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.