foods.

If you have trouble eating food or keeping it down because of medical treatment, drinking healthy shakes can help. ENU Nutritional Shakes are formulated to have the nutritional value to replace a well-balanced meal. The difference is the convenience. Instead of having to cook entire meals, you can drink your nutrients.

Meal replacement shakes can help you lose weight by entering you into a safe calorie deficit or helping those who need to gain weight do so in a healthy way. Drinking tasty and healthy nutritional shakes can help you reach your wellness goals.

Start Using ENU Nutritional Shakes as a Meal Replacement Today

It’s possible to get a complete meal in a drink if that drink has the right nutritional profile. Visit ENU’s website to purchase ENU Nutritional Shakes to use as meal replacement shakes today.