Meal replacement shakes are all the craze when it comes to the world of losing weight and muscle strength. They’re convenient & portable, nutritious, and easy to take.
While there are many meal replacement shakes aimed for weight loss, what a meal replacement does for a person depends solely on their personal needs. It just so happens that most people who buy meal replacement shakes or complete meal shakes want help in losing weight or a helping hand in their weight loss journey.
Speaking of weight loss, PhenQ is a rising brand when it comes to supplements that help in weight loss. They have a popular weight loss pill, so it’s only natural that they make a meal replacement shake for weight loss.
The product is called PhenQ Complete Meal Shake. Is PhenQ Complete Meal Shake any good? Will it help you lose weight? What are the benefits of taking PhenQ Meal Shake? What’s a good meal shake alternative to PhenQ Meal Shake?
Read on to find out.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake at a glance
- Reputable brand
- Quality ingredients
- Available in small pouches of 9 servings
- High protein content
- Vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly
- Customers say it tastes great
- Pea protein and hemp protein
- No bigger serving sizes
- Only two flavours
What is PhenQ Complete Meal Shake?
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake is described as a powerful weight loss support in one delicious shake. The company claims PhenQ Complete Meal Shake can:
- Replace one full meal
- Helps you lose weight with a special ingredient called InnoSlim
- Improves energy and reduces cravings
- 100% Plant-based and keto-friendly
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake is also specifically mentioned to be “not just a diet drink.” They say the difference between a diet drink and PhenQ Complete Meal Shake is how PhenQ Meal Shake does not leave you feeling hungry.
They also claim to be rich in vitamins and minerals while having a delicious taste.
What sports / activities is PhenQ Complete Meal Shake best suited to?
Based on their website, PhenQ Meal Shake works best for those who want to lose weight or have problems controlling their hunger cravings. This makes me think PhenQ Meal Shake is more of a fitness shake, one you take during your workout days, as to prevent excess caloric intake.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake ingredients
Let’s go check out what PhenQ Complete Meal Shake contains:
Vitamins and Minerals Blend
This is your standard vitamins and minerals blend, which is pretty much a staple in every meal replacement shake in the market. PhenQ Complete Meal Shake contains exactly 1/3 of your daily vitamins and minerals needs, which means the nutrients are only literally good to replace one meal only.
It should be noted that since the product is certified vegan, PhenQ Complete Meal Shake contains only plant-based vitamins and minerals as seen on their nutrition label.
Coconut Oil MCT
Coconut oil is regarded as a hidden superfood. The medium chain triglycerides found in coconut oil have been found to benefit overall immunity and promotes a more efficient fat burning system, which is critical for those following a keto weight loss journey.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake contains coconut oil MCT, which is the concentrated version of coconut oil, isolating everything else except the medium chain triglycerides.
Why are MCTs important?
In a keto diet, your carbs are understandably ultra-low. By ultra-low, I mean you have to count your vegetables and fruits too on top of your caloric-intake, a concept that can be too mind-boggling for the average health and fitness enthusiast.
Being low in carbs means your body’s first fuel source, glucose, is pretty much non-existent. This paves the way for ketones, an emergency energy source produced by burning lots of fat. MCTs are easily metabolized, especially if the person is doing keto. This means they aren’t stored as fat, allowing them to be burned faster for energy.
Basically, MCTs = direct source of energy. This is the reason so many fitness enthusiasts added coconut oil in their brewed coffees between 2014 and 2018. This was also commonly known as “bulletproof coffee.”
In addition to coconut oil’s general health benefits, being a type of fat means it helps with appetite control or satiety.
In meal replacement shakes, having ingredients that help with satiety is crucial, as replacing a meal means you’re not supposed to eat anything else other than the meal replacement shake.
Pea Protein, Brown Rice Protein, Hemp Protein
Pea protein and brown rice protein are two of the most common plant-based protein sources in the vegan world.
Pea protein has the benefits of being similar in overall essential amino acid content to animal sources, while brown rice protein has the added benefit of having more fibre (or at least helping with better appetite control) than the usual plant-based protein sources.
Hemp protein is relatively new compared to the previous plant proteins.
Hemp protein has all the amino acids, but it notably has really low levels of leucine and lysine. One perk of taking hemp protein is you also get omega 3 which is imperative in those who don’t eat fish.
Is hemp protein good for muscles? No research has had compelling evidence for it yet, but it’s a newcomer in the industry, which means it still has untapped potential.
Linseed Flour
Also known as flaxseed flour, is a reduced-fat flour and often used as a substitute to wheat flour or as an alternative protein source to eggs.
It has many health benefits associated with fibre and protein, buts its main draw in the meal replacement shake market is its gluten-free nature.
Just like pea protein, hemp protein, and brown rice protein, linseed flour is part of the usual vegan protein alternatives in many meal replacement shakes.
KSM-66 Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera Extract Min 5%)
Ashwagandha is your adaptogen or herb capable of mitigating stress levels. Plenty of studies cite how ashwagandha helps combat stress, whether at work or in the gym.
In the context of PhenQ meal replacement shake, ashwagandha is added to help fight the stress of being on a diet.
Because let’s face it: Resisting the urge to have more than a bite of chocolate is stressful, and stress can actually make us hungry.
By having ashwagandha, one of the best in the business of stress reducing, lowering stress means reducing the likelihood of having cravings.
The best part? KSM-66 is the branded form of ashwagandha known for quality and purity.
InnoSlim [Panax notoginseng extract (root) and Astragalus membranaceous extract (root)]
InnoSlim seems to be a blend of appetite suppressants.
PhenQ describes InnoSlim as a blend of natural plant extracts that can help reduce caloric intake, suppress appetite, and improve overall weight loss efforts.
The blend seems to work by improving gut microbiota, which can have an indirect benefit to our appetite.
Reishi Mushroom Extract (30% polysaccharides)
Reishi mushroom is rarely added in any meal replacement shake, so it’s actually a surprise to see it while I was writing my PhenQ Complete Meal Shake review.
From what I found, the benefits of Reishi mushroom extract range from immunity strengthening to helping fight fatigue and even some levels of depression.
In the context of PhenQ meal shake, Reishi works by helping with blood glucose levels.
Why is blood sugar control important? Because our appetite can be triggered by spikes in blood sugar, especially when our blood sugar levels dip.
Low blood sugar can be interpreted by the body as hunger, which explains why people who are sleep deprived (a known cause of low blood sugar levels) tend to eat more and beyond their normal appetites.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake is suitable for
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake is suitable for those who want a meal replacement shake that can support their weight loss efforts. PhenQ Complete Meal Shake contains ingredients that are filling and can help reduce appetite cravings.
Do the ingredients in PhenQ Complete Meal Shake work?
As far as the research goes, they should work. The doses are appropriate and the quality of ingredients clearly show someone from their team did their research.
The only way for PhenQ Complete Meal Shake to not work is if the person doesn’t really follow through on their health routine with exercise, or if they still eat something else other than this meal replacer.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake nutrition facts
The nutrition facts is clearly stated with nothing hidden, and I like it this way. The more transparent a company is with their product, the easier it is for us to objectively rate their formula.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake nutrition facts
The nutrition facts is clearly stated with nothing hidden, and I like it this way. The more transparent a company is with their product, the easier it is for us to objectively rate their formula.
How to take PhenQ Complete Meal Shake
According to the website:
“For best results, we recommend drinking PhenQ Meal Shake every day, preferably as a meal replacement.
Simply mix or shake one to two scoops of PhenQ Meal Shake with 8 to 16 ounces of water, or your choice of dairy-free, unsweetened milk.
Enjoy while heading off to work, or when you’re out and about. Or you can sip PhenQ Meal Shake right before bed as a way to de-stress and unwind. The possibilities are endless!“
On the product label:
Add 1 scoop (50.7g) to 300ml-400ml of water or plant milk in a shaker bottle. Shake well and enjoy immediately. Do not exceed 3 servings per day. You may use more or less liquid to adjust the thickness and taste of your PhenQ Complete Keto Meal Shake.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake Benefits
Some of the benefits you can expect from this complete meal shake are:
- Reduced appetite cravings
- Higher energy levels
- Better mood or positivity throughout the day
- Low carb, low calorie
PhenQ Meal Shake Side effects
We’re not really sure if users can experience any notable side effects as the quality of the ingredients are definitely top tier. They also made sure this complete meal shake is gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and dairy-free which eliminates quite a number of potential allergens.
The only possible side effect would be stomach sensitivity or having digestion problems. This is subjective, however, so if you feel something bad in your gut when you take PhenQ Meal Shake, stop consumption and get professional help.
Where to buy PhenQ Complete Meal Shake
You can buy PhenQ Meal Shake from their official website. You can have a one-time purchase or subscribe and save 10% with each bag.
Alternative to PhenQ Meal Shake
The closest I can think of as an alternative to PhenQ Meal Shake is SlimFast Advanced Vegan Vitality High Protein Meal Replacement Powder.
SlimFast Advanced Vegan Vitality High Protein Meal Replacement Powder has the following qualities:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Contains green tea and other fat burners
- High fibre content
- Cheaper than PhenQ
- Low calorie
PhenQ is definitely better than Slimfast, but the price per bag is too expensive for most people.
Slimfast performs similarly, but at around 1/3 of PhenQ’s original price tag. If you’re simply looking for a weight loss meal replacement shake, and not mind the generic ingredients used, Slimfast is good enough.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake: My verdict
Overall, I think PhenQ Meal Shake is one of the best in the business when it comes to diet meal replacers. The formula is well-researched, the ingredients are high quality, and they definitely sourced the ingredients in a way that makes them attractive even to people who have specific dietary needs.
The only drawback is the price as it’s easily one of the most expensive meal replacers I’ve ever seen on the market. To put things into perspective, the average cost per meal of a good meal replacer is about £1.10 or less. PhenQ’s price per meal is at £2.04.
However, the product is premium so if you can afford to shell out at an extra pound or two for this, let this PhenQ meal shake review tell you you’re making a good decision.
PhenQ Complete Meal Shake FAQs
Is PhenQ Complete Meal Shake safe to take?
Yes, PhenQ Meal Shake is safe enough for most people, judging by the way it’s formulated to cater to vegans and those with specific food sensitivities. If you do encounter problems, such as gut issues, stop immediately and seek professional help.
Will PhenQ Complete Meal Shake help me lose weight or my weight loss journey?
Yes, PhenQ meal shake can definitely help seeing as the ingredients seem to revolve around suppressing appetite and just being highly satiating.
How quickly does PhenQ Complete Meal Shake work?
It should work within the first hour of consumption, like most meal shake replacers. The powder format makes nutrients and other extracts easily absorbed and metabolized.
Is PhenQ Complete Meal Shake keto friendly?
Yes, PhenQ complete meal shake is keto friendly, as it’s low carb and is advertised as keto-friendly.
Does PhenQ Complete Meal Shake have caffeine?
There is no caffeine in PhenQ Complete Meal Shake.