If you are trying to lose weight, eat more healthily or simply too busy to prepare a balanced meal - a meal replacement shake is an excellent option. Meal replacement shakes are not just diet drinks, far from it - they contain many of the essential vitamins and minerals that may be lacking in your diet. And they taste great too.

Ask any dietician if they are good choices for weight loss and ultimate health! The answer would unanimously be yes. The problem is which one?

Here is a snapshot of the top 5 meal replacements and diet drink powders with the remaining 15 listed further down.

Top 5 Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Loss:

Meal replacement shakes are a popular option with people who are taking active steps to lose weight. Some people also use them when they don't have time to prepare a meal or need to grab quick nourishment on the go.

Skipping meals can rob your body of essential nutrients and is unlikely to further your weight loss goals in the long term. In fact, skipping meals actually appears to increase the likelihood of weight gain.

Swapping your regular meal for a nutrient-rich shake is a much better option. Unlike meal skipping, switching one of your daily meals for a shake will support your goals. It will also help you to avoid hunger, fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies that may impair your immune function and make you more susceptible to disease.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of meal replacement shakes on the market but many of them fall well short of the mark when it comes to providing adequate nutrition.

Good meal replacement shakes need to provide a nutritional boost that's comparable to a healthy meal. They also need to help you avoid hunger pangs that may cause you to snack.

With so many options available, it can be incredibly hard to find a good meal replacement shake, and making the wrong decision can be expensive.

We've evaluated all the most popular meal replacement options and come up with a list of the top 3 for 2022 and beyond.

Here are the preferred meal replacement shakes that are receiving lots of positive customer reviews. There are literally dozens of meal replacement shakes on the market - we could have listed our top 25 or even 30. We feel the top 20 is enough.

PhenQ makes arguably the most popular over the counter natural weight loss supplement. They should know a thing or two about how to formulate a weight loss product.

Click for PhenQ Shake price and special offers

PhenQ is an established weight loss brand that's responsible for creating one of the most popular diet pills in the world - PhenQ fat burner . Building on its existing success PhenQ has developed a meal replacement shake that has become an instant hit with consumers.

Not only does it work well as a standalone weight management supplement, the new PhenQ shake also makes an excellent companion meal replacement for the original diet pill. The diet shake provides all of the nutrients you would expect from a healthy meal with a fraction of the calories. Replacing one meal per day with one of these great-tasting meal replacement shakes will allow you to burn fat without having to worry about excruciating hunger or energy slumps.

PhenQ Complete Meal Shake could equally be called a fat burning meal replacement.

The PhenQ Complete Meal Shake provides all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs along with a generous helping of protein.

It's more than just a meal replacement shake, though. It's also a weight-loss accelerator. The coconut oil enhances fat burning while the ashwagandha and ginseng extracts invigorate your body, aid clear thinking, and help you to always feel in top form.

Some of the other key players in the PhenQ Meal Shake formulation include:

Vitamins C, Vitamin D, and zinc are especially important because they boost immune function to help you keep fit and well.

Visit the PhenQ website to get a full ingredient breakdown and a better idea of the benefits the shake provides.

Some meal shakes only have one flavor. That's not the case with PhenQ. You have the choice of chocolate, vanilla, or strawberries and cream.

PhenQ meal replacement shakes are the ideal option for men and women from all walks of life. In addition to being vegan, they are Kosha, Halal, non-GMO, gluten-free, and have no added sugars.

PhenQ shake is also low in carbs and keto-friendly. It's a great addition to any existing weight management plan and even has a 60-day money-back guarantee.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating to use a well worn if ironic phrase. The customers that have used PhenQ are very happy with their weight loss results. It is hardly surprising considering PhenQ makes arguably the most popular over the counter natural weight loss supplement. They should know a thing or two about how to formulate a weight loss product.

PhenQ Shake comes in handy space-saving pouches. Each pouch provides 7 meals for $20.95 - or $2.56 per day making it one the most effective meal replacement shakes, also one of the tastiest and more importantly most effective in terms of weight loss results.

Placing larger orders entails discounts and it's possible to mix and match the flavors in any combination you wish.

The PhenQ website also offers the option to buy via subscribe and save. This entails a further 10 percent discount. However, the customer capacity is limited and there is often the need to place your name on an email waiting list.

Click for SuperGreen Tonik price and special offers

SuperGreen Tonik may seem an odd addition to a list of best meal replacement shakes but it's a very worthy inclusion. In addition to being one of the most respected supergreens powders on the market, SuperGreen Tonik has already helped many people to lose weight and it can do the same for you.

Supergreens powders harness all the goodness of fruit and vegetables and deliver a nutrient-rich health boost in a glass.

If you have a job meeting your target of five fruits and veg a day or worry your diet lacks vital nutrients, a supergreens powder drink should be right up your street.

However, when it comes to providing weight loss support, SuperGreen Tonik is streets ahead of the competition as well. It provides all the nutrients you would get from a meal and is only 35 calories per glass.

Ever hear about spirulina? It's a superfood algae that's so nutritious NASA has used to feed astronauts in space. Standard meal replacement shakes don't have it but SuperGreen Tonik does.

Spirulina is up to 70 percent protein and is packed with so many nutrients it can help you avoid those dreaded hunger pangs that can be such a diet killer if you try skipping meals.

SuperGreen Tonik also provides L-theanine. It's an amino acid that boosts mental function and helps you to maintain a positive state of mind.

L-theanine supports weight loss in several ways. Firstly, it helps you to avoid stress eating. Secondly, it appears to suppress fat buildup.

L-theanine also helps you to sleep more soundly. By doing this it regulates the stress hormone cortisol, which is often a contributing factor in weight gain.

SuperGreen Tonik provides four more ingredients that support weight loss:

Visit the SuperGreen Tonik website to get the full ingredient breakdown and a better idea of the benefits the drink provides.

SuperGreen Tonik is available in two flavor choices - berry and mint.

If you want to replace one of your meals with a liquid alternative that is ultra-low in calories, SuperGreen Tonik is the best option to choose. With only 35 calories per glass, it's the perfect option for anyone who wants hardcore weight loss without the risk of nutrient deficiencies.

Each tub of SuperGreen Tonik provides 30 servings for $87.

Larger orders entail greater savings:

Click for IKO Complete price and special offers

Like PhenQ, Instant Knockout is an established brand. Its Instant Knockout Cuts fat burner is very popular with athletically inclined men and women who like to train hard and spend a lot of time in the gym.

Cuts was developed to help professional fighters who needed a hard-hitting fat burner capable of providing a decent blast of energy to support their training needs.

Cuts was an instant success and, since it became readily available to all, the supplement has become one of the most popular fat burners on the market.

However, maintaining an adequate intake of nutrients can be a big challenge during cutting cycles. Top athletes may be able to afford to get help from expert nutritionists but the average person cannot.

In response to requests from top coaches, including mixed martial arts legend Greg Jackson, Cut's creator, Roar Ambition, developed Instant Knockout Complete.

Instant Knockout Complete is no basic meal replacement shake and, although it was developed to use alongside Cuts, Complete is a nutrient-rich shake that works very well on its own.

It's no accident that Instant Knockout Complete is one of the best meal replacement shakes for providing protein. It's one of the main things hard-worked muscles hunger for.

The main protein sources in the shake are pea and soy, two of the best vegan proteins available. In addition to speeding muscle repair, these two healthy proteins also help keep your stomach feeling full.

The formulation also contains oat flour. In addition to being a very good stomach filler, it's also a complex carb that provides a slow release of energy to help you avoid low blood sugar and energy slumps.

Some of the other key players in Instant Knockout Complete include:

Visit the Instant Knockout website to get the full ingredient breakdown and a better idea of the benefits the shake provides.

Unfortunately, in this case, there is only one flavor option but it's vanilla. If you have to settle for one flavor choice, that's the one to go for.

More than a shake, Instant Knockout Complete is a meal in a glass. It has to be. Its target market would not accept anything less.

The formulation is also tough on hunger. It will leave you feeling full and satisfied, with no chewing required. It may be stretching it to call Complete the "food" of champions, but it's the closest liquid equivalent.

Instant Knockout Complete is another option that's sold by the pouch. Each pouch provides 14 servings for $65.

Roar Ambition also gives you the chance to get free shipping if you order an extra pouch or two.

Click for Exante price and special offers

Exante has an extensive range of meal replacement powders and diet drinks - some may say too extensive. The choice of diet drink powders and meal replacement shakes can be overwhelming.

Exante are arguably the longest running meal replacement shake brand on the list. We don't feel they offer the weight loss results and value of the 3 brands above.

The cost of the Exante meal replacement shakes and diet powder drinks soon adds up - it is not cheap.

Click for Soul Shaxe price and special offers

A great brand that is gaining momentum. The tagline is "making it easy to eat healthy." It certainly does that.

Soul ShaXe is a plant-based meal replacement shake that makes and sells a premium protein and meal replacement supplements and drinks.

Their shakes are vegan, dairy free and gluten free. They do not target the bargain shopper or someone looking for a cheap meal replacement shake. This is a premium weight loss powder drink, but it is not the most expensive product in its category.

The flavors are great as well: Peanut butter, vanilla love and chocolate. They contain a complete amino acid profile in their meal replacement shakes.

Here are the best of the rest - 15 more meal replacement shakes that are worth considering. They include vegan smoothies, protein drinks, superfood powders and of course meal replacement shakes.

Ranking the best meal shakes was not easy. Nor was it a task we undertook lightly. There are a lot of things to consider when you are evaluating the ability of a diet drink to replace a meal and we were unwilling to cut any corners or compromise the quality of our advice.

Here are some of the main things we took into account:

People often drink meal replacement shakes to curb hunger and food cravings. Hunger control was one of our main ranking factors but that should not surprise you. Apart from nourishing and fueling the body, one of the things meals do is stop you from feeling hungry. The diet drinks you use to replace your meals need to be able to do the same.

There are several ways to control hunger. Most meal shakes rely on protein to do this. Fiber can do it too.

Protein and fiber take some time to digest so they remain in the stomach longer. Their presence creates and extends satiety, keeping you hunger-free.

A lot of meal replacement powders and shakes that rely on protein for appetite suppression do not provide enough of it. However, shakes that are overly high in protein may provide too many calories.

Each gram of protein provides four calories and calories have a habit of mounting up quickly.

We wanted options providing 15 to 35 grams of protein. Instant Knockout is at the top end of the scale but it's intended for people who burn a lot of energy through training so, in its case, providing less protein would be counterproductive. Especially bearing in mind the need for extra nutritional support for the muscles.

With shakes that rely on fiber to suppress hunger, we wanted to see doses of five to 15 grams per serving.

However, meal replacements with less protein and fiber were not out of the running if they provided other ingredients capable of tackling hunger, such as those present in SuperGreen Tonik. It's the result that counts, not the route that gets you there.

NOTE: Skipping meals can rob your body of essential nutrients and is unlikely to further your weight loss goals in the long term. In fact, skipping meals actually appears to increase the likelihood of weight gain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7832851/

When we were evaluating ingredient profiles, there were certain things we wanted to see. There were also some things we did not want to see.

We wanted to see a broad spectrum of nutrients, provided in adequate amounts. Token gestures were not good enough. Neither were overly high doses. Consuming too much of certain vitamins and minerals can be harmful. Fortunately, very few of the options we evaluated presented this danger. We had to reject a lot of meal shakes for having inadequate ingredient profiles though.

Meal replacement and diet drink powders that contain a lot of artificial flavorings, colorants, and/or preservatives also earned a black mark.

We always place a strong focus on natural ingredients. So do the manufacturers responsible for the three meal replacement options that made the grade and earned a place on our list.

Some options have additional ingredients that may support weight loss or benefit the body in other ways. For instance, herbs such as ginseng protect against stress, support immune function, and provide extra invigoration. Although these things cannot be seen as primary weight loss benefits, it's certainly a big plus if a meal replacement can offer this type of help on top of its main nutritional value.

Texture is important. So is taste and ease of mixing. Nobody wants to consume something that tastes bad or has a gritty feeling at the back of the throat.

Nor is the average person likely to relish drinking anything that does not mix easily and has a tendency to form lumps. Of course, it may be possible to get past this by using a blender but you shouldn't have to.

You definitely shouldn't have to spend ages stirring, shaking, or beating the mixture. It's a waste of time that could be better spent doing something else.

When drink-type supplements clump or have a gritty texture it's often an indication of poor quality ingredients or overuse of cheap fillers.

Ideally, you should be able to prepare the drink in two minutes or less. Quick and easy mixing will have extra importance if you are replacing your meal due to work pressures or other time issues. Anything that takes up to 15 minutes to prepare won't be fit for purpose.

Although meal replacement shakes are generally associated with losing weight and are primarily developed to support this aim, you don't need to be on a diet to take advantage of the nutritional advantages they provide.

People who have hectic schedules often integrate shakes into their lives. Doing so allows them to maximize their productivity without sacrificing their health. An effective meal replacement shake can be the ultimate 5-minute lunch.

The truth is, meal replacement shakes are more versatile than many people realize.

Let's take a closer look at some of the reasons people often find it advantageous to drop some of their meals in favor of a shake. We'll start with weight loss first because so many people see this as the main value.

When you are trying to lose weight, you need to create a condition where your body has to break down its fat and "burn" it for energy. There's only one way to do this, you need to cut back on food, make sensible food choices, and make sure your daily calorie intake is not high enough to support your body's energy requirements.

You can increase the energy shortage, creating a greater need to burn fat, by getting more exercise. Diet pills can further enhance the need to burn fat and provide additional help, such as appetite suppression and hunger control , but the need for a low-calorie intake remains necessary.

Replacing one of your daily meals with a weight-loss shake is an effective way to create and sustain the energy shortage that forces your body to burn its fat.

The best weight loss shakes can lower your daily calorie intake by a significant amount. Even a low-calorie meal provides the body with far more calories than a good shake does.

Even with small portion sizes and healthy food choices, it's not hard to get 500 calories or more from a meal. At the other end of the scale, a burger and fries generally provides over 1000 calories, while pizza may provide upwards of 250 calories per slice.

Strict dieters may manage to stick to three meals per day that provide 400-500 calories apiece, but a good meal replacement shake provides significantly fewer. And let's not forget many people fail to lose weight because their meals are not as low in calories as they think.

When you take a shake, you know exactly how many calories you are getting. There's no need to pull out the scales or do the math.

As we have already mentioned, meal shakes can be a God-send for people who are too busy to prepare a meal or wait while someone does the hard work for them. That's only part of the story though. When you are on a tight schedule, it can be hard to make time for all that chewing and swallowing.

How many busy people do you know who regularly suffer from indigestion due to rushing their meals? A good meal shake is quick and easy to swallow and does not require a Pepto-Bismol desert.

It's amazing the risks some people take with their health in the name of productivity. There was a time when people used to skip meals and then drag themselves through the day with the help of coffee. Today, it's just as likely to be energy drinks.

Both options provide stimulants that boost energy but neither option provides the nutritional support available via a shake.

Meal replacement shakes are also popular with keto dieters.

The keto diet is an ultra-low-carb diet that is presently one of the trendiest ways to lose weight. Although most keto dieters fully understand the nutritional requirements of their diet, a good low-carb meal replacement shake, like PhenQ, can be a great companion.

Meal replacement shakes are an excellent option for athletes who require a combination of high nutrition and low calories. They can be especially useful to bodybuilders who are cutting and fighters who are shooting for pre-fight weight loss.

Several options were created especially for this purpose, but Instant Knockout Complete is the best one to date. As for the competition... no great shakes.

Older individuals often lose interest in preparing meals or find it difficult to do so due to reductions in dexterity. Not surprisingly, replacing some of their meals with shakes can be an attractive option.

Meal replacement shakes can be an equally good option for people who have lost their appetite due to ongoing health issues of temporary illness. Taking a shake instead of a meal allows them to get the nutrients their body needs to sustain itself and recover.

Can you replace all your meals with shakes?

No. Meal replacement shakes are only intended to replace one meal per day. It's not unheard of for people to replace two meals per day, but it's not generally recommended.

In certain situations, such as loss of appetite due to illness, shakes may provide a short-term solution. However, if you are off your food for more than a day the wise thing to do is seek medical advice.

Do meal replacement shakes work for weight loss?

Yes. Swapping meals for shakes is a very effective way to reduce your daily calorie intake. Replacing one meal may help you reduce your daily energy intake by several hundred calories per day.

However, as with other weight management options, you will still need to be making the right efforts with diet and exercise. Losing a few hundred calories in one meal won't do you much good if your other two meals provide 1000 calories or more.

Are meal replacement shakes suitable for lactose intolerant people?

Some food shakes are good for people who are lactose intolerant, others are not. It depends on which sources of protein they use. Plant-based proteins, such as soy and pea, are fine. Whey is not.

All three of the options that made the grade and earned a place on our list are lactose-free. They are also vegan-friendly, making them suitable for most people.

What's the best way to use meal replacement shakes?

Meal replacement shakes are versatile. All you require is a suitable liquid to mix them with and you are good to go. If you want to avoid adding any extra calories, water is the best option.

However, if you are keen to get extra protein or essential vitamins, milk or fruit juice are good options. Using fruit juice in place of water is also a good way to vary the flavor but you need to be careful. Many fruit juices are surprisingly high in calories.

What are the Best Meal Replacement Shakes?

This is a very subjective question. In our opinion PhenQ Complete Meal Replacement Shake takes some beating. It contains all the elements you would expect to find in a premium meal replacement shake but without the price tag.

Drinking meal replacement shakes is one of the best ways to reduce your calorie intake and lose weight.

In addition to supporting your weight loss needs, the best shakes also help you to meet your body's nutrient requirements. Their ability to do this makes them a good option for people who may otherwise skip meals.

You don't have to use meal shakes for weight loss but it's certainly an area where they offer maximum value.

Remember to factor in company reputation to your choice when looking for the best meal replacement shakes.

Flavor is important as well - it is not the prime reason to buy a meal replacement shake but make sure the flavor is something you may enjoy drinking.