People drink meal replacement shakes for a multitude of reasons. Some of the more popular reasons are weight loss, an inability to consume solid food or simply not having enough time to prepare a full meal.
No matter what your reason for using a meal replacement shake, there are certain rules of thumb that you should remember and apply so that your shake not only keeps you full but also provides you with other nutrients to keep your body functioning optimally.
Most commercially prepared meal replacement shakes (the best ones, at least) already have these considerations in place but if you are making your own, here are some ways to get the most out of it:
Don’t skimp on protein
Protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer by increasing the production of satiety hormones (such as GLP-1, peptide YY, and cholecystokinin) while also reducing the levels of ghrelin(a hunger hormone) in the body. This leads you to crave less so you can stick to your weight loss plan much easier.
To boost the protein levels in your homemade shake, you can use a protein powder or add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to the mix. You can also use milk instead of water – milk has about 8 grams of protein per cup.
Nonfat Greek yogurt is another protein-rich food that you can add to your shake. (more…)
