What is the best protein shake for weight loss? Building muscle? Overall health?
In this article I will be comparing a few of the most popular protein shakes in terms of ingredients, cost, and results. I will focus on a few of the most well known brands, most of which also have an income opportunity attached, but I will focus solely on the product itself, not the business.
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First of all let's explore Isagenix.
Isagenix is a multi level marketing company whose main products are it's protein shakes. Having tried them myself, I can verify that the shake are very tasty. They come in vanilla and chocolate but are even better when mixed with some frozen fruit. Isagenix claims to use a very high quality whey protein isolate that is natural and free from pesticides. They claim to be a very healthy shake, despite the fact that each serving contains 16 grams of sugar. They also contain all the amino acids that is normally found in whey protein.
The cost of a 14 serving canister is approximately plus taxes and shipping so most people would need 2 canisters per month, bringing it close to around 0 monthly. Isagenix promotes a '30 day cleanse' and you will find a ton of success stories from people using Isagenix all over the internet.
The main pros for Isagenix are it's high quality whey, and the taste. The cons are the high sugar content and the lack of other 'superfood' ingredients.
Next let's have a look at Visalus.
Visalus is also a multi level marketing company whose main products are it's shakes. The cost of the shakes are less than Isagenix. A package is but contains 30 servings. The company does an excellent job on marketing it's products and claim that their shakes taste like cake mix. Personally, I would find that a little too sweet, but many people like that. I have not tried the Visalus shakes myself for the simple reason that they contain a few questionable ingredients like sucrolose and soy.
Those who are distributing Visalus shakes will have argue that the soy is non GMO and the sucrolose is in such a tiny amount that it doesn't matter, but I personally am not comfortable putting those ingredients in my body on a daily basis. If you Google the Visalus ingredients online you will find people in both camps on this issue.
Visalus does a 'Challenge' that gets people pumped up to lose weight and there are many success stories with their program.
The pros of Visalus are the cost and for those with a sweet tooth, the taste. The cons would be the ingredients I mentioned.
Another popular shake is Shakeology, by Beachbody.
BeachBody changed their marketing to into a network marketing structure in 2007 after many years of success through infomercials. Their name is well known mostly for it's fitness programs like P90X and Insanity. The ingredients in Shakeology are very high quality and many of them are considered superfoods. To source all these ingredients separately would be extremely expensive. Overall, the protein content and the nutritional content are exceptional, and one look at the ingredients list will impress anyone in the health industry.
The cost of a 30 day supply is 9, making it the most expensive of the three brands. But as a 'coach', you would receive 25% off plus free shipping. It cost's /month extra to be a coach with BeachBody in order to get the discount. When you look at it that way, the monthly cost for Shakeology including taxes and all fees would be around 0.
However, despite the high cost, many people who are conscious of ingredients choose Shakeology.
BeachBody also offers some well known fitness programs like P90X, Brazilian Butt Lift, Insanity, and TurboFire, that go along with their weight loss incentives. They promote nutrition, good eating, plus exercise to lose weight, and like Isagenix and Visalus, you will find tons of success stories with Shakeology as well.
The pros of Shakelogy are the superior, wholefoods based ingredients that are nutritionally dense. The cons would be the cost.
In most other shakes I compared, the average cost per canister was between and for a two week supply. In shakes with lower quality ingredients, I found that same price for a 30 day supply.
The bottom line when choosing the best protein shake for you is to look at the ingredients first and then choosing the highest quality you can, that also fits into your budget.
You may have to try several brands before you find the one that's best for you, then drink a lot of water, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly.
What's the Best Protein Shake? Comparing Visalus, Isagenix, Shakeology, and More
Rebecca Ness is a 'work from anywhere' mother who blogs for a living and writes about health, travel, and financial freedom. Visit her at http://www.work-from-anywhere-family.com