The 7 Best Meal Replacement Shakes for People With Diabetes
Many people with diabetes choose to eat consistently to keep their blood sugar levels steady. That’s one reason why meal-replacement shakes are popular for diabetes management.
In addition to providing an on-the-go meal solution, meal-replacement shakes can be relatively low in carbohydrates and high in protein to help manage glucose levels and control overall caloric intake, says Nicole Avena, PhD, an assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a visiting professor of health psychology at Princeton University in New Jersey.
"Carbohydrate tracking is essential for those with diabetes because carbohydrates turn into sugar once digested, which can make it difficult for people to know how to dose their insulin properly,” Dr. Avena says. "Although homemade meals are always best, meal-replacement shakes are an easy way to get their nutrients in, in a carb-friendly way."
Here are the best meal-replacement shakes for people with diabetes:
We chatted with registered dietitians and diabetes care specialists to get their expert perspective on the best meal-replacement shakes for people with diabetes and how to find the right product for you. We selected our top picks on the basis of their professional recommendations and criteria including:
If you have kidney disease or other kidney issues, talk to your doctor before adding meal-replacement shakes to your diet, as the high protein content in some of these shakes may not work for you.
Best for Wound Healing: Glucerna 30g Protein Shake
This shake is great for an on-the-go snack.
One common symptom associated with type 2 diabetes is wounds that have trouble healing, per the National Institutes of Health. But a shake with high enough protein can help aid in wound healing, says Laura Cipullo, RD, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist.
This shake is specifically designed for people with diabetes as a way to help manage carbohydrate intake and increase protein intake. "With only 150 calories, this particular shake is perfect for an on-the-go snack, but it should not be used to replace an entire meal," adds Cipullo.
Calories: 150 | Carbohydrates: 7 grams (g) | Protein: 30 g
Best Plant-Based: 310 Meal Replacement Shake
Although a bit more pricey, you get a greater value out of this shake, which you can mix with water, milk or milk alternatives.
For those seeking a plant-based protein, this is a great option, as it's made from a blend of pumpkin, brown rice protein and pea protein.
"With 15 g of protein, 5 g of fiber and 0 g of added sugar, this shake will provide a fuller feeling than those with less protein and fiber," Roger Adams, PhD, a doctor of nutrition and the owner of Eatrightfitness.
Calories: 90 | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Protein: 15 g
Best for Keto: Garden of Life Keto Meal
This doctor-formulated meal-replacement shake is designed for someone following the keto diet, but it can also be quite beneficial for people with diabetes, because going low-carb can help manage blood sugar levels.
Following keto principles, this shake is higher in fat than competitive shakes, which can also be beneficial for people with diabetes. One study in a 2020 issue of BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care found that a diet low in carbs and high in fat led to greater A1C reduction and weight loss.
Calories: 280 | Carbohydrates: 5 g | Protein: 16 g
Best Meal Replacement: Ample Original
This high-calorie shake comes with probiotics to support your gut health.
Ample created this meal-replacement shake with carb control in mind. "It has only 2 g of sugar and 25 g of protein, which is designed to slow sugar release into the bloodstream," Avena explains. It is higher in calorie content than others, so it's important to keep that in mind when factoring it into your overall daily amount.
One thing that sets this shake apart from the rest is the fact that it's infused with 40 billion probiotic bacteria from six different strains to help with digestion. A study published in July 2020 in Scientific Reports showed that probiotics had a beneficial effect on metabolism for people with diabetes.
Calories: 400 | Carbohydrates: 11 g | Protein: 25 g
Best Gluten-Free: Atkins Gluten-Free Protein-Rich Shake
This shake is gluten-free and full of fiber, to help manage your blood sugar.
The Atkins brand has long been recognized for its commitment to creating replacement shakes and bars that are low in carbohydrates and high in protein.
With just 2 g of carbohydrates and 15 g of protein, this shake, Avena points out, has an ideal macronutrient balance. "It also contains 5 g of fiber for slower digestion and nutritional benefit," she says. "Fiber has been shown to help control blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the blood, which can help prevent diabetic complications."
Calories: 160 | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Protein: 15 g
Best Flavor: Splenda Diabetes Care Shake
If you're looking for a meal-replacement shake that offers a lot of flavor while giving you the benefit of balanced nutrition, this is a great choice. It has more protein than most shakes for fewer calories, but also has more carbohydrates than most as well.
Vandana Sheth, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, notes that the combination of the protein and fats helps manage blood sugar and reduce blood sugar spikes.
Calories: 170 | Carbohydrates: 15 g | Protein: 16 g
Best for Heart Health: OWYN Plant-Based Protein Shake
In addition to containing a heaping serving of protein (20 g), this vegan and gluten-free shake also delivers a blend of omega-3-rich ingredients that can provide heart-healthy benefits, notes Sheth.
It also delivers 9 essential amino acids as well as BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), which can be particularly beneficial for muscle recovery.
This rich protein shake is an ideal choice for someone following a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Calories: 180 | Carbohydrates: 10 g | Protein: 20 g
Before you shop for a meal-replacement shake to help manage your diabetes, here's what nutrition pros want you to know.
Simpler ingredients that are more natural will help with digestion and absorption of nutrients found in nutrient-dense shakes, Avena says. "Meal-replacement shake companies can use fillers and stabilizers to keep their formulas well mixed," she says.
She recommends looking for shakes that have short ingredient lists to keep shopping simple and to reduce unpleasant symptoms.
While there are plenty of benefits to these shakes, especially for those with diabetes, they should be a supplemental part of your diet, not the entire diet.
"While it may be okay to have more than one per day to replace a meal, you should still have at least one meal and a snack or two of regular solid foods," Adams says. "This keeps the gastrointestinal system in shape by making it work hard to digest those harder-to-digest solid foods."
"Some meal-replacement products will range from 16 to 20 percent DV of nutrients, and this will provide more sufficient coverage of nutrients if you choose to consume the product rather than eat a meal," says Colleen Johnson, RD, CDCES, a registered dietitian and an adult diabetes educator at Joslin Diabetes Center.
"Women with type 2 diabetes need about 45 g of carbohydrate per meal, while men can have about 60 g of carbohydrate per meal," Cipullo says. "If your meal-replacement shake has 45 g of carb or less, blood sugar management will be more attainable."
She recommends testing your blood sugar before you drink a given supplement and then, two hours after drinking the shake, observe how your blood sugar responds to it.
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