Update 7/19/19. Several people have been asking me about the 18 Shake. Does it work? Is it a scam? What's the scoop? Well, the product website calls it the “#1 Luxury Meal Replacement” which is quite a claim. All hype aside, In this review, I'll look at the nutrition and ingredients and science in the 18 shake as well as the price because I think that's important too. I was also curious what's the “18” in the name referred to as well. By the end of this review, you'll have a better idea if the 18 Shake is right for you.
18 Shake Nutrition Facts
Each scoop (serving) of the 18 Shake (27.27 g) has the following Supplement Facts:
| Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|
| Calories 90 | |
| Calories from fat 10 | |
| Total fat 1.5 g | 2% DV |
| Saturated fat 1g | 4% DV |
| Trans fat 0 g | N/A |
| Cholesterol 30 mg | 11% DV |
| Total carbs 8 g | 3% DV |
| Dietary fiber 5 g | 21% DV |
| Sugars 1 g | N/A |
| Protein 15 g | 30% DV |
Each bag has 16 servings. Let's take a closer look at this table and see if we can make it more understandable.
18 Shake Calories
The Supplement Facts table tells us that 1 scoop of the 18 Shake is 90 calories. The Supplement Facts table also tells us that each container has 16 servings (scoops). So, if you used 1 scoop per day, a container would last you only about 2.5 weeks. This is important. See the price for the 18 Shake listed below for more information.
The product website contains various recipes too. They also provide information on the approximate number of calories those recipes have as well. Overall the recipes I saw look fine and add to the nutrition of the shake.
18 Shake Fat Content
The Supplement Facts table tells us that each scoop has 10 calories from fat. In other words, of the 90 total calories in a scoop, 10 of those calories comes from fat. From this information, we can determine the percentage of fat that the shake is. To do this, here is the math:
Fat calories / Total calories X 100
10 fat calories / 90 total calories = 0.111
0.111 X 100 = 11.1% fat.
Answer; Each scoop of the 18 Shake is about 11% fat.
The Supplement Facts label also tells us that each shake provides 2% and 4% respectfully the recommend amount of Total fat and Saturated fat we should aim for each day. As such, the shake is technically “low” in both saturated fat and total fat.
Remember, when reading Nutrition Facts labels, FDA guidelines stipulate that anything that is 5% or less is considered “low” and anything that is 20% or more, is considered “high.”
Overall, that's not too bad.
The Fiber In 18 Shake
The 18 Shake provides 15 grams of fiber per scoop. This comes to 21% of the recommended amount of fiber we should be eating per day. So, it's technically high in fiber.
The 21% is based on us eating 2000 calories per day. If we eat less calories, as most people taking the 18 Shake likely do, then its more than 21%. The good thing about fiber is it fills us up and doesn't provide any calories.
The fiber comes from a patented (man-made) fiber called “Fibersol 2” This is a fiber that comes from maltodextrin. This is why if you look at the ingredients, you won't see Fibersol-2 listed. Instead, you will see maltodextrin. I've seen this fiber in many weight loss shakes.
They say that Fibersol-2 is “digestion resistant” which means we can't digest it and it provides no calories. In other supplements, the term used is “digestion resistant starch.”
Like all fiber, maltodextrin/Fibersol-2 helps fill us up, making it less likely for us to overeat or snack between meals.
Other products I've looked at that also contained Fibersol-2 include
See those other reviews for more info on those products.
Fibersol-2 was originally created by Japan’s Matsutani Chemical Industry Co and is produced by Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM). In fact, the company which registered the “Fibersol.com” website is ADM.
In this 2015 study, 10 grams of Fibersol-2 made people feel less hungry 1.5-2 hours after using the fiber. In this study, 10 grams were needed. Using only 5 grams of the fiber did not work. This study only looked at appetite. It did not investigate weight loss with Fibersol-2.
Because of this research, Fibersol-2 is likely one of the main key ingredients – if not the main ingredient – in the 18Shake. Remember, the 18 shake has 15 grams of fiber/Fibersol-2 per scoop. So, it looks like the shake is giving people more than what research used. That's good.
You can purchase Fibersol 2 on Amazon – and it's not expensive either.
How Much Protein?
The 18 Shake provides 15 grams of protein per scoop. The protein comes from a combination of:
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein isolate
They call this the “Duo Protein Complex“ on the ingredients list. Whey protein is one of the 2 main proteins in milk. The other protein is casein. Some shakes contain mainly casein -such as the Pure Protein Shake while others contain mostly whey. Whey is a fine protein source and provides all the necessary amino acids that we need.
18 Shake Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for the 18 Shake. Read the table from left to right. Ingredients at the top of the list are present the most. Those at the end of the list are present the least.
| Whey protein concentrate | Whey protein isolate | Maltoxextrin (Fibersol-2) |
| Natural cocoa | Vitamin A | Vitamin C |
| Vitamin D3 | Vitamin E | Vitamin K |
| Thiamine | Riboflavin | Niacinamide |
| Vitamin B6 | Folic acid | Vitamin B12 |
| Biotin | Panthothenic acid | Potassium iodide |
| Zinc citrate | Selenium chelate | Copper chelate |
| Chromium nicotinate | Xanthan gum | Natural flavoring |
| Stevia extract |
For the most part, I've left out a lot of the big names of the vitamins to keep the ingredients as simple as possible. For example, instead of calling the ingredient”cyanocobalamin” I just called it vitamin B12 because that's the name most people use.
Does It Contain Soy?
The ingredient list states that the 18Shake has soy lecithin but not soy protein. Soy lecithin is likely used to make sure the ingredients mix well. That's why it contains Xanthan gum too.
The 18Shake website goes off on a tirade about how “the latest research” (which they didn't reveal) shows that soy is bad for us – esp GMO soy. If you don't like soy, great, but in my opinion I would not worry about it.
Does It Have GMO's?
The website says that the whey protein in the 18 Shake is Non-GMO. So it does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). While it's controversial in some circles whether GMOs are bad for us or not, I personally like knowing if a food/supplement is GMO. I appreciate the company stating this.
Is 18 Shake Gluten-Free?
Yes, the supplement website states that the 18Shake is gluten-free. This means it has less than 20ppm of gluten per serving. This is the gluten-free rule set forth by the FDA. Here's the FDA gluten-free page.
How Much Does 18 Shake Cost?
This is where the 18 Shake went off the rails as far as I was concerned. To see the price, I first had to give them my name, address, phone number, etc. Why do they need this information? They don't need it. There is a reason they are doing this. Here's what it says on the “Privacy Page” of 18Shake.com,
By providing us with Personal Information about yourself on our Website or in the course of using our services, you consent to the transfer of your Personal Information, and any other data we acquire about you from third-party service providers for commercial use.
In other words, it sounds like they are saying whether you buy the 18Shake or not the company can still make money by selling your information to others. I wasn't comfortable with that. I get enough fake phone calls, spam, and junk mail.
That said, at the bottom of the website, on the Terms and Conditions Page of 18Shake.com, I discovered these prices for the product:
- 1 pack of the 18Shake is $79.99 (1 month supply)
- If you buy 2 packs of 18Shake, it's $179.97 plus they give 1 free pack
- If you buy 3 packs, it's $249.95 plus they give 2 free packs
This is too expensive for a simple fiber shake.
Who Makes The 18 Shake?
The company is called 18Nutrition.com. To contact the company call 800-614-1820. The address listed at the bottom of the website is 3390 Deronda Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90068.
When I googled that address, I found the Zillow listing of a house. I was told this is the corporate office. When I called the company I learned that the shake is made in the US and that it is shipped to consumers via a fulfillment center in Georgia which they own.
The Better Business Bureau gives18 shake (18nutrtion.com) a rating of “F.” . The BBB justified this by the failure of the company to respond to 4 of 6 complaints the BBB had on them. Ratings change over time so see the BBB file for updates and more information.
How To Contact 18 Shake
The website for the shake lists this phone number: 800-614-1820.
How To Return The 18 Shake?
According to the Terms and Services page of 18Shake.com, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. It appears the return policy is for unopened products only. Consumers must provide to customer service their order ID and delivery address for a return to be issued.
In addition, they also state that “Before a chargeback can be submitted, a cardholder must write an e-mail to customer support in efforts to fix the issues, ask for an exchange or refund.”
The email address to the company is 18Nutrition@gmail.com but it's likely best to call the company first for the most reliable information on how to return the product. Their phone # is 800-614-1820.
If you purchased from Amazon, returning is easy. Take it to any Kohls department store and they will return it to amazon.
What Does 18 Stand For?
Given that 18 is in the name of the 18Shake, I was curious about what the number stood for. When I called the company, I was told that it was because there were 18 ingredients in the shake. But, when I added up the ingredients above, I counted 25, not 18.
So, I'm not sure what the number stands for. I agree it's trivial. I just like to know these things.
See the review of the 310 Shake to see what the 310 in that name stands for.
18 Shake vs. The Competition
There are no studies that compare which weight loss shake is best. At the end of the day, it comes down to price and taste for the most part. I've reviewed MANY weight loss shakes and so to help you decide, here is a quick review of some of the more popular ones out there.
18 Shake vs. ProNourish Shake?
I've written an entire review on the ProNourish shake and compared it to the 18 Shake and several others too.
Here's the ProNourish Review (read review).
18 Shake vs. Thrive Shake
The company, Le-Vel, has several supplements called “Thrive.” one of them is the Thrive Shake. I think for most people which is best comes down to taste and price. See the Thrive Shake review for more about that supplement.
18 Shake vs. Ideal Shape Shake
Ideal Shape is a weight loss shake which contains an ingredient called Slendesta which is an extract of potatoes. See the Ideal Shape review for more on that weight loss shake.
18 Shake vs. Shakeology
Shakeology is one of the most popular health and fitness shakes on Earth. Shakeology has a bunch of ingredients but that doesn't make it better. See the Shakeology review for more on this product.
18 Shake vs. Herbalife Shake
Herbalife has been around for decades and has more supplements than you can shake a stick at. One of them is the Formula 1 weight loss shake. See the Formula 1 review to check that supplement out.
18 Shake Pro & Con
Here is a quick overview of what I liked and didn't like about this product. These are my opinions. Your's may be different than mine
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| Has an ingredient that might work | Expensive |
| Low in calories | Company may sell your info to others |
| Some say it tastes good | Low in potassium |
| I dont know what the "18" stands for 🙂 |
Does The 18 Shake Work?
The idea behind weight loss shakes is to substitute the lower calorie shake for something that is more calories. By doing this, we reduce the calories we would ordinarily eat per day. The 18 Shake only has 90 calories if you mix it with water so if you drink two of these per day in place of something else, then sure, I think people would lose weight (assuming they don't cheat).
That said, to me, it just looks like a fiber supplement with some protein added. I say this because I believe the 18 Shake is expensive. The active ingredient – which I believe is Fibersol is a LOT less expensive. So, while I think the shake will work, if used as directed, for me it all comes down to price.
Can you just use regular milk with the powder, or does it have to be water.
Hi Sabrina, sure you can use milk whether its skim, whole, 2%, almond milk etc. its up to you. Milk will add some calories and thats why many recommend using water. But, its totally up to you what you want to mix it with.
Joe I found your review to be outstanding, but learned even more reading your responses from your many followers. I get discouraged reading reviews from “experts” that seem to have more than a vested interest in the products they are reviewing.
Spending a majority of my time in Brazil following retirement, I think your suggestion of making my own sounds spot on. Mail service in Brazil is a crap shoot, and that’s after you get through their customs people. I think I’ll go with your advice and see how it goes.
Thanks.
Hi Michael, thanks so much! That’s nice of you to say. Enjoy Brazil!!
So I’ve been using 18Shake successfully for some time now. I didn’t know what to expect when I first bought it but figured it might be OK after reading the nutrition facts label. It has only a few calories added and it does have a bunch of vitamins and minerals.
I’ve had great results by replacing 2 meals a day. It keeps me from going hungry and since it’s so low in calories I’ve been able to lose what would have been a ton of calories from a full meal.
They have chocolate and vanilla though I have a preference for the vanilla. Sometimes I’ll add fruit like a banana or some greens and I also like using almond milk. I figure the more veggies and fruits the better since it doesn’t give off a weird taste and it blends easy.
I like that you don’t have to use a blender and it will still mix well without being grainy or having a weird texture if you just add liquids. So far so good with 18Shake, it meets my demands for a meal replacement shake and it does what it says by helping me lose weight.
Maltodextrin should be used with caution for people with certain gluten and auto immune disorders.
I have lupus a auto immune disesase i’m guessing this is not good for me to use
Hi Wendy, for what its worth, I dont think it will hurt if you are using it 1-2x a day. You could make your own smoothie though which might be better. Here’s a recipe I like.
can this be used for weight loss without additional exercise?
Hi Lin, Technically yes but remember that if you only diet (no exercise), some of the weight you lose will be muscle tissue. When muscle is lost, those muscle fibers don’t come back (you can only make the remaining muscle fibers bigger through exercise). Exercise helps preserve muscle caused by dieting alone.
All: I ordered this shake powder after reading reviews. This particular got good reviews due to taste, calorie count, and the fact that it has no sugar. It’s good and very versatile, and it does fill you up! The shake is not intended to be drunk as just a 90 calorie shake. There are recipes for the powder. I like mine with almond milk, 1/2 banana, and some ice cubes. Give it a try. I’ve heard Shakeology and Isogenix suck.
Thank you for your review it’s nice to understand how each ingredient works …
I have been reading a lot of reviews about meal replacement
I have to say 18 shake does work.
Is it expensive ? I don’t think it is as you do not do much grocery shopping anymore
I do one shake for breakfast light lunch and shake for dinner
I use one scoop 1 cup of almond milk bananas and berries
4 months now and 37 pounds less so for me it is definitely worth the money and I do recommend to friends
Hi Sebastien, you are welcome and thanks for sharing your 18 shake recipe. I’m happy it is helping you.
Thank you for the detailed review. You saved me some money! 🙂
Hi Colleen you are welcome.
Thank you SO MUCH for your detailed review! I was using Isagenix for about a year now, I have recently started doing more & more research on meal replacements shakes. I am very disappointed that I bought into that product month after month.
I just want the healthiest, most reasonable priced meal replacement shake. I really, really appreciate your time & effort in your reviews. Nice to hear the trurh.
Thank you!
Hi Amy, you are welcome! Glad you found my review helpful 🙂
Wow, very thorough review, thank you. After all the ordering/transaction issues AND that they can sell your email & information, I’m all set. It’s too much of a hassle to bother for a better taste.
Hi June, you are welcome.
Joe, thank you for this informative and thorough review. I used Isagenix’s IsaPro shakes for several months and found it to be a helpful product for weight loss and energy, but it’s very expensive with very high shipping charges. I also can’t stand their business model of multi-level marketing and don’t wish to play that game. Still looking for a high protein alternative. I just ordered the Fibersol product you mentioned. Thanks for being here!
Barb, you are very welcome. Thanks for your very kind words 🙂
My wife wants to order shakeology, read reviews on that which basically say it sucks and is too expensive and trouble with auto ship and canceling the order. Reviews recommended 18 shakes, and after reading these reviews seems to be exactly the same.
My opinion is all these tv adds are hype designed to scam people. Comes down to simply eating right and doing exercise. Quick fixes like these shakes don’t seem to work, or are just over priced scams. By slim fast at Walmart or go to gnc for supplements and stay away from these con adds for quick weight loss. They’ve been out there for decades all claiming same bs.
Nobody, there is definitely a lot of hype surrounding weight loss shakes, that is for sure.
I Just received my bag of 18 Shake today.I’m going to try it and see how it taste. I too made a mistake and they charged me $224.49 I only wanted to try one bag so i called and talked to a guy who told me a bag cost $59.99 and that they would put back the money in my account in 5 to 7 business days.
This was last monday still no refund yet? If i don’t get it by monday im going to my bank an tell them i did not authorize the company to take out that money out my account.
Milli, I would not wait. Speak to your bank and see what they say.
Rice based protein are known to be quite sufficient. I’ve used it for years and while I often wonder if I need it, I feel good with it in my WFPB smoothies.
http://www.sunwarrior.com/store/vanilla-protein-500g.html
Aunt Lizzy, looks ok to me just from a quick look at it. it has 15 grams of protein per scoop. not too bad. Glad you are enjoying it 🙂
I tried my shake today, it has very good vanilla taste, but, I don’t know if I trust this product, because as soon as I tried it, i started to feel very sick…. Now I’m scared((
Ann K, how do you feel now? Any better? what are your symptoms?
Any insight on how good or bad the taste of the 18Shake?
Hi Erin G, I didn’t have the opportunity to taste the 18 Shake. For what its worth, I didn’t see anything negative about the taste when I was reviewing it. If you try it, do let me know how you it tasted to you.
Unfortunately I will not be able to give a review on taste. I had a disappointing experience with this company. I called the company because they offer $20 off if you order over the phone. Called, placed my order, waited waited waited and 8 days later saw that the package was returned to sender for insufficient address.
I called and it was determined that the unit number was omitted from the delivery. The manager’s response was that I failed to give them my unit number. I told them I for sure did and also did when giving them the billing address of my credit card number. He was not very friendly. He said he would ship it back out.
I expressed I was bum’d because I was looking forward to trying this product and asked if he could overnight it since I had already waited 8 days. He said no because I errored in not giving my unit number and I should’ve reviewed the email confirmation and noticed my unit number was not on the confirmation.
I was shocked at the customer service. Initially he was more irritated and snippy than I was (when I was the paying customer that did not receive my product on their error).
As the discussion progressed, I got increasingly frustrated at the customer service and the way he was addressing me I just cancelled the order. On a few occasions I had to actually say… “This is the first time I am buying a product (a $60 product with you guys) and willing to return as a paying customer.
I plan to supplement at least one meal daily for God knows how long if I enjoy the taste and you are really willing to let me go because 1.) you need to insist that the delivery issue was my problem and 2.) your not willing to accommodate overnighting it or getting it to me within 2-3 days after I waited 8?) and 3.) you just can’t nicely say a simple “we’re sorry about the mix-up.”
Your potentially turning away hundred of dollars of business for what? Either way if I bought one, you would still make money off me rather than me cancel the order and be in the whole for the initial shipping fee.” He said that was fine. I asked if I can talk to the manager… and he said he was the manager. So we were at an impasse and I just decided to cancel the order all together and walk away from it.
Anywho, I am disappointed. I was looking forward to trying out this product and hoping to use it as an ongoing replacement meal but I was not expecting that sort of response and can’t imagine dealing with that on an ongoing basis. I would rather pay more money for shakeology then for no reason be treated and talked to as I was today.
(As a sidenote the young man is the same one I ordered with. I spoke to him a few times on the phone and every time I called it was him. He made it sounds as though they have representatives (pleural). I don’t think so and the fact that any complaints are sent to a gmail account make me a little suspect that this is not a company working out of someone’s house.
I hope I see a reimbursement of my money in my account in the next few days but I got a very sketchy vibe all around and there is a possibility I may not see that money again. 🙁
Hi Erin, so sorry that all happened do you! If you used a credit card when you ordered, you can go to them and see if they can help you with getting a refund. Another option is the Better Business Bureau. I hope it doesn’t come to either of them. my hope is that you get a refund in the near future. Please let me know what happens.
Good review. I was reading another review site but they seemed to be selling the shake and not reviewing properly. my hubby has trouble with feeling full, he seems to be hungry all the time.. He is 6’7″, and he won’t even tell me how much he weighs now. He used to weigh almost 400 lbs but lost it all and had skin removed from his abdomen. Now he is 250-260 and is somewhat depressed about it.
He works a lot and we are pretty busy. I’ll be quitting/laid off soon, so I’ll be able to help him out so he has more time to work out. I’m prego and just started going to the gym again, but he can’t seem to find any time. I wanted to get him on a shake diet, something that would make him feel full. What shake do you recommend for satiety?
Hi Angela, yes I’ve seen the other sites you are talking about. One thing I’d say is to make your own shake. It’s not hard and only takes a blender and some fruits, veggies and protein powder. That might be less expensive in the long run than some of the commercial shakes. For example, here is a shake I like to make.
In general, any shake that has some carbs as well as protein will help curb his appetite. Fiber is another ingredient I look for because it also can curb appitite. While I don’t generally like promoting one shake over another, since you asked, if you are looking for something that you can just toss in a blender or shake it up and drink, then take a look at this shake: http://supplementclarity.com/isagenix-isalean-shake-review-does-it-work/
This shake has more calories than most others. That’s good because calories can help curb appetite. It also has a nice amount of protein and fiber too which can also help reduce cravings.
I’d still encourage you to try to make your own shake though because food has many other ingredients that commercial products likely do not have.
I hope this helps and congrats to your husband too. He lost a lot of weight and even thought he might get depressed at times, his health is MUCH improved. Tell him that every 1 pound we lose means at least 4 fewer pounds of stress on our knees with every step we take. By losing 150 pounds, that means each step he takes has 4×150= 600 pounds LESS stress on his knees. If you multiply that out over a day, it means tens of thousands of less stress on his joints. Your husband is a winner in my book. And YOU are too 🙂
Thanks for the review, I was about to purchase this product online, but think its really over priced. Do you have any recommendations for a low calorie meal replacement shake for a reasonable price?
Hi Stephanie, Have you ever considered making your own shake? You could toss in some fruits and veggies in a blender and add a scoop of your favorite protein powder. Most of the prepackaged shakes are fairly expensive. Probably the least expensive is Slim Fast but another one I like is the RTD 51 shake. You can buy a can of it at any vitamin shop or GNC. I hope to have a review posted on it in the near future.
Any other questions, just ask 🙂
Thanks for the review…made it much more simple for me to understand than their website!
Laura, you are very welcome! Happy to be of help 🙂
Came across this article about whey vs Soy. What do you think?
http://nutritionstudies.org/no-whey-man-ill-pass-on-protein-powder/
Hi Mary, yes I’ve seen that. I’ve read the China Study book too and know Dr Cambell’s findings on casein protein (findings which I find disturbing too). Personally I have no problems with a plant based diet and I encourage eating more fruits/veggies. Will the whey protein in the 18 shake cause cancer? I think its unlikely. I think people reading this are like eating many animal based proteins and I think the small amount of protein in the shake (less than 1 oz) is likely negligible.
Heart disease is the #1 killer of people. Cancer is the #2 killer. I think we have to pick our battles. If the shake leads to weight loss and eating better (more veggies and fruits) then I’m ok with using it short term. For what it’s worth, personally I think if the shake works its because of the fiber and not the protein.
I probably didn’t say all this very well, but does that make sense?
Yes thanks for your input ! I eat a mostly plant based diet but I do eat meat as well and my protein shakes are made with water washed NONGMO soy. No Whey for this girl!
Mary, good I’m glad I made sense. I wrote that right before I went to bed so I wasn’t sure 🙂