Meal replacements can be extremely bland and tasteless. Not so the 18 Shake. Classed as a luxury meal replacement it contains all natural ingredients and 4 yummy flavours including cookies ands cream! So confident are the manufacturers they will give you your money back if you don’t see results.
Content Table
What is 18 Shake
18-Shake is a meal replacement shake distributed by 18 Nutrition. It comes in a variety of flavor choices and, at the time of this review, 18-Shake was available in strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, and cookies and cream.
Each shake provides just 90 calories. That’s significantly less than you’d get by eating a normal meal. When used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet, using a product like this can be a very good way to lose weight.
I’ve never used a meal-replacement shake myself but I have friends who have used such shakes and enjoyed great success. As with any other way of losing weight, making a commitment to healthy eating makes all the difference.
There are a few things that allow 18-Shake to stand out from many alternative meal replacement shakes. The choice of flavors is one of them. There are many competing products that come in a choice of just two flavors. I’ve even seen some that only have one.
Losing weight can be a long process and shakes can become boring if you have to drink the same ones too often. So, when it comes to products like this, a choice of flavors is important.
The other good thing about 18-Shake is it only contains natural ingredients. There are no chemicals involved. Nor do the shakes contain any artificial sweeteners or soy.
The problem with using meal replacement shakes is they often leave you feeling hungry. 18-Shake users are unlikely to have this problem because the formulation is high in protein and natural fiber. Thankfully, it’s also gluten-free, so it’s a good option for anyone who needs to avoid gluten and products that contain it.
Promised Benefits and Selling Points
- Only 90 calories per serving
- No artificial flavors
- Contains natural sweeteners
- Great taste
- Suppresses hunger
- Provides 24 vitamins and minerals
- Duo-Protein luxury formula
How Does the Formulation Work?
18-Shake is a meal replacement shake. You use products of this nature to replace one or more of your daily meals. In some ways, they can actually simplify the weight loss process.
The food we eat provides our bodies with energy. The amount of energy a portion of food contains is measured in calories. Some foods, such as celery and spinach are low in calories others, such as potatoes and pasta contain a lot more.
The only way to lose weight is to cause your body to be so short of calories it has to begin burning its stores of fat for energy. Eating a low-calorie diet is the best way to achieve this.
The problem is, looking at food labels and weighing and measuring food can be a soul-destroying experience. It also wastes a lot of time. Replacing meals with shakes that provide a known amount of calories can be a very attractive option.
Although each shake only provides 19 calories, it doesn’t deprive the body of important nutrients. Each serving is packed with a generous helping of vitamins and minerals, along with around 15 g of protein. The shakes provide fiber as well.
However, if you want to get the best from 18-Shake or any other meal replacement shake you will need to make sure the meals you do eat are sufficiently low in calories.
What’s the Best Way to Use 18-Shake?
18Nutrition suggests replacing one to two of your meals with a serving of 18-Shake. Obviously, replacing two meals per day instead of one will produce faster results.
The thing to remember is, shake manufacturers presume people normally only eat three meals per day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you are someone who normally eats four or more times per day you will need to seriously revise your habits.
To make the shake it’s simply a case of placing one scoop (27.7 g) of powder into the shaker (free with your order) and then combining it with milk, water, or the beverage of your choice.
Obviously, it’s important to choose low-fat milk and other beverages that are low in calories. In fact, the less calories the better.
Apart from providing a choice of flavors, 18Nutrition also provides several recipes to help make the shake tastier.
- Blueberry bluster shake
- Chocolate strawberry blast
- Apple pie shake
- Creamy peanut butter shake
- Chocolate coffee protein shake
- Super green meal replacement shake
The recipes produce at least two cups of 18-Shake
Although the shakes are nutrient-rich they won’t provide many antioxidants. Your body needs antioxidants to maintain good health so it’s important to make sure the meals you do eat contain plenty of vegetables and fruit. Good options are spinach, blueberries, and kale.
18 Shake Ingredient Profile
A single serving of 18-Shake provides:
- Whey protein concentrate (15.7 g)
- Whey protein isolate (3.39 g)
- Fibersol-2 (5.4 mg)
Vitamins and Minerals
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Folate
- Biotin
- Pantothenic acid
- Phosphorus
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Iodine
- Zinc
- Copper
- Selenium
- Chromium
- Sodium
- Potassium
What Do the Ingredients Do?
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals serve many important roles in the body. For instance, vitamin C supports healthy immune function and is good for your memory.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant and your body cannot manufacture it so you have to get it from food or supplements. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-benefits#section6)
Moving on to B vitamins, one of the many things they do is help your body extract energy from food. A healthy low-calorie diet needs to provide a good balance of vitamins. It also needs to supply minerals.
Using zinc as an example, one of the things it does is boost testosterone production. Men and women need testosterone to help maintain muscle mass. It also helps provide strong bones. Contrary to popular belief, calcium does not do this alone. Testosterone also supports the fat burning process.
The take-home point is this: you need vitamins and minerals. 18-Shake provides them so that’s a point in its favor.
Duo-Protein Formula
The Duo-Protein formula is one of the key features of this product. It’s a special combination of non-GMO whey proteins.
Protein is necessary for muscle growth and cellular repair. It’s not just bodybuilders who need it. We all do. (https://www.webmd.com/men/features/benefits-protein#1)
Whey protein is one of the best protein sources you can get.
Fibersol-2
Fibrosol-2 is a water-soluble corn fiber that is sometimes used as a low-calorie bulking agent. It’s a high-quality ingredient that is 90% fiber.
As with other kinds of fiber, Fibrosol-2 is good for improving digestive health and preventing constipation. Most people need more fiber in their diet, so it’s a good ingredient to have.
High-fiber food has a good stomach-filling effect. That’s one of the main reasons 18Nutrition is using Fibrosol-2 in the 18-Shake formulation.
The company says it will help you to feel fuller for longer and it probably will. (https://www.fibersol.com/products/fibersol-2/)
Are There Any 18Shake Customer Reviews?
There are lots of 18 Shake customer reviews, testimonials and success stories. They are predominately from women – which is strange as there is no reason why men can’t use 18 Shake. There are are a few male testimonials though.
Is there a Risk of Side Effects using 18 Shake?
No side effects have been reported. Nor are they likely to be. 18-Shake is a meal replacement shake, not a diet pill. Like food, all it provides is nutrients.
However, following any kind of low-calorie diet may make some people feel dizzy or unwell. This is just the body responding to the reduction in food. I’ve experienced such reactions myself when I’ve drastically cut back my food intake to lose weight, but the body soon adapts.
*People who have existing health problems would be wise to discuss the matter with their doctor prior to making any drastic changes to their diet.
Hit or Miss? (Can You Lose Weight with 18-Shake?)
18-Shake is a low-calorie shake that provides less calories than the average meal. Nineteen calories is not a lot. A medium-sized apple provides 95 calories. A large (50 g) hard-boiled egg provides 78 calories. Replacing a meal with a serving of 18-Shake is a very good way to keep your calorie intake down, don’t doubt it.
The fiber it provides will certainly help control hunger, though it seems likely that people who are used to eating very large meals may require the help of a separate appetite suppressing product as well.
It’s also good to see the formulation provides so many vitamins and minerals. Apart from supporting good health, they may also help provide added feelings of vitality.
There can be no doubt of the value of this product. It’s a good meal replacement shake. If you use it and fail to lose weight the problem will lie with you rather than the product.
The only way you could fail to lose weight with a product like this is if you are snacking between meals, eating extra meals, and/or eating portions that are overly-large or packed with too many calories.
However, if you eat one or two low-calorie meals per day and use 18-Shake in the recommended manner, it shouldn’t be long before the dial on your bathroom scales is moving the right way.
Is There a Guarantee with 18Shake
I8Shake has a 30-day money back guarantee and the official site provides detailed instructions about how the refund process works.
Customers who feel the product is not for them need to contact 18Nutrition via telephone or email. Full contact details are provided on the 18-Shake website.
In order to make the refund process as smooth as possible, customers have to provide their name along with the order ID and delivery address.
The rules of the return policy allow the return of one item that’s been opened and/or used. Any remaining items should be sealed and unused.
All refunds are less a 20% restocking fee. This is a pretty standard set up. Many supplement manufacturers deduct restocking fees (sometimes called handling fees) from the refunds they award via their money back guarantees.
Where to Buy 18 Shake
You can buy 18-Shake directly from the 18-Shake website. Each pack provides 16 servings and the site states a pack normally retails for $79.98. However, this is not the price you will pay.
The website always offers limited-time offers that slash the cost per pack by a considerable amount. At the time of this review, the August discount involved a 40% reduction in price. That brought the cost per pack down to $47.99.
Customers also generally get a free shaker to help them prepare their shakes.
18-Shake customers get a free meal plan as well. 18Nutrition is not the only company that offers its customers a free meal plan, but it’s fair to say the companies that do this are in the minority.
When customers buy 18-Shake it’s a single one-time order. The order form actually makes this clear, but the print is so small it’s very easy to miss.
