Meal replacement products : a quick way of losing weight

Meal replacement products : for few years, these products have emerged on the diet market.

How to use them ?

Are they effective?

Is it dangerous to eat these products ?

Below is our update on the issue.

Definition

Presented in the form of drinks, creams, powders, cookies, soups or bars, meal replacement products are neither food nor medicine, but diet products (or regime) formulated according to specific regulations.

To prevent from deficiencies, each meal replacement also provides at least 30% of the recommended vitamins and minerals.

Their goal is to help people trying to lose weight to follow a low calorie diet, with a unique and calibrated food intake. You can also use it occasionally further to food excesses without starting a slimming program.

Even in the context of a diet, it is preferable to limit the consumption of substitutes to only one or two meals per day, and to provide other meals with balanced menus. The meal replacement products should be eaten with a drink to hydrate the body, a yoghurt, vegetables or fruit to feed permanently.

• Meal replacements cause a significant and almost immediate weight loss. Thus they represent a great help and motivation to start a weight loss.
• Occasionally, they are effective in catching a gap or replace a meal that otherwise would have been blown.
• Depending on the brand, their use may be less expensive than having a lunch in at the canteen or the restaurant, sometimes even at home.
• They are very easy to use.



Disadvantages :

• They generate frustration. Besides the lack of texture and taste, substitutes do not feel like a real meal, tasty and friendly. Their use can make you feel depressed or eager to snack.
• They do not satisfy hunger sustainably. Preparations, mostly liquids, creams, fruit purees or soups, do not provide satiety: you do not chew to swallow them, and occupy some volume in the stomach.
• They can lead to deficiencies. Some substitutes are rich in micronutrients, while others contain little. Used in the short term, they are unlikely to cause vitamin deficiencies. In the long term however, it may be preferable to use supplement with them.
• They do not participate in your nutrition ducation. Using the substitutes, you wo'nt learn to lose weight or maintain weight with common foods, or having healthy and balanced food habits.
• They encourage the yoyo effect : after using meal replacement products, weight gain will resume automatically if there are no changes in your food habits. Especially after such a period of frustration.

To the extent that they provide a quick weight lossy without creating gaps, meal replacements can be a boost in the diet process.

As part of a strict low-calorie diet, they are however not recommended for people who lack motivation because of their monotonous and repetitive side.

Whatever the place of purchase (pharmacies, supermarkets, specialty stores, mail ...), it is essential to check the packaging of meal replacements :

The ideal is to choose those that are rich in protein (15-20 g per dose) containing enough carbohydrate low GI (20-30 g per dose), but low in fat (6 g per dose given), and vitamins, minerals and fibers in quantities of interest.

Such a system should finally be completed over three weeks without medical advice.

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