There are numerous shake brands on the market that all claim to have the best flavors and ingredients. Many of us go through at least 5 brands trying to find the right balance of nutrition, texture, and flavor. One common shake name you may have heard is Atkins. Their name has been associated with health products such as atkins bars, low carb atkins meals, and diet plans. since the 1960s. We will be reviewing their shakes that so many people turn to for their daily boost of health. Things like nutritional values, texture, benefits, and flavor are all important traits we will review based on common Atkins shakes.
The founder Robert C. Atkins started the company in hopes to change peoples minds in eating better rather than restricting calories. He was one of the first to speak out about the science behind a low carb diet and how beneficial it can be. In 1997 the vanilla and chocolate shakes were first introduced to provide Atkins dieters with a healthy snack or meal replacement to keep them going throughout the day. Below you will find the benefits of these popular shakes.
Do Atkins Shakes Help You Lose Weight?
Atkins shakes have often been linked to being utilized as a weight-loss method. In between meals is the most common time when we start to see ourselves reach for snacks or began to feel a little hungry. Choosing an Atkins shake is a great way to help during these periods in the day. Some may even use atkins shakes as a meal replacement shake to increase the chances of weight loss. They are designed to suppress your appetite and can be used as a snack between meals. These shakes are already premade and pre-shaken making them highly accessible and makes it easy to stay on track to losing weight. They are low in carbs and high in many macros that assist in weight loss. One shake consists of 160 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates,1 gram of sugar, 10 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein. Utilizing an Atkins diet combined with the Atkins shakes you may see weight loss results. These low carb high protein drinks will give you the feeling of satiety which means it can provide the feeling of fullness. Consuming these shakes will lead to a less likely chance of you overconsuming on bad foods.
They help to reduce feelings of cravings and choosing one of their dark chocolate varieties will help you to resist reaching for chocolate as your boost throughout the day. Since they are ready to drink, they are best consumed cold and can be a quick breakfast option.
Are Atkins Shakes Any Good?
There are many reviews out there that can sway you in one direction or the other. Atkins shakes come in several flavors such as chocolate banana, vanilla cream, cafe caramel, dark chocolate, strawberry, cafe mocha, milk chocolate, and many other flavors. Many people find that the shakes are less healthy for them because the shakes are filled with additives such as soy, artificial sweeteners, and carageen. Atkins shakes have also gained some negative reviews that they could leave someone feeling bloated, heavy, and sometimes don't assist people in feeling full, which may lead them to snacking. The flavors have changed recently leaving many avid Atkins users asking for the old formula. These customers often state that the texture and taste of the original formula were better than the most recent shakes released.
Then there are the positive reviews by many people. They claim to feel full and the other positive effects of the shakes. The positive reviews claim that the shakes have weight loss properties and they are a great addition to their atkins diets. The shakes are easy to take on the go, are full of flavor, and easy to drink. They are high in protein and low in carb value. Most people claim to see the most benefits from combining and using all atkins products and diet regimens. These shakes include B vitamins, vitamin D, potassium, and many other nutrients. There is a new formula that is gluten-free which may reduce that bloating feeling some users report. The reviews are mixed. Some long time consumers dislike the new texture but love the flavor. New users like the flavor, but dislike the bloating and lack of satiety the shakes provide. Whichever reviews connect with you, know that this company has been providing people all over the world with a quality product since the 90s.
Is an Atkins shake a meal replacement?
The current formula of atkins shakes does not allow for the shakes to be considered as a meal replacement. They are designed to be a snack or part of the atkins diet or any other low carb diet. There are ways to turn the shakes into a meal replacement if desired. Adding fruit, peanut butter, or even oats to the shake can give you a boost of nutrition as well as more substance to the drink. There are larger shakes that claim to be meal replacement with a higher macro profile. If you can find the Atkins Advantage Shakes, these are said to be the best to use as a meal replacement. The larger shakes are still low carb but have more protein and other beneficial nutrients. Some people do find success in using these larger shakes to help lose weight. They claim to not feel deficient nor do they feel the need to snack throughout the day.
The larger shakes can be found on amazon and if your lucky at places where Atkins products are sold, like Walmart or Target. If you decide on using these shakes as a meal replacement, make sure to get plenty of nutritious foods in your whole foods meals throughout the day. It is important to maintain your low carb intake even when using the shakes as a meal replacement. Take in plenty of protein at each meal and keep track of your nutritional food intake.
How Much Weight Can You Lose Drinking Atkins Shakes?
The amount of weight you can lose while drinking atkins shakes highly depends on other dietary factors. The atkins shakes are only part of what helps you lose weight. Atkins claims that you can lose up to 15 pounds in the first of the 4 phases the plan offers. Atkins claims are backed with a disclaimer that these are based on the strictest results and that they are the most extreme results with someone who follows the plan 100%. To fully get the best results you must follow the atkins diet along with using shakes as the plan allows. The plan is based on starting the diet with intaking no more than 20 grams of net carbs. Many reviews state that they find that staying in phase one allows them to adapt to the low carb diet and this is where they see most of their weight loss. Depending on the person once they reach their weight loss goal they can then slowly transition into the next phases. Each phase will provide less and less weight loss. The plan is designed to get the weight off and taper you into a maintenance phase, where you will be eating to keep at the current weight. The shakes are only part of the weight loss journey, combine the shakes with healthy foods and exercise to see the best results.
Final Thoughts
Atkins is a well-known product brand that has been producing results when combined with a diet that fits the consumer's needs. If you are not a stickler on clean, pure ingredients, this may be a drink you can enjoy. With its wide accessibility, you can travel with these drinks and find them almost anywhere. Despite the split reviews by the people who are past or current consumers, it doesn't hurt to give these shakes a try. Deciding on a shake can be difficult, but when you are on the go this is a highly recommended product. You can also have a look at our top 5 reviewed best meal replacement shakes.