If you’ve ever shopped for a nutritional shake, you’ve probably noticed that there are many different types on the market. It can be easy to get overwhelmed when trying to find the right one for you. To get the best value for your money, you need to know what makes a good nutritional shake.
Calories Count When Looking for a Nutritional Shake
The right nutritional shake for you should provide an adequate amount of calories to keep you satisfied while providing the nutrients you need for a balanced meal. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 220–230 calories per serving. This is a good amount of calories for most people to get the proper nutritional value they need in a meal.
The calories can easily be bumped up as needed to accommodate your personal needs such as size and activity levels. If you require more calories in a meal, simply mix the nutritional shake powder with a caloric beverage such as almond milk or oat milk.
Need to keep your calories low? Just use water to mix with the shake powder and you’ll have a low-calorie, nutritious meal. Any lower than the recommended calories and you risk not getting enough nutrients as well as being left hungry after your shake. This could make it much harder to stick to your healthy eating goals.
Find a Nutritional Shake with the Ideal Ratio of Macronutrients
To get the most health benefits out of your meals, you need to find a nutritional shake with the right balance of macronutrients. High-quality meal replacement shakes have a well-proportioned blend of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. They can take the guesswork out of planning a healthy, balanced meal which should ideally consist of 45%–65% carbohydrates, 10%–35% protein, and 20%–35% fat.
Some people shy away from carbohydrates because they’re afraid they’ll cause weight gain. However, not all carbs are the same! They perform an important function as they are the main source of fuel for your body so you don’t want to rule them out. The trick is to focus on the healthiest type of carbohydrates, known as complex carbs.
Fiber is found in complex carbs and this important nutrient helps to support healthy blood sugar levels as well as keep you feeling fuller after a meal. The Institute of Medicine recommends 21–25 grams of daily fiber for women and 30–38 for men. Divide that between three meals and you’ll want to find a nutritional shake with approximately 7–8 grams of fiber for women and 10–12 for men.
Protein is a crucial component for building and repairing muscles. Lean proteins are the best way to go to avoid some of the fat and calories that can come along with many high-protein foods.
Fat has often been considered a bad word but it serves an important purpose in your daily diet. Like carbs, you want to look for the healthiest types of fats. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats help to promote heart health.
USANA Nutrimeal Nutritional Shake Makes Balanced Nutrition Easy
Knowing the right balance of macronutrients and calories can help get you moving in the right direction when it comes to achieving health-friendly goals. With practice, you’ll start to get the hang of planning and preparing nutritionally balanced meals. The USANA Nutrimeal Nutritional Shake was designed to help support you on your health journey by providing a meal replacement that has the ideal caloric and macronutrient values: 240 calories, 20g carbs, 16g protein, and 7g fat (Dutch Chocolate flavor). The best nutritious eating plan is one that is sustainable and USANA makes balanced nutrition simple. Save yourself the time and guesswork by replacing one or more daily meals with a carefully formulated blend of nutrients found in the USANA Nutrimeal Nutritional Shake.
