The Best Vegan Meal Replacement Shakes: Protein Powders And Shakes For Vegans

Vegan meal replacement shakes are making waves again. In a fast-paced world where few people have the time to prepare normal meals, meal replacement diets are slowly coming in handy.

Not only is it stressful to prepare normal meals, it's also difficult to eat healthy in today's world. Most people are too busy to consider healthy food because of the convenience of fast-food diets. However, vegan replacement diets are providing a more convenient option in that regard.

Vegan meal replacement diets also have its additional benefits. Research suggests that vegan diets generally are cheaper, lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the body mass index.

Doctors, dietitians, and other health practitioners have started looking towards the benefits of vegan meal replacement diets and how they can help recovering patients. The vegan diet can help reduce the number of medications needed to treat a particular illness and save medical costs.

Another group of people eager to tap into the benefits of vegan replacement diets are fitness enthusiasts. Since most vegan replacement diets come in shakes, it's more convenient for fitness enthusiasts to carry around.

Not only that, the vegan fitness enthusiasts don't need to be deprived of the essential vitamins and minerals present in an animal diet. This is because the vegan replacement diets contain essential proteins and other minerals required to build muscles and help in recovery after a hard workout.

With all these benefits, finding a proper vegan meal replacement diet can be tricky. Luckily, we have enough quality options. We will address each of them in this article.

But before that….

What are vegan meal replacement shakes?

Vegan meal replacement shakes are some convenient forms of vegan diets. They are made to either supplement or replace a full vegan diet. 

They come in ready-to-eat shakes, making them super easy and convenient for the user to prepare.

Vegan replacement shakes contain adequate amounts of proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other necessary phytonutrients not seen in most food labels.

A typical, high-quality vegan meal replacement shake should contain all the essential nutrients present in a normal balanced meal. It should also provide the required energy and calories obtained in a regular, healthy, and balanced vegan meal.

Any vegan meal replacement diet should aim to replace regular meals and provide required calories as much as they could. If the meal replacement diet does not contain enough calories, the user can supplement with more calories by adding dairy-free milk; like the almond milk.

All vegan meal replacement shakes should be easy to prepare. They should also contain enough nutrients and calories to get you going throughout your day. 

How do vegan replacement shakes compare with regular diets?

Vegan meal replacement shakes are effective, cheaper, and saves more time than regular diets. 

Although some dietitians warn about replacing regular diets with meal replacement diets, studies and experiments have shown that they can be equally effective.

In 2013, a guy named Josh spent 30 days eating nothing but Soylent - a vegan meal replacement shake. He detailed his story and conveyed how he felt daily while taking Soylent.

There are lots of stories on people experimenting with meal replacement shakes and how they felt about it. The results were not much different from eating regular meals.

Although vegan replacement shakes are equally as effective when compared to regular diets, dietitians have argued on the aftereffects of low protein in the diet.

Vegan meal replacement shakes contain essential amino acids which help to stimulate muscle protein synthesis; hence, aid in muscle building.

Several studies have compared the effectiveness of plant and animal proteins in relation to the muscle response to both. 

Plant proteins such as oat, wheat, hemp, soy, brown rice, and peas provided as many amino acids requirements in comparison with animal protein such as eggs, whey, milk, and casein.

This study strengthened the argument that plant proteins can provide as much protein requirement as animal protein, making vegan meal replacement shakes a strong bet.

All these suggest that you should only select vegan meal replacement shakes that contain enough plant proteins. This allows you to get as much protein as that present in a regular meal.

In conclusion, you can rely on vegan meal replacement shakes. However, they have to contain enough plant-based proteins so you won't miss out on all the nutrients benefits.

Are vegan meal replacement shakes safe?

There's a big debate on the safety of consuming meal replacement diets in general. However, vegan meal replacement shakes have been proven to be safe.

No report shows they are not safe. Since they rarely contain any synthetic materials or harsh chemicals, their safety is mostly guaranteed by the companies offering them.

There are lots of testimonials by people who completely replaced their diets with vegan meal replacement shakes. Most have positive reviews and recommend the diets to others.

Users may expose themselves to some risks while eating the usual vegan diet. Some of these risks include deprivation of certain vitamins and nutrients such as iron, zinc, omega fatty acids, vitamin D, and calcium.

However, these nutrients are present in most vegan meal replacement shakes. The good part is that they are all plant-based and support the full vegan diet culture.

Benefits of vegan meal replacement shakes.

Vegan meal replacement diets offer lots of nutritional, social, and environmental benefits. Simply eating vegan diets not only helps you, it also helps both the people around you and keeps your environment safe.

Below are the benefits of taking the vegan meal replacement shakes:

1. They are environmentally-friendly

Environmental scientists have verified that consuming vegan diets helps in reducing the greenhouse effect on the environment. 

Vegan meal replacement shakes are part of vegan diets and an environmental breakdown suggests that such diets can promote a healthy environment.

The study looked at the number of greenhouse emissions per food and found out that meat and dairy production is responsible for about 60% of greenhouse gases. 

So if you're enthusiastic about the environment, vegan meal replacement shakes might be your best bet.

Non-vegan can also indulge in vegan meal replacement shakes. You get the same nutritional value, save cost, and help the environment as a bonus. 

Vegan meal replacement shakes also help reduce waste because they stay longer on shelves and are not readily consumed compared to fast foods and homemade meals.

2. They make eating easy and convenient.

The world is getting super busy as time goes by and most people are looking to avoid decision fatigue. 

People have tight work schedules and other hectic responsibilities such as cleaning, exercising, hobbies, and other activities to look forward to. Preparing meals with these activities in their calendar and to-do-list can be difficult.

Vegan meal replacement diets solve this problem by providing an easy way to prepare your meal. Some of these meals require just an addition of water, and you get almost all the nutrients and calories you need for your daily activities.

3. They save you money.

There's an ongoing myth that vegan meal replacement shakes are expensive. Don't believe that. Vegan meal replacement shakes are more cost-effective than everyday grocery shopping.

If you're confused you can check the value of buying groceries every day and compare it with the price of the cheapest vegan meal replacement diet.

The cheapest Huel meal cost about $1.51 per meal, and it offers you the best value for your money in terms of nutrition, energy, and satiety.

4. They are best for people with gut problems.

People with stomach problems have difficulties digesting conventional food. Vegan meal replacement shakes are designed to digest easily in the stomach. 

Due to the liquid consistency, digestion is usually rapid and the food empties to the small intestine easily.

Some vegan meal replacement shakes contain allergens. Although most come with trigger warnings, you should consult your doctor or dietitian before starting the diet. This will ensure that you're on the safe side, and also prevent food allergies and other hypersensitivities.

5. They are healthy.

One great thing about vegan meal replacement shakes is their health content. All of the shakes certainly do not contain the same amount of nutrients, but most of them contain healthy minerals and traces of superfoods.

Some of the superfoods common in vegan meal replacement shakes include Flaxseed, sunflower, blackcurrant seeds, grape seeds, green tea, coconut oil, etc.

These contents fit into the healthy profile of most recommended diets. This makes the vegan meal replacement shakes a super healthy food option to consider.

The best vegan meal replacement shakes compared.

There are loads of vegan meal replacement diets available. All offer benefits in terms of price, value, and convenience.

However, some of these products also have qualities that make them better than others. Although that should not deter you from making your choice based on preference.

Below are 7 top vegan meal replacement shakes.

1. Soylent
2. Huel
3. Ambronite
4. Super body fuel
5. Ample
6. Garden of life
7. Vast.

	Soylent	Huel	Super Body Fuel	Ample	Garden of Life	Vast	Ambronite
Ready to drink	Yes	Yes	Mix with water or oil	Mix with water	Mix with water	Yes	Mix with water.
Artificial Ingredients	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Organic	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Allergens	Soy	Nuts,Soy, Gluten	None	Nuts	None	None	None
Calories per serving	400	400	500	600	130	220	160
Lactose-free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gluten-free	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Animal-free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Non-GMO	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nutrient Capacity	Low	Medium	High	High	High	High	High
Cost per serving	$0.81	$0.53	$0.50	$1.75	$1.10	$2.40	$4.25

1. Soylent

Soylent was founded in 2013 by Rob Rhinehart. Rob's mission was to make food simpler to make without much difficulty. After eating a routine diet of frozen food and ramen noodles, Rob and his team decided to experiment with a new diet and Soylent was born.

Soylent is one of the most popular vegan meal replacement shakes around. They've built an impressive reputation as a trusted company when it comes to meal replacement diets in general.

Soylent promised to make food available and accessible to everyone through innovation. The innovative aspect of their products is great but the quality aspect is questionable as you'll learn.

Packaging

Soylent comes in liquid, powdered form or shakes. The meal replacement shakes includes a variety of flavors such as:

• Cacao
• Banana
• Mint chocolate
• Nectar
• Creamy chocolate
• Strawberry
• Original

The bulk powder package comes in just 3 flavors which includes:

• Original
• Cacao
• Nectar
• Cafe's Coffiest (Newly added flavor)

Soylent comes in pouches and is available in an online pack of 12. One great thing about Soylent is its availability. Soylent is available in most grocery stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, and even gas stations.

Nutritional information

One full meal of Soylent contains about 400 calories, 42g of carbohydrates, 20g of protein, and 19g of fats all in one serving.

The shakes come  in different flavors which contain about 400-calorie serving, 20g of protein, 24g of fats, and 36g of carbohydrates. There is also about 6g of fiber in one full Soylent meal. 

Soylent facts

Soylent doesn't hide nutritional facts from its customers. They are quite open with their customers when discussing what's inside their products.

Here's a list of great things you should know about Soylent.

• Soylent is completely vegan and animal-free.
• Manufactured and packaged in the U.S.
• Does not contain milk or any dairy protein.
• Obeys good manufacturing practices and packaging procedures.
• Good reputation for saving the environment.

Here are the NOT so great things about Soylent.

• Contains allergens(soy and gluten)
• Not kosher certified

Nutritional Positives

1. Contains good kinds of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
2. Contains all required vitamins and minerals.
3. Comes in a variety of attractive flavors.
4. Contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that lack in most vegan diets.
5. Contains traces of fiber.

Nutritional negatives

1. Contains allergens such as soy and gluten.
2. Contains added excess sugar(present in Soylent Coffiest)
3. Excess carbohydrates.
4. Too many additives (Artificial colors and flavors).

Verdict

Soylent should be lauded with its simplicity and transparency. However, the overall nutritional profile of this product is not optimal for an average vegan. Soylent is great, no doubt, but there are an array of products that offer better health-focused options. If you want something more nutritious and healthy, you may need to pass on Soylent.

Rating: 2/5

2. Huel

Huel is another popular vegan meal replacement diet company. The founder coined the name from " human fuel". Huel prides itself as the "World's no 1 complete food" and wants to change the way people think about food.

Packaging

Huel vegan meal replacement diet comes in a powdered form and pre-prepared shakes. They offer varieties of flavours such as chocolate, banana, vanilla, and berry. 

Huel products come in bottles and pouches. Its "hot and savory" type and powders come in pouches while the "ready-to-drink shakes" come in bottles. They also come in snack bars which are simply easy to eat.  

Nutritional information

The Huel powder contains about 30g of protein per serving. You get 400 calories from each serving of the Huel powder.

The high amount of protein is great for vegan fitness enthusiasts who want to build their muscle while sticking to their vegan diet. The protein content is mostly from plant protein.

Other nutrients available per serving includes 13g of fats and 45g of carbohydrates. 

The nutrient content varies depending on the product. Although the calories are the same at 400 calories. The ready-to-drink shake contains less protein at 20g per serving. They also contain

19g of fats and about 40g of carbohydrates!

The high carbohydrate content might raise some alarm but Huel promises that the carbs are not released all at once. They assured that the carbs are released slowly throughout the day to match your energy needs.

Huel facts

Huel being a direct competitor to Soylent also offers some transparency with their products. 

Here are a few great things to know about Huel

• Manufactured and packaged in the U.S.A
• Completely vegan and animal-free.
• Gluten-free and lactose-free.
• Does not use GMOs.
• Affordable cost per serving.
• FDA approved.
• Commendable customer service.

The Not so great things about Huel include:

• It's non-organic.
• Contains artificial flavors and sweeteners.

Nutritional positives

• Contains 28 vitamins and minerals.
• Have a gluten-free formula.
• Contains high protein content for vegan muscle builders.
• Added Omega-3 and Omega-6 which is lacking in most vegan diets and is beneficial to the heart and brain.
• Contains fiber.
• Contain both probiotics and prebiotics. Both are great for gut health.

Nutritional negatives

• Contains food allergens(nuts, soy, and gluten)
• High in carbohydrates.

Verdict

Huel offers great vegan meal replacement products with exceptional customer service. There's a close similarity with Soylent in terms of nutritional information. However, Huel offers a more health-conscious vegan diet when compared with Soylent.

Rating:3/5

3. Ambronite

Ambronite is one of the few plant-based, fully organic meal replacement diet companies. 

Ambronite is a raw organic food with lots of fruits and veggies. It contains whole ingredients with plant enzymes and superfoods. Ambronite prides itself on being a purely organic food company. They have a zero policy on artificial ingredients in their products. 

Ambronite gets its plant-based ingredients from the most trusted sources available. The ingredients are thoroughly tested for heavy metals and other major pollutants.

Packaging

Ambronite meal shakes come in 3 packages:

• The Keto meal shakes
• The Balanced meal shakes
• The Complete meal shakes

The Keto Meal Shake comes in 2 package sizes:

- Full Meal Pouch( one meal)

- Big Bag (4 full meals)

The Balanced Meal Shake comes in 2 package sizes:

- Full Meal Pouch(one meal)

- Tub (10 Full Meals)

The Complete Meal Shake is currently available in 2 package sizes:

- Full Meal Pouch(one meal)

- Big Bag (4 Full Meals)

Nutritional information

Ambronite meal shakes contain fewer calories compared to Soylent and Huel. Ambronite contains 160 calories per serving; compared to 400 calories in Huel and Soylent.

The protein content in Ambronite is also lesser. Ambronite contains just 10g of protein per serving. Its fat content is 6g, with carbohydrates at 17g. It also contains added sugar numbered at 5g per serving.

The protein content in Ambronite is optimal. However, the fats and carbohydrates available are not enough to replace a full meal. To replace a full meal, you'll need to take about 3 servings of Ambronite to get the right amount of carbs and fats present in a full meal.

Positives(General)

• Purely organic
• Does not use GMOs
• More nutrients than Soylent and Huel.
• Contains fewer allergens 
• Contains digestive enzymes and superfoods.
• Contains natural flavors.
• Lactose-free and Soy-free. 
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals.
• Contains omega-3 and omega-6 acid sourced from plant sources.  
• FDA approved.

Negatives

• Too expensive. Cost per serving is costly when compared to Soylent and Huel.
• Low calories. Needs multiple servings to complete full calorie needs. 
•  Not suitable for vegan bodybuilders due to relatively low protein content.
• Contains added sugar.

Verdict

Ambronite offers a purely organic meal replacement diet. This is great for health-conscious people. 

The absence of food allergens also makes it a great choice for allergic people. 

The main drawback with Ambronite is the price. It might seem too costly for people who want something cheaper than regular meals.

Rating:4/5

4. Super body fuel

Super body fuel is a small, self-funded food start-up in the San Francisco industrial neighborhood. They have a mission to help people save money, save time, lose weight, and also live healthier.

Packaging

Super body fuel comes only in powder form. They mostly packed in bags of different powder flavors.

Each order contains one or more bags of powder, either samples of a single meal or a bulk bag with a scoop to measure each meal. You mix the powder with a certain amount of water and oil (or milk, depending on the recipe), to make a nutritionally complete drink.

Nutritional information

Super body fuel contains about 500 calories. It also has 25g of protein and 31g of fats. Its carbohydrate content is at 31g. It contains 0g of added sugar. 

The main source of protein in super body fuel is brown rice and oats. The protein content is quite low when compared to Soylent and Huel. However, the company advises its customers to supplement the food with oil(Avocado or olive oils) before mixing it with water.

Positives

• No added sugar.
• Have enough product varieties.
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals.
• Nutritionally complete.

Negatives

• Doesn't come in ready-made shakes.
• No extra oils to make the meal complete.
• Low-quality ingredients.
• Doesn't really save time since it needs to be refrigerated before consumption.

Verdict

Great product. But there are better options to choose from.

Rating:3.5/5

5. Ample V

Ample is another impressive vegan meal replacement diet. The company promises its customers convenient, full meal nutrition on the go.

Packaging

Ample comes in powder form. They are packed in single serving bottles for a single meal and medium-sized canisters for larger meals (up to 15 meals!)

Nutritional information

Ample contains more calories than most vegan meal replacement shakes. The caloric value goes as high as 600 calories. 

However, this should not deter you. Ample V has a remarkable balance of essential nutrients and healthy fats that can keep you full for a whole day.

Ample has about 400-600 calories, 20g of plant-based protein, 23g of carbohydrates, and 26g of fats.

It's gluten-free and lactose-free.

Positives(General)

• Contains essential vitamins and minerals.
• Uses high-quality ingredients.
• A balanced amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
• High in fiber.
• Contains probiotics for healthy digestion.
• Contains no artificial flavors and sweeteners.
• Made from non-GMO sources.

Negatives

• High calories. Doesn't encourage people trying to lose weight.
• The cost per serving is too high when compared to others.
• Lack of flavor varieties. Only comes in berry flavors.
• Contains nuts as a food allergen.

Verdict

Ample is one of the great bunch. However, its price and high caloric value are likely to discourage some people.

Rating:5/5

6. Garden of Life

Garden of life is another purely organic vegan meal replacement diet.

The vegan meal replacement shakes are made from natural and organic ingredients. The product is USDA certified, B.corp certified, and non-GMO verified.

Packaging

The raw organic meal shakes come in canisters. You can easily mix the powder with water or any preferred liquid and take the meal on the go!

Nutritional information

The Garden of life meal shakes, per serving, contain about 130 calories, 13g of carbohydrates, 20g of protein, and 2g of fats.

It also contains other essential nutrients, including about 44 superfoods and nutrients from organic sprouted sources.

Garden of Life meal shakes are fortified with vitamin, minerals, fruits, and healthy grains.

It's completely free from gluten, soy, dairy, tree nuts, filler ingredients, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.

Positives(General)

• Purely organic with natural ingredients.
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals.
• Contains probiotics and digestive enzymes for easy digestion.
• Boosts energy.
• Tastes great.
• Satisfied hunger.
• Certified by USDA and B.corp.
• Non-GMO verified.

Negatives

• Low in calories.
• Not enough calories to completely replace meals for people.

Verdict

Garden of life is a healthy vegan meal replacement diet. Its superfoods content and natural ingredients are great for health-conscious individuals. However, the caloric value is too low to replace meals, making it a not-so-great choice for some individuals.

Rating:2/5

7. Vast

Our last vegan meal replacement diet is Vast. Vast, formerly known as Kiito, offers a keto-friendly vegan meal shake. This is unique because most vegan meal shakes can rarely be classified as keto diets due to high carb content.

When compared with other meal replacement shakes, Vast is a completely different product.

Packaging

Vast comes in ready-to-drink shakes. It's packaged in biodegradable and recyclable bottles. The bottle packaging is as fancy as that of Soylent and Huel, and it's suitable as a piece of travel luggage.

Nutritional information

Vast contains about 220 calories per serving. This means that it doesn't replace a full meal. It contains about 20g of protein, 4g of carbohydrates, and 13g of fats. It also has about 1g of added sugar.

Vast also contains some superfoods and nutrients. The one that caught my interest is "Ashwagandha.” Vast claims this superfood (adaptogen) helps in keeping your anxiety in check and helping you relax.

Vast comes in a variety of flavors. These include:

• Dark Chocolate.
• Mocha latte.
• Matcha latte.
• Cream.
• Vanilla bean.
• Cookies, coconut, and cashew flavors.

Positives(General)

• Purely organic.
• Includes superfoods such as Moringa, Maca root, and Ashwagandha(helps to reduce anxiety)
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals.
• Free from added sugars and artificial ingredients.
• Does not contain any form of gums.
• Does not contain soy, dairy, or gluten.
• Different product varieties and options.
• Great flavor options.
• Protein is sourced from peas, known to have a high amino acid profile.

Negatives

• Cannot replace a full meal with one serving.
• Contains too many fats.
• High cost per serving.

Verdict

Vast is a unique product. It's purely organic and keto-friendly. It's ideal for individuals who want to maintain their keto diets as vegans. 

The only drawback is the required servings you need to complete a full meal. This is also considering that its cost per serving is already relatively high.

Rating:4.5/5

Should you use vegan meal replacement shakes?

Vegan meal replacement diets are made for everyone. The food thing about them is the variety of products that offer different options. For example, if weight loss is your main goal, you can easily opt for Ample V meal replacement shake due to its low calories.

Someone that's allergic to nuts can choose between Vast and Garden of life meal shakes to avoid food-related allergies.

In conclusion, vegan meal replacement diets are made for everyone. Many options suit whatever goal or objectives you have in mind.

	Soylent	Huel	Super Body Fuel	Ample	Garden of Life	Vast	Ambronite
Ready to drink	Yes	Yes	Mix with water or oil	Mix with water	Mix with water	Yes	Mix with water.
Artificial Ingredients	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Organic	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Allergens	Soy	Nuts,Soy, Gluten	None	Nuts	None	None	None
Calories per serving	400	400	500	600	130	220	160
Lactose-free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gluten-free	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Animal-free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Non-GMO	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nutrient Capacity	Low	Medium	High	High	High	High	High
Cost per serving	$0.81	$0.53	$0.50	$1.75	$1.10	$2.40	$4.25

What to look out for before choosing a vegan meal replacement shake

Choosing the right vegan meal replacement product can be daunting. This is due to a vast amount of products in the market, each with the promise of offering the best deals and options available.

How do you know the best product to choose from?

To choose the best product, you need to first consider why you want the product. There are different reasons you might opt for vegan meal replacement diets. 

You might want to lose weight, start a fitness diet, don't have time to cook, or maybe you want to supplement a particular nutrient you feel might be missing in your diet.

All these are legit reasons why people also take vegan meal replacement diets.

High-quality vegan meal replacement shakes should have the following properties and content.

• Contain natural ingredientsNo artificial flavors and colors.
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals.
• Have great taste and flavors.
• Convenient.

The above properties make a perfect meal replacement product. A good product option should obey the rules listed above, and also contain the required ingredients