6 Ways To Use Liquid Meal Replacements In Your Lifetime

By Liliana Mills


People of all ages may at some time in their lives require liquified food substitutes. The reasons are as varied as the type of replacement formulas that are available. They range from simply making a lifestyle choice to being essential for sustaining life. Here are six common uses for a liquid meal replacement in everyday life.

People leading busy lives often search for a quick way to slip in a meal. Work and a fast-paced lifestyle tend to push our nutritional needs to the end of our priority list. Consequently, we rely on the convenience of replacing one or more meals - usually lunch or breakfast - with a nutritious shake that can also be delicious. A single serving contains a third of the nutrients required for a daily balanced diet. It is a tempting way to make sure we meet our dietary needs in a frenetic world.

Replacing one or more meals can be a weight loss benefit for many who struggle with health issues related to being overweight. It is the perfect formula for portion control, since one serving is the equivalent to one meal. A person would need to eat a greater amount of food for the same nutritional value of one serving of a good-tasting shake, so it just makes sense. There is no need to measure or weigh foods, count calories, or use guesswork to get the right balance of nutrition to calories.

An excellent source of protein, meal replacements can help those who either desire more protein in their diets or require it. Bodybuilders and weightlifters are prime examples of athletes who turn to protein shakes to build muscle and help overworked muscles recover. Vegetarians, particularly those who are inexperienced, may have difficulty consuming the daily requirement of protein for a healthy diet, so they too would benefit from liquid protein drinks.

An example of a health problem that would respond well to a high-protein meal replacement program is type 2 diabetes. Protein shakes have been proven to enable weight loss, improve cholesterol levels, lower body mass index, and control essential blood sugar levels. Patients, in a few cases, were able to reduce daily doses of insulin. Similar results can be applied to a variety of health concerns.

In extreme circumstances, it may be that the only food source for a person is through a fluids only diet. An example might be the person who must be tube fed. Their nutrition depends entirely upon a liquid delivery system. Often, those who have undergone dramatic medical procedures or whose aging bodily systems are failing require this type of life-giving support.

Whether by choice or necessity, some mothers cannot breastfeed their infants. In these cases, formula feeding becomes the single source of nutrition for the infant from birth to three months. Commonly, nutrients that are essential to the development of a baby are provided through the use of these high value formulas.

From birth to death, we probably all experience liquid meal replacements as a vital nutritional support at different points in our lifetimes. If we use them for muscle enhancement or repair, weight loss, convenience, to treat a chronic health problem, or even as life sustenance, they are essential to almost every life.




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