Research-Based

18 Shake Review- How Does This Meal Replacement Work?

Photo of author

By Alexa DaFonte

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

18 Shake Review

We’re all looking for the perfect, balanced, nutrient-dense meal. However, when it comes to crafting the perfect meal, it’s really not that simple. It is not just about tasting good, and it’s not just about having a low-calorie count either. Your meal requires balanced nutrition, and it’s essential for it to contain all of the macronutrients. A normal meal should keep you feeling refreshed, satiated, and energized.

In today’s day and age, “meal replacement” products have taken center stage. There are quite a few meal replacements that taste good and claim to provide balanced nutrition, but that doesn’t mean they are something that should really be replacing the average meal.

Unfortunately, many of these meal replacements might leave you feeling hungry and cause an energy crash, making you a lot more likely to make poor food decisions for that next meal. 

If you’re looking for a meal replacement solution that provides the calories you need, the nutrition your body craves, and prevents energy crashes, 18 Shake might be the product for you. 

Let’s take a closer look at what this shake does, how it works, how it might make you feel, and determine if it’s really worth the money. So, read on if you want to find out whether 18 Shake is a good option for you, or just a waste of money.

18 Shake Choco

What is 18 Shake?

18 Shake is a powdered meal replacement that comes in 4 popular flavors. It’s a low-calorie option with a dual protein system and a lot of fiber. 

18 Shake benefits

18 Shake is also naturally sweetened, so you’ll get the sweet taste everyone craves in a good shake, but with only 1g of sugar per serving (this is significant less sugar than traditional shakes). 

The dual whey protein sources are more bioavailable than many of the protein sources commonly found in meal replacement shakes, making it a great option for satiation, appetite suppression, and might even prove beneficial in a weight loss journey. It also avoids GMO heavy protein sources like soy, which is a common allergen. 

18 Shake comes in 4 popular flavors:

  • Cookies and Cream
  • Vanilla
  • Chocolate
  • Strawberry

Unlike other shakes, 18 Shake also includes natural appetite suppressants that will help kick start your weight loss and metabolism to an even greater extent. The main ingredient that promotes appetite suppressant is a source of dietary fiber known as Fibersol-2. This compound, mixed with the superior dual protein formula, helps keep you fuller for longer and promotes appetite suppression.

One serving of 18 Shake provides about a third of the daily vitamin and mineral requirements your body needs, so you’ll still get sufficient energy and nutrition to meet your daily needs and energy levels.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of 18 Shake?

Like any product, there are pros and cons to this meal replacement system that you should consider before trying it out.

What are the Advantages?

Low-Calorie Count

While we know that calories in and calories out is not the only thing that contributes to weight management and weight loss, calories definitely still matter and play a role in a potential weight loss plan.

In today’s day and age, it is very easy to consume highly processed foods that are calorie-dense, which also makes it more difficult to keep your daily calorie counts low and lose weight naturally.

At only 90 calories per serving, 18 Shake is a meal replacement that is much lower in calories than a full meal and many other meal replacements. Even low-calorie snacks tend to have more calories than this shake, and many of those snacks do not offer high quality protein sources like 18 Shake does.

It Contains a Lot of Vitamins and Minerals

18 shake includes an impressive list of 24 vitamins and minerals. One single serving of 18 Shake provides about 1/3rd of your recommended daily nutrient requirements. 

Vitamins and minerals have incredibly important roles to play in our bodies. When your body does not get the nutrients it needs, you will most likely experience the energy crash that many other meal replacement shakes cause.

Incorporating the right vitamins and minerals into your diet can also help ensure you are looking and feeling your absolute best, supporting good circulation and collagen production to protect hair, skin, and nail health as well.

It’s Naturally Sweet

Other meal replacements often have one of two problems. They don’t taste good, or they have so much sugar that it cancels out their other benefits. The last thing you need is a meal that spikes your blood sugar and leaves you feeling bloated and uncomfortable for the rest of the day. 

Since 18 Shakes is naturally sweet, you’ll get the taste you crave. It’s not difficult to slurp down any of the 4 flavors the shake currently comes in, as many customers say they taste great. 

It’s an Appetite Suppressant (this may also be a disadvantage)

This aspect to the 18 Shake review is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Appetite suppressants are a huge aid in terms of losing weight, especially if you want to lose weight quickly. Not only will this meal replacement lower your caloric intake by replacing some of your daily meals, but it will also make portion control and caloric restriction throughout the rest of the day a little bit easier. 

Nonetheless, hunger suppressants can make it easier to lose weight fast, which can have negative consequences. If your weight drops too quickly, your body can panic and affect your metabolism because it thinks you’re in an emergency situation. Your metabolism begins to slow down and your body may hold onto body fat to a greater extent while your ability to burn fat decreases. This is simply a survival tactic, but you still need to make sure you’re consuming enough calories throughout the day while also implementing portion control. 

This benefit may also be considered a disadvantage if you’re looking for a meal replacement that your kids can also take. If that’s the case, you may want to consider other options, like Living Fuel SuperBerry Ultimate, that are more focused on benefits for all ages.

What are the Disadvantages?

Possible Side Effects

Like most meal replacement options, there are some possible side effects that come with using 18 Shakes. Usually, these side effects pass within a couple of days of consuming 18 Shakes regularly due to your body adjusting to the meal replacement shake.

Some of these side effects can include fatigue, increased thirst, bloating, constipation, irritability, and diarrhea. 

The bloating and diarrhea are both usually due to the whey protein. While whey protein is more digestible for many people and doesn’t have the GMO or pesticide component like many soy proteins, it can take a little while for your digestive system to adjust to it. It may be better to consume whey isolate as this form of whey is processed to reduce the fat content, making it lower in lactose and safe for those sensitive to dairy. 

The side effect of fatigue is due to the lower calories in this diet shake. One way to avoid this side effect is to drink your 18 Shake at the same time every day. You can also incorporate a small snack to supplement the shake when you first start drinking it to help ease that transition and reduce the other side effect of irritability.

Is 18 Shake Worth the Money?

18 Shake

If you’re looking for a meal replacement that saves time and helps you lose weight, 18 Shake is one of the better alternatives. Coined and marketed as a ‘luxury meal replacement’, 18 Shake provides solid nutrition and energy support in addition to potentially helping prevent weight gain.

With its duo protein formula and whey protein isolate component, this shake ranks pretty high in terms of meal replacements. It’s gentle on the stomach, high in quality protein, gluten-free, free of added artificial sweeteners, and contains fewer calories than the average protein powder or meal replacement shake. In addition, 18 Shake contains an ingredient known as Fibersol-2, a high-fiber compound that can promote overall digestive health while also acting as an appetite suppressant. This ingredient makes this shake a great option as part of a weight-loss plan, which of course should be coupled with a healthy lifestyle and effective exercise program.

Additionally, we should add that there is no such thing as a miracle weight loss product. One might deem this shake a diet shake that tastes great, provides almost all of the nutrients you would otherwise get in a meal, including dietary fiber, and boasts a good degree of health benefits.

Right now, this meal replacement is available through their main website, 18shake.com. Their site is a little bit difficult to navigate though, and it can be hard to figure out how to purchase the shakes and also proves quite difficult to find a full list of ingredients.

Overall, we recommend starting slow and paying attention to how your body feels. Even though 18 Shake provides a complete source of nutrition, you shouldn’t use it to replace more than one meal a day. Further more, you should still prioritize consuming nutrient-dense foods, especially those rich in dietary fiber, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, which all help promote a healthy metabolism and keep you satiated for longer.

Overall Rating:
Photo of author

Alexa DaFonte

With a degree in Nutrition and Health Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Alexa brings a vast knowledge of nutritional sciences, especially as it intersects with modern health and wellness. Due to her passion for a healthy lifestyle, she enjoys spreading awareness of the science behind many of her nutrition practices.

Alternatives to 18 Shake

tri protein

Tri-Protein

  • Multiple Protein Sources
  • 21 Grams of Protein
  • Low Calorie
High Impact Plant Protein

High Impact Plant

  • Plant-Based Protein
  • Contains Vitamin D3
  • 90-Day Guarantee
Naked Whey

Naked Whey

  • Whey Protein
  • Unflavored
  • No Fillers