Is Beachbody Shakeology a Meal Replacement Shake or a Protein Shake?

The biggest problem with Beachbody Shakeology (that’s right, there’s actually a problem with Shakeology!) is that it’s really hard to classify.

It’s not really a meal replacement — nor is it just a protein shake. So what is Shakeology?

By placing it in a category, you only limit how dynamic this shake is. So let’s break it down…

The Back Story

Shakeology is a superfood nutrition shake that can be a spark that prompts positive change in your life.

Drink it daily, and it can help you build a strong nutritional foundation of healthy energy and vitality you need to take on bigger challenges like a fitness program or a healthier diet.

Shakeology was created by Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler, nutrition and fitness advocate Isabelle Daikeler, and superfood hunter Darin Olien.

The idea was to create a nutrition product that would help restore some of the nutrients that our modern diets might be missing through a delicious shake made with a high standard of ingredient sourcing and quality. 

From the beginning, Shakeology was envisioned as a whole new type of shake. The promise between the founders was that they would never compromise health benefits for costs or profit.

That’s why we search the world over for potent superfoods rarely used in similar products and combine them in precise ways to optimize its health benefits. Since its launch in 2009, Shakeology has been a core part of the Beachbody experience. 

Note: This article is intended for the U.S. audience. Click here for the U.K. version.

What Is Beachbody Shakeology? Is It a Meal Replacement?

By itself, Shakeology does not replace a meal. That being said, it certainly can be part of a balanced meal when combined with healthy foods like berries and other fruit, nuts, seeds, and nut butters, avocados, various milks, or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Or what about drinking it before your meal? “Wait!” you say. “Won’t that ruin my appetite?”

It sure does — but in a good way! Shakeology is loaded with protein and provides fiber — both which help promote a feeling of satiety and curb appetite.

So drinking it before breakfast, lunch, or dinner is what’s referred to in clinical circles as “pre-loading,” or consuming a pre-meal snack to suppress hunger and decrease food intake.

In other words, Shakeology is not a meal replacement, but it could be considered a healthy way to tide you over, keep you from “pigging out,” and help you stay on course with your balanced, healthy diet.

That said, it’s not just a plain old protein (and fiber) shake!

It works by addressing some nutritional gaps that our diets can have with potent ingredients that help support digestive health, provide healthy energy, reduce cravings and just plain feel better.

And when we feel better, we do better, making smarter choices and taking on bigger challenges.

Is Beachbody Shakeology a Protein Shake?

With 16 to 17 grams of globally harvested protein per glass, depending on your flavor, Shakeology comes in at roughly the same protein level as a serving of Greek yogurt (18 grams per 7 ounces) or tofu (16 grams in 7 ounces).

And it surpasses eggs, which check in at 12 grams for two. While it’s not as high as meat or fish, it still has enough protein for it to count as a red container in the Portion-Control Container system.

So, yes, Shakeology is a protein shake.

That said, regular protein drinks tend to focus almost exclusively on, well, protein. Therefore they have more protein grams at the expense of other nutrients.

This isn’t the case with Shakeology, given it includes a variety of nutrients, including carbs and fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, pre- and probiotics, adaptogens, vitamins, and minerals. Shakeology is even low glycemic index-certified by an independent laboratory.

The combined effect does so much more than just provide amino acids. Shakeology works to benefit your overall health, helping to support healthy energy, curb cravings, and support your digestive health.

So while you can certainly drink Shakeology to add protein to your diet, you’re missing the big picture — and some of the prime benefits — by focusing exclusively on this one macronutrient.

So what do you call Shakeology? The marketing gurus at Beachbody have gone around in circles with that one for a while. “Your Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition”?

Sure, that’s a spot-on tagline, but given Shakeology’s diversity, it’s a hard product to pin down.

So instead of spending all this energy coming up with a label, how about we do what we’re supposed to do with the stuff: Drink it, keep active, eat right, and get healthy.