Update 4/22/20. What's better: Shakeology or Body By Vi Shakes? Have you ever wondered which of these shakes might be best for you? Just in case you were thinking about this, I thought I would compare some of the aspects of Shakeology and BodyByVi shakes side by side so that you might have a better idea. For Body by Visalus, I’ll use their Vi Shape shake as this seems to be their biggest selling item. My goal is not to promote one supplement over another. Rather, I want to give you some information side by side so you can make the decision that is right for you.
I also suggest you read the comments that follow each review as this will give you additional insights.
Product Label. Body by Vi vs. Shakeology
Assuming that both shakes are mixed with water, here is how they compare.
|
Body by Vi |
% DV |
Shakeology |
% DV | |
| Calories | 90 | 140 | ||
| Calories from fat | 10 | 10 | 3 | |
| Total fat | 1 | 2 | .05 g | 0 |
| Saturated fat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trans fat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cholesterol | 15 mg | 5 | 10 mg | 3 |
| Sodium | 75 mg | 3 | 95 | 4 |
| Potassium | 125 mg | 4 |
?* |
|
| Total carbs | 7 g | 2 | 19 g | 6 |
| Dietary fiber | 5 | 22 | 3 g | 13 |
| Sugars | 1 g | 11 g | ||
| Protein | 12 g | 24 | 15 g | 30 |
*The Shakeolgy label did not list potassium. I found this odd given the health benefits of potassium.
Shakeology also contains a wide range of other ingredients which may or may not play a role in health. For more on these ingredients, I encourage you to read my review of Shakeology.
Looking at the main product label, we can see is that Shakeology has 50 more calories than the ViSalus shake. This is neither good or bad since anyway you look, at it 140 calories per Shakeology shake is not much.
Both ViSalus shakes and Shakeology still have fewer calories than my homemade smoothie recipe that I discussed previously.
In case you were wondering, Right Size Smoothie which is marketed on TV, radio ect. has 100 calories per scoop. Right Size Smoothies also has many other ingredients including caffeine.
How Do They Taste?
Taste is subjective. I can tell you I thought ViSalus shake tasted better than Shakeology. For more info see my reviews on the tastes
Shakeology vs. Visalus: Fiber Content
In the fiber department, the ViSalus shake has 5 grams which squeaks past Shakeology which has 3 grams of fiber. While 5 g vs. 3 g of fiber may not seem much, 5 grams is 22% of our daily value for fiber. Shakeolgoy only has 13%. This means Visalus is “high in fiber.” Since most people don't eat enough fiber this is something to consider.
The fact that shakeolgy has less fiber is ironic since some BB coaches have said you'd have to eat lots of different veggies (which have fiber) to equal what’s in Shakeology. These ads are obviously referring to the “phytonutrients” in Shakeology. However placing Shakeology on the same level as vegetables gives the impression that it contains vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, which is not true.
Carbohydrates
ViSalus shakes have about 3 times fewer carbs than Shakeology (7 vs. 19). I wonder if this has to do with the “fear of carbs” that some people have? Any way you look at it, 7 carbs or 19 carbs is not a lot and really shouldn't factor into what's better.
Cost Comparison. Shakeology vs. Body By Vi
|
Shakeology |
ViSalus Shake |
| $119 per month | $49 per month (Vi Shape only) |
| $1428 per year | $588 per year (Vi Shape only) |
ViSalus has many supplements. If you use more than the Vi Shape shake, the cost you pay will be more than what I have listed.
Costs Per Serving. Shakeology vs. Body by Vi
|
Shakeology |
ViSalus Shake |
| $ 4.00 per serving | $ 1.50 per serving |
Protein Content
In terms of protein, Shakeology has 15 grams per serving vs. ViSalus which has 12 grams of protein. Both shakes have more protein than Right Size Smoothie which has only 9 grams of protein per serving.
So What's Better?
If price matters, Visalus wins hands down. It's much less expensive than Shakeology. From my taste tests, I can say I preferred Visalus too. I just thought it tasted better. Both shakes are low in calories, and as a meal replacement, both will lead to weight loss if you follow their diet programs.
This review is quite old and needs a follow-up due to the launch of Visalus’ new Superfood shake mix. There are no artificial sweeteners, it’s non-GMO, vegan, has more protein, etc. If you can, please update the masses!
Hi Jimmy, thanks for letting me know about their new shake mix. I will see what I can do.
Tried the super shake. It was gritty and left a wierd after taste. There are definitely better tasting shakes with the same amount of pea protein that are not gritty or have so many preservatives in it.
I have tried both shakes I absolutely loved Vi shake there was never any nasty after taste it wasn’t chalky literally could blend anything in with it and it was amazing curbed any cravings.
A friend of mine is a coach for beach body and talked me into a challenge pack as we can’t get to the actual gym right now due to Covid 19. I thought it was the perfect solution instead of ordering my go-to vi shape I decided to try their Shakeology Vegan Vanilla Protein (it came with the challenge pack). I made it as I would have normally with Vi Shake and took a big swig & I had to toss the whole thing as it was beyond overly sweet.
I can only assume it is from the stevia in Shakeology which also led way to a bitter after taste and I found it super chalky & Gritty. I am going to call and see if I can return this and get a refund from them but either way, lesson well learnt.
I will go back to my Vi shake tastes good.
For any Canadians on here for a 30 day supply below are the costs you are looking at –
In Canada Shakeology is 159 plus tax and shipping so around 186$
Vi- shake is 74.99 plus tax and shipping around 89$
Hi Brandy, thanks for sharing what happened. Its been a while since I tasted Shakology. In my original sharkology review I agree the taste was really bad. I thought the taste had improved when I tried the vegan chocolate version.
I agree stevia can have an after taste and that’s probably what left the bad taste in your mouth
Beach Body has been around a long time so I’m sure they will give you a refund. I’m sure your friend the Beach Body coach can help you.
If you have any issues let me know and I’ll look into this for you.
You are right Shakeology is quite expensive.
Oh my… I’m not even sure what to say about this article. It’s a very typical comparison in that, once again, an author simply dissects the generic nutrition label and calorie amount. I found the last paragraph extremely disturbing “whichever one you go with, it really all just comes down to price and taste”.
Well if those were the two most important factors when deciding on a “meal-replacement” shake, then I would forget both of these products and just get yourself some Wal-Mart Slimfast. Let’s just be real. There are a lot of other things that cost less and taste great. It’s so unfortunate that this article coughs either product up to a matter of cost and taste and in doing so, suggests that neither is more “bang for you buck”… that they’re basically the same.
What this author fails to mention (ok, vaguely makes reference to in his “other” article) is that Shakeology is composed of over 70 international exotic superfoods from nutrient-dense farmlands around the world – NOT from depleted US soil. By failing to even mention this, the article has completed ignored the main thing that sets Shakeology apart from every other “shake” on the market. And the other shakes know exactly what I’m talking about. 😉
The mixture is handpicked for its benefits, formulated in a medical lab (not a factory in China) and the combination makes Shakeology the broadest spectrum of dense nutrients, vitamins, & minerals to date found in any whole food meal. That’s not just Beachbody’s claim, that’s sheer fact – and every other company knows it. Were other companies to try to compete with the ingredient list, their costs would absolutely sky-rocket being that it’s extremely expensive and a TON of work to seek all those ingredients out, work with farmers to harvest them, and develop a proper heating/cooling process for them that does not interfere with their integrity before they’re shipped. Beachbody is the only company so far willing to go to these lengths of production – which account for the difference in cost.
They have chosen to use the most effective and expensive probiotics in the entire world (not the kind you find in your Activia yogurt) and the only probiotic that stays naturally encapsulated till it reaches all the way to the small intestine (the whole point of taking a probiotic) before being broken down by stomach acids.
This author also fails to mention the daily supply of digestive enzymes (which over time help to repair gut flora that has been destroyed by the average American diet and is responsible for the rise in many auto-immune disorders, gluten intolerances, etc. that so many of us face). It fails to mention the daily supply of high-potency adaptogen herbs, pre and probiotics, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and a HEAP of other benefits and ingredients in every scoop.
It fails to mention that every single bag is inspected by hand for purity prior to being shipped.
It fails to mention that there are zero artificial ingredients in the formula… that not even cheap, unnatural sweeteners (like Splenda, which used to act as a pesticide to kill bugs until the market realized it’d sell much better if used for human consumption) but rather natural cocoa powder and leaves from the Stevia plant.
It fails to mention that the HIGHER CALORE COUNT (<— I wanted you to notice this next statement) is DUE to the fact that Shakeology simply HAS MORE [quality] INGREDIENTS IN IT, much like the calories from 2 apples are higher than 1. IT'S A GOOD THING. Holy moly. If I read one more article on calorie count about a product that has over 70 all-natural ingredients as compared to a shake that has basically nothing in it except standard proteins and a couple shots of greens so that they can call it a meal-replacement, I might scream.
The more vegetables, the higher the calories.
Shakeology is also soy-free (a BIG concern if you're female), dairy-free, contains no gluten-based ingredients, AND is available in vegan formulas that utilize even MORE plant and pea proteins for those who prefer that option.
Shakeology is not a weight loss shake. Shakeology is not a protein shake. Beachbody will never refer to them as such. Weight loss is a by-product of better nutrition and increased activity. The term "protein shakes" have just about the cheapest reputation around and are usually coated in metals, dyes, artificial flavors, and at the end of the day are no better for your intestines than a Mt. Dew. And if it's a protein shake you want, you can go down to the nearest convenient store on the corner and find something that claims to be one.
As a holistic nutritionist, trust me when I say – the last thing America is lacking in their daily diet is PROTEIN. We lack whole-foods. We lack nutrients that help repair and maintain our immune systems.
Since this author clearly does not understand these products past the calorie label – AND since this is the first article that pops up on Google – I figured I'd try to set the record straight for anyone reading.
I never bothered even TRYING Vi shakes because the simplest of research indicated that there WAS no comparison and that the difference in COST was because there is a HUGE difference in CONTENT.
The author says it all just comes down to price and taste. I say you get exactly what you pay for.
Hi Michelle, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wrote this review because, at the time, I was being asked by others for a comparison. I respect that you are are either a BB coach or enjoy shakeology for yourself.
This review was not about going through all the different ingredients because Ive already did that in my other shakeology reviews which I will direct you to
Original Shakeology Review
Shakeolgy Vegan Chocolate Review
For what its worth, I prefer people blend their own fruit/veggie smoothies and drink that. It will cost less and contain much more nutrition than either Visalus or Shakeology.
Michelle can you support this statement from a NON BB site?
“The mixture is handpicked for its benefits, formulated in a medical lab (not a factory in China) and the combination makes Shakeology the broadest spectrum of dense nutrients, vitamins, & minerals to date found in any whole food meal. That’s not just Beachbody’s claim, that’s sheer fact”
I have yet to find a peer reviewed study that can either support or deny this claim and i would be interested in seeing the research. I’m not saying it isn’t true just would like to see the fact not just your claim.
Note: I have used Shakeo and other meal replacements and like them although the price of Shakeo is a bit off putting as one of the HIGHEST in the market
I found this article very useful and enjoyed reading your responses to readers’ comments. Thank you for your help!
Melissa J, you are very welcome. I’m happy to have been of service.
Hi Joe! I have read through most of the comments on here…which, wow! They stretch back a long way! Anyhow, I have been on Visalus 2x. Once a couple years ago, and now as well. I will say I wish I had never stopped the first time! Honestly, I am actually doing BOTH Body By Vi Shakes & Beachbody workouts. (I already had Visalus so didn’t need to order the Shakeology). So, I started THIS journey on Sept. 20th, 2014.
I have currently lost 30 lbs, 26 (doing 2 Vi shakes per day + dinner) before starting the Beachbody 21 Day Fix workouts. And 4 lbs in the past almost 6 weeks. I still use my Visalus for breakfast (just 1 shake per day, which I have 100 recipes to switch them up). Then, I follow the 21 Day Fix eating plan..lots of veggies, fruits & proteins. I do get some carbs, but have changed everything over to whole grain which is healthier than any flour type items such as pastas, breads, rice, etc. I simply portion. Plus I eat about 5x per day, which is the best way to keep metabolism working continuously.
One thing I read several times is that people try these supplement shakes and say they are not losing weight. Although, I wonder what they are eating the rest of the day. Sometimes, if you are working out as well, you might not be eating ENOUGH. Your body needs fuel to get through those workouts! If you cut back too much you can shock your body and it will hold onto everything you eat.
As a female, your end of the day total calories (after adding workouts, which allow more calories) should never be below 1200 per day. Also, I wonder if they are eating the right portions of those foods? Not to mention, if you ARE exercising, doing weight training, etc., people need to keep in mind that muscle is more dense than fat. You may be losing inches instead of weight! NON-SCALE Victories are WAY more rewarding than the numbers on that machine. My weight had only changed about 4 lbs since I started working out 6 weeks ago, however, good nutrition along WITH cardio and weight training made me lose 15″ in that time!! As such, you may be losing FAT weight and REPLACING it with MUSCLE.
Weight sometimes will not change much under those circumstances. That was WAY better than looking at the little 4 lbs lost. I KNOW I’m stronger and healthier than I have EVER been.
I will say I love BOTH programs! Visalus is very tasty, has lots of different recipes to change things up and at the same time, the Beachbody workouts (myself doing 21 Day Fix) and following the clean eating plan…is the BEST things I have EVER done for my body!! My typical caloric calculation on an average day: Goal 1300 calories – 1474 food + 225 burned (exercise) = 51 calories left for that day. So, technically at the end of the day post exercise that day I took in 1249 calories.
Now, depending on your current weight, you might need more. I am on the lower end now of what amount of calories I need per day to lose weight. I am only 10 lbs away from my goal. But I am more interested in my clothes. I went from a size 14 to a size 8 in 6.5 months!! Honestly, people need to be wary that no healthy program or weight loss product should EVER be expected to make you lose a bunch of weight in a few weeks. That is unreasonable. You need to make it a LIFESTYLE change. Weight loss and muscle building/toning will come with time and perseverance. Good luck to EVERYONE!!
Bridget, thanks for sharing and I’m so happy that they are both working for you. Big Congrats on all you have accomplished over the last 6 months 🙂
Thank you…I too have both Shakeology and Visalus.
Actually switched from V to Shakeology. I’m 54 yrs old, just had surgery
and having a difficult time losing the weight.
thank you for posting your results and experience. I also have some
DVD’s from Beach body.
Hi Penny, have you considered water exercise? it does burn calories and often causes less muscle soreness than land-exercise. Just thought I’d toss it out to you. Remember that exercise in general doesn’t burn many calories. Its real weight loss benefits come when it compliments eating fewer calories. In that way both shakeology and Visalus might help in reducing overall calorie intake. Exercise has many other benefits that go beyond weight loss.
OMG! You’re inspiring! I have BOD and am currently doing Insanity:MAX30 but can’t swallow spending 130 on Shakeology, no matter how much I love it for it to last one month. I LOVE it, but realistically can’t afford it; especially monthly.
I am aware that results vary not only because each and everyone of our bodies deal and do things differently, but I will tell you, that because of this comparison article, and because of you commenting that you use this together with clean eating, eating ENOUGH and using this shake, I am now willing to try it out before spending 130 bucks!
Thanks to the both of you, for doing this not only for myself but for others.
*Disclaimer, I know Beachbody has high quality ingredients, I get it, but it isn’t affordable for everyone.*
Hi Dani, I’m so happy my shakevology vs. Visalus review helped you. In case you missed it, Here are my shakeology reviews too:
Original Shakeology review
Shakeology Taste Test
Vegan chocolate shakeology review
For what its worth I think shakeology is expensive too.
keep us posted on your progress and if you have any other questions, just ask 🙂
Joe… I was wondering about what your opinion would be regarding my situation which is as follows: I am trying to lose 15 more pounds. I have read your reviews and the reviews of others About different prouducts. I believe that shakeology is the better choice for me over Visalus because I don’t want any soy or sugar other than Stevia in my shake if I have the choice.
I have read review on 18Shake and I like that the review indicated that it has appetite suppressant and tastes good. I don’t think that I will be getting the Shakeology due to price and taste. This is the thing… I currently have about 2 whole herbal life canisters that I was considering using to avoid spending any unnecessary $$$ despite the fact that it didn’t really hr love with my appetite in the past and despite the sugar content.
I will be working out ranging from doing Zumba and linedancing to also doing light weights at home. For instance, this is how my workout looked Friday night:
Completed Day 12 Ab & Butt Challenges:
70 squats
30 lunges: I hate these!!! I really do but I hate fat rolls more!!!!!
25 bridges
25 one legged bridges – each leg
130 crunches
40 legs lifts
40 single leg lifts – ea. leg
60 seconds planks
Curl to press with 15 pounds – 10
with 5 pounds – 20
Triceps press with 10 pounds – 2 sets of 5
5 pounds – 10 – 2 sets
Bent over row with 15 pounds – 10
Modifed push ups: 15 with no pauses
And I did over an hour of Zumba yesterday morning. My problem is that I am struggling with portion control and late as t night I am craving different goods.
Usually, I prefer to just do green smoothies using my Nutribullet using spinach or kale and frozen fruit but i have kinda gotten gorged out from doing then so mmuch and from doing 10 Days Green Smoothie Cleanse.
I also have a lil Raw Protein by Garden of Life left. I probably will add frozen fruit and banana as well as flax and Chia seeds to whatever I get.
I am wondering if you agree that it would probably be best for me to use the products I already have bef ok re buying anything else. I was also thinking if the shakes don’t seem to helo suppress my appetite then I can just add a lil old fashioned oats to thicken it more and to make it more filling.
I believe this will probably help me lose the few pounds I am trying to lose. I use olive oil to Satuee my veggies, don’t drink sweet drinks and drink only water, and mainly use unsweetened coconut milk. I don’t eat much fried foods. What is your thought about this?
Pam, Im curious, how sore are your muscles today? just curious after all that stuff you did a couple of days ago. 70 squats and 30 lunges would make me pretty sore. While I review supplements here, my MS degree is in exercise science. That said, Id recommend you cut back on all the exercise you do. I think all the exercise you are doing is stimulating your appetite. The body wants to maintain a balance. when you do all that exercise you say to the body that it needs more calories to keep up with all the exercise you are doing.
My also fear of all that exercise is that eventually it may lead to injuries. Because you are working out so much I want you to read this post I wrote about a medical condition called rhabdomyolysis. This is a very serious disorder that can result from too much exercise. here is the link: http://www.joe-cannon.com/rhabdomyolysis-personal-trainers-exercise-review-symptoms-negatives-eccentric-fitness-bootcamp/
Be sure to read the comments too. they are an eye opener! Odds are this condition won’t happen to you but because so few people have heard of it, because you are doing so much exercise, I’d rather give you this information just in case.
As for your meal shakes, I want you to hold on to your money, so I’d say use what you have now before spending money on other stuff. All meal shakes work by replacing higher calorie foods with lower calorie shakes. I do like the idea of adding more fiber to the shakes to make you feel full longer. Adding protein to the shake can also do this. That said if you are hungry, do eat. I don’t want you to starve yourself to lose weight.
Here is a post I wrote about wt loss supplements that I felt had evidence along with other things that can help too. Notice how I described what burns the most calories in a day: http://www.joe-cannon.com/what-weight-loss-supplements-work
Thanks for the heads up on the 18 shake. I looked it up. It gets its fiber from an ingredient called Fibersol. That might be the appetite suppressant you mentioned. It has about 5 grams of this fiber ingredient. If you put “fibersol” in the search box of this site, you can see what I’ve said about it in other reviews. I’ll try to get a review posted on the 18 shake.
Any other questions, just ask 🙂
Thanks for responding. I was trying to do a 30 Days Challenge and had added a few exercises. Good point about exercising and increase in appetite and I tend to do those exercises late at night which I need to do a lot earlier. I’m going to use what I have available. My elbows are a lil sore But I believe it is either from sleeping wrong or from lying in bed posting on Facebook. Lol
I’m going to read your links and I think you do an awesome job in your reviews and not once did I get the impression that you were trying to convince anyone that your smoothies are better than theirs but I do personally belie that it is. I love how you stay professional and calm and respectful whereas in some of the others posts they are heated!!! Lol
Pam, thanks for that and do keep me posted on how things are going. I do my share of facebook postings too lol
Joe this is what I have decided to try for the upcoming week. I am going to do a shake in the morning and add fruit to it. I’m going to use the rest of my raw protein by Garden of Life. I have the Vanilla Chia flavor. I am also planning to having a green smoothie for lunch then have a regular meal when I get home… but I may switch up the order of the smoothie.
Have you done a review of Raw Protein? I’m interested in your opinion regarding this as a meal replacement. Usually if I don’t have a smoothie then I don’t have breakfast or lunch and I have really tried to stop this bad behavior and do better. Thanks in advance for response.
Hi Pam, while I haven’t yet reviewed Raw Protein, I have never heard anything bad about it. I did look at the label and it looks ok to me. Its got 80 calories and 18 grams of protein per scoop. Definitely try to eat breakfast lunch. keep me posted on what happens.
Hey Joe… I was hoping you might be abke to recommend an affordable protein that is also a good quality. I thought I had found one – CSN Pro Whey Standard but came across reviews on different sites that said 3rd party testing revealed it only has 2 grams of protein and is high in carbs.
Hi Pam, have you considered making your own? Here’s the shake I make if it helps.
If you are looking for something ready made, I like Isopure (its a bit expensive so shop around) and I also like Dimatize protein powder.
A superfood is actually a food that is supposed to be healthy and that may even have benifits in regards to some medical issues. The term “superfood” was developed to describe already heathy foods and “hype” up these foods in the media.
Face it, everyone knows about dieting and many people have tried it. Healthy foods are expensive. People have settled for processed and fatty foods because they are cheap. Personally, I have texture issues and am very picky about tastes. These two things inhibit the foods I eat. Also, I am a horrible cook. I am a mother of three and have a full time job that often is overtime. I try to cook to suit my children’s tastes and incorporate healthy items. For me, shakes and nutritional supplements, add what I am lacking in my diet such as fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. I lack in every category.
I dont feel that supplements should be used as the only source, that is why they are called supplements. Personally, I drink Visalus. It is $99 a month for two shakes a day, which breaks down to $1.65 a meal. Thats pretty darn cheap (not to mention you can find the same amt on ebay for $55). Now Shakeology is $129.99 per month for one shake daily. This breaks down to $4.30 a meal (I cannot find it online any cheaper).
If I only have one shake then I have to find another meal elsewhere. I dont have time for that. I barely have time to get my thirty minutes of exercise in. Visalus is the best and most affordable option for me. I have used it for weight loss and lost 50 lbs in the course of 8 months. It was a struggle as everything in life is. I still use Visalus to maintain my weight. The taste? Its good. Plus I can add things to flavor it. Does it reduce my craving for sweets? No. Do I still eat sweets? Of course.
I feel if I deprive my body of sweets, I will just end up binging. So I eat them in moderation. As for artificial sweeteners and other artificial items added to shakes and nutritional supplements, I dont care. As a society we add chemicals to all our food products and personal products. Unless you grow your own produce, raise your own livestock, and make your own clothes, there will be something you’re using that contains additives or chemicals.
Seriously people. If you’re squeamish check out the ingredients. But if your paranoid, check out the ingredients that you cannot pronounce in everything you buy and google it. Im pretty sure it will be related to something thats harmful to your body.
Beth, congratulations on losing 50 pounds! Fantastic! I actually have a review of Visalus also which Ive linked to for you. Congrats again on your weight loss! 🙂
I use for weight loss – he does not
I apologize for any inconsistencies – I am on my phone.
Brittany, no worries I understand – nice website you have by the way 🙂
Thanks!
I have a question on the metals found in protein shakes.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/what-our-tests-found/index.htm
My husband has had an EAS protein powder, or Body fortress protein shake every day for 10 years. He uses as an after workout recovery a few days a week and to “hold him over” in the wee-hours of the morning as an early breakfast before he goes to work and has real food. The long term effects of these “ingredients” are scary.
I really want to find a new powder for him to use without having to worry about these things. I read that The dynamitze that you suggest here contains “stevia” (or what coke would pass off as such – it’s so heavily processed I can barely see how it is called stevia anymore) my own digestive system can’t handle it.
Do you have any other suggestions that are free of artificial sweeteners (not trying to start a stevia battle) and the heavy metals/arsenic that have been found in others?
Shakeology seems to fit all these categories but I just can’t afford it – not with two people in my household using it 5/7 days a week.
Brittany, Ive actually wrote something on the 2010 consumer reports review on protein powders here is the link
http://supplementclarity.com/eas-myoplex-and-muscle-milk-do-they-contain-toxins/consumer-reports-july-2010-protein-drinks/
IsoPure protein powder is one thought. I believe its free or most artificial sweaters. I’ll do some digging and see if I can find any others.
You knock other shakes down(like Shakeology and Vi) because of their price and insist your homemade shake is so much better. Could you please do a cost analysis of all the ingredients you put in your shake(per serving). Including the “add-ons” and do a %DV analysis. Thank you.
Something to note about Shakeology(don’t know for Vi). Most of the ingredients are NOT from the USA. Most farmland is depleted of nutrients in the US. An apple today is something like 30% less nutritious than an apple was 100 years ago(from the US). The Shakeology founder has made it his mission to travel the world and find ingredients worthy of putting in the shake. Ingredients that come from more remote areas, where the soils haven’t been tirelessly farmed for decades(or have added chemicals in them to bring nutrient levels back up). They show villages how to do sustainable farming.
Jessica I wouldn’t say I was “knocking” shakeology (other than the taste) but the fact that the shake I make – with real food – makes it superior (more healthy) than shakeology, body by vi or any other meal replacement shake out there because, based on food or not, these products contain parts of many different things in small amounts, and have very little of other things like fiber. Its like saying a vitamin C pill is the same thing as an orange. Im sorry but it’s not. That’s not to say “my shake” is the best. its not. its just what I use. I believe any shake made with real fruits and veggies would be better too.
Replacing 1-2 meals a day with shakeology (or body by vi or slim fast etc.) will cause weight loss because they replace more calorie dense foods, not because of anything else that’s special to the product. That weight loss is likely the reason for reduced blood pressure, reduced cholesterol etc that people report.
I’m open to the possibly that shakeology might do something so why doesn’t beach body publish a study on shakeology? They have the money to do it.
How do you know they have the millions it takes to create a complete study, worthy of peer review? Studies take YEARS to properly do and TONS of research money. I work in research, I know. Where’s YOUR peer reviewed paper on YOUR smoothie. You keep saying your smoothie is better. Where’s the proof?
Obviously, eating only organic produce and eating clean EVERY DAY, 5 meals a day, would be ideal. But, this is America. That doesn’t happen in *most* households. Crap food is cheaper on the wallet. Produce in a grocery store does not have the same nutrients it did years ago. People do not have enough time to make healthy recipes for every meal.
Shakeology IS made with real food. It may not be made with the WHOLE parts of the food. But it is still made of real food. There is *nothing* fake or artificial in Shakeology. Your protein mix that you use, doesn’t use the WHOLE milk. It processes it down to parts that it uses. No different than Shakeology(not sure about Vi).
You keep promoting YOUR smoothie. Your smoothie has a protein powder in it, that you buy in a bag/jar. No different than Shakeology or Vi or any other ones out there. Except that’s what it is. Protein. How many phytonutrients are in it? How about antioxidants? Other nutrients? Minerals? Anything?
I thank Shakeology for NOT grinding up the WHOLE food of every 70 items it has in there. If it did, I would probably overdose on some nutrient or another. I thank them for taking the parts that I DO need every day and making it into a fast, drinkable form, because I’m not perfect and I have a hectic life schedule.
Here’s a breakdown of cost of every item you put in your smoothie.
Dymatize All Natural 5lb tub: $87 (68 servings/tub= $1.28/serving) 125 calories (NOT the 110 calories you claim)
1 orange = roughly $0.60 (I can get a bag of around 8 for $5) ~ 60 calories
1/2 cup frozen blueberries= (10.99/48 oz at Costco, 1/2cup is roughly 3oz so ~ $0.70 per 1/2cup) ~40 calories
2-3 frozen strawberries (2.29/12 oz, $0.40 per 2 oz) ~assuming medium strawberries, 4 calories each= 8-12 calories
1/4 cup frozen raspberries ($2.99/10 oz, 1/4 is about an oz. so $0.30) 16 calories.
That adds to: 253 Calories and a WHOPPING $3.28 per smoothie! (and I went the cheapest route with non-brand name frozen supermarket fruit)
Now, add gas and wear & tear to your vehicle, the time it took to pick up those items at the store and the time it took to take them out of the freezer and blend them up. Not to mention, peeling that orange.
Now, that is your basic smoothie, nothing else added to it.
I’ll go ahead and pay my $4 per shake and get allll of that PLUS way more! All I have to do is put liquid in my shaker cup, add 1 scoop and off I go!
Jessica, according to this CNBC article beach body coaches sell 1 million dollars worth of shakes PER WEEK
http://www.cnbc.com/id/41357825 – and this is a 2011 article. That’s not including DVDs or any of the other stuff beach body sells. They have the money. That said, it doesn’t cost millions to do a study.
I’ve said many times I would accept a well done MS thesis that was published (this happens all the time). Heres the simple format
1 All it would take is for BB to contact the department head of a university and find a grad student.
2 give them the shakes and let them do all the work (colleges have a large population to draw from) .
3. take measurements (body fat BMI) and blood samples such as A1C, CRP, HDL, LDL, tryglycerides etc. the normal stuff
4. If we are liberal in time, Id say the whole thing could be through IRB, testing, and the peer review process in 3 years at most (actually it wont take this long but Ill give 3 years to be nice).
Thats it. Not a lot of money used and you have a study. The grad student gets his/her paper published and the department chair gets their name on a peer reviewed study – which is good for the college. its a win, win, win situation.
Shakeology has been around 3 years, so wheres the study?
Jessica, Im not promoting my smoothie but rather I’m promoting food.
You ask where is the study on my shake? really? my shake is based on food. Im sure you are not trying to compare the benefits of shakeology to eating fruits/veggies, are you?
Jessica, I’m sorry but shakeology is not food. many of the ingredients are food but when you mix them all together you only get a little bit of each. That’s not the same thing. Also, where is all the fiber? its been removed. There is stuff in shakeology that serves no good purpose for most people (enzymes and ginkgo for example).
If you really want to take the position – that shakeology is a whole food supplement – then there is only one such product I’m aware of that has published peer reviewed proof and that is Juice Plus. See my review of Juice Plus for more info. The stuff in Juice Plus is far less exotic than whats in Shakeology (and its less expensive too).
Jessica I think you the fist person to ever make the argument that shakeolgoy is best because it saves wear-and-tear on my car as I drive to the supermarket to buy fruits and veggies. You have to admit that is funny 🙂
Where did I say that Shakeology was the best? There is no one best solution for everybody. But YOU do state that your shake is better than anything out there. On multiple different reviews.
There are VERY few meal replacements that have peer-reviewed research publications on their efficacy.
So, they supposedly rake in 1mil a week. What are their expenses? How much do they pay out to said Coaches in that week? To employees? To utilities? How much do they spend on production in that week? Taxes? Shipping? Royalties? Advertising?
Actually,it’s not that easy to do a proper study that won’t be rejected during peer-review, on a scale as large as Shakeology. You need a control group. What health properties will that control group have? You need the research groups. Maybe 1 group with awesome health except they have High LDL. Another group that is considered “healthy” but is 50 lbs overweight. Another that is “healthy” but has depression & 50lbs to lose. Etc. Etc. All of this testing to even be considered in the group costs money.
All the carefully monitored food intake and exercise regimens will cost a ton of money. And then you will need to have all those “sub-groups” divided into Chocolate, Vanilla, Greenberry, Vegan Choc., Vegan Strawberry categories. And pay a lab to take and run all those tests. Universities don’t run for free. How many people in each subcategory will it take to show true results and not just law of probability? And many, many more things to consider.
If you have a willy nilly group of people and just tell them to take the shake for 1 month and come back for testing. That’s not research that will be acceptable. They will throw it out. Did they lose the weight/LDL/whathaveyou because of genetics, or exercise/work conditions, or their food habits or was it just the shake or did they all have different flavors? How did they mix it? What time of day did they drink it? How much water are they drinking? Are they all of the same health caliber.
I work in cattle research. Do you know how much it takes to research Average Daily Gain of calves of different crossbreeds? 3 million dollars for 3 years of study. Just that one part: crossbreeding effect on calf ADG. Not feed intake or environmental conditions or housing types, etc.
So, yes, it does take a LOT more money than you think.
As for your “my shake uses whole food” argument. Did you know that most of the ingredients in Shakeology are dried using some form or another and powderized? (freeze dry, sun dry, air dry)
If you dry your orange, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, crushed them up and added them to your Dymetize POWDER, is it no longer a whole food shake? Since you consider Shakeolgy NOT a whole food source, I can argue that your smoothie isn’t, either. It contains a POWDER. That powder doesn’t even incorporate the whole milk. Only parts of it. So, according to your definition, your own smoothie isn’t whole food, either.
Bottom Line: Stop touting your smoothie as “better” than anything out there. No one smoothie or shake will be the best solution for everyone. Your smoothie costs more than Body by Vi. Your smoothie costs $0.05 MORE than my Shakeology(and yes, I am a Coach. But I don’t sell anything. I became a Coach for the discount after drinking it for 3 months and loving what it has done for my body. BEYOND losing weight.[and guess what, I drank Vi for 6 months prior to that]). Your smoothie has a POWDER in it, just like any other shake out there. And doesn’t have nearly as much “good stuff” as others, either. Not everyone can ingest whey. What, then? Do you have a vegan option for those people?
I don’t care if you want to keep drinking your smoothie over others. That’s fine. You are entitled to that. But don’t say it’s better than anything out there. Don’t say, “these shakes are too expensive, drink my smoothie”. Don’t say, “I find these ingredients unnecessary , drink my smoothie instead”. Maybe those “unnecessary” ingredients were exactly what THAT PERSONS body was missing. (again, I bring up depleted soils in the US and farming practices and many “whole foods” being depleted of nutrients. You can eat those “whole foods”, but are you getting the necessary amount of nutrients from them? Here’s an article that cites different “peer-reviewed” studies done on this topic.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss )
I love that you do reviews on all these supplements, just keep your smoothie out of it.
Jessica
I don’t say my shake is better than anything else out there but I do believe my shake is healthier than Shakeology because its real food, not powered food extracts.
BB doesn’t “supposedly” rake in 1 million per week – they DO make that (at least in 2011 I assume it’s more now) – and they make that ONLY on the sale of shakes. That doesn’t include sales of Insanity, P90X, Body Gospel or any of the other products they sell. Business expenses? Ill let you do that leg work but whatever number you come up with, the fact is that Beach Body is a very profitable business. In this 2012 Bloomberg report, Beach Body is said to worth 600 million dollars.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-31/builder-of-ryan-s-abs-sees-beachbody-emulating-starbucks.html
They can afford to fund a very well done study on the benefits of shakeology. So why haven’t they?
Jessica, my “research bar” is lower than most. I don’t require a study that involves 1000 people and lasts 5 years or a Framingham-type study. I’ll take a study of 25 randomly selected apparently healthy people that lasts 1 month that only looks at normal blood cells and values like CRP, A1C, homocysteine, cholesterol etc. That’s not expensive -or difficult – esp for a company that’s worth 600 million dollars.
I actually don’t want a study to monitor food intake – just randomly give people shakeology and measure their blood for changes. Let’s let people live their normal life as they take shakeology.
Shakeology is a powder consisting of many different things -not all of which is food. Everything I toss into my Vitamix is a food. Tossing in some protein powder does not is not take away any of the benefits of the fruits/veggies in the shake. Also, as I’ve already said, I often use it without protein powder.
I saw the scientific American article on soil depletion but it still take away from the fact that food is food and the rest are just processed imitations with no good proof (published/peer reviewed) that they are anymore than just low calorie substitutions. If I mention my smoothie a lot, it’s not to tout what I do but rather to give people another option. It doesn’t matter to me what they put in their blender. Shakes made with fruits and veggies are healthier.
So what it boils down to is: They’re basically the same?
Because the Body By Vi shake requires you to consume 2 shakes per day, making the (super over priced) total, pretty much the same price as Shakeology, plus more shipping and taxes…
Is replacing two meals per day ideal? Wouldn’t it eventually send your body into starvation mode, or are the nutrients enough to sustain the body? It’s less cooking (or less of a chance for fast food), but it isn’t ideal for other family members, which makes you spend even more money because you still have to feed them too.
Plus, I have the feeling that I’d be sitting in class thinking about real food all day. 😉 Shakeology is a better choice for that matter, but the shock value of spending $120 monthly + shipping + tax each month for a bag of powder seems a little nuts, but so does spending $50 twice a month plus shipping and tax..
All that I saw on the BBV table was a bunch of vitamins and soy. Shakeology compares theirs more to actual foods, but you said it’s not really truthful because it’s basically unnecessary ingredients.
I’ve tried Shakeology, and I loved it, but for the price I’d have to get a job just to be able to pay for it, which I’d rather not do because I’m a full time nursing student… So neither is really worth the money, and we pretty much need to just stick with a good ole’ healthy diet and exercise routine and try your recipe.
Shannon, you make some good points. Shakeology does have more stuff in it than Body By Vi shakes but I dont know if that makes it better (because I believe there is still no published studies on shakeology) but regardless, I’ll still put an emphasis on real food. My shake will fill you up better too. Good luck in nursing school! 🙂
You forgot to add that body by vi is made with Soy protein which is not good for you has many negative side effect especially if you trying to add muscle or have a baby
Melvin, I think soy foods are likely safe for most people but since soy is something some people may feel strongly about I appreciate you pointing that out.
Have you looked at Juice Plus Complete Shake? It is totally whole-food based.
Simone, not yet but the Juice Plus Complete shake is on my list. Are there any published peer reviewed studies on the Juice Plus Complete shake?
Have you compared the Juice Plus Complete Shake yet? I’m definitely interested in your comparison.
Bella, not yet. Im trying to get a package with a label so I can see it myself.
out of curiosity, the milk based proteins, like whey and whatnot, do they have any lactose remnants present? I’m severely lactose intolerant to the point of it almost being an allergy. I also have problems with my liver and kidneys (I’m a 23 year old female, I know it’s bad). I just got done being on the 5 year track of University, and have jumped from 120 pounds five years ago (I’m 5’1″) to 170 pounds or so now, and I would love to get back to being fit and healthy before I get married in a couple years.
mo im not sure maybe one of the bb coaches here can answer your question
Hi Mo, there are 2 different Shakeology flavors that are vegan and do not contain any dairy (there is a vegan chocolate and a tropical strawberry). My mom does not consume lactose for medical reasons and she enjoys the Tropical Strawberry Shakeology a lot – it’s really tasty! Hope that helps you!
its free shipping if you do auto shipments. its not expensive when you combine the fact that its replacing a meal each day. especially for people on the go who may otherwise go to fast food ie mcdonalds. and thirdly it is full of many great things for the body and i know it has improved nutrtion for many people and good product. in one payment 120-130$ it sounds like a lot but 4-4.25 a meal is really not that much
Raceylee109, this is a common argument about shakeology – that its not expensive since its replacing meals. Can we agree that by replacing higher calorie meals with lower calorie shakeology that this is how it causes people to lose weight?
Really? The research here is not conclusive, which causes confusion instead of giving drop dead facts!!
Andy if the research is not conclusive it is because neither shakeology or Visalus has conducted any published peer reviewed research on their products. I am only as good as the research I have at hand. As such the most I could here do is lay the ingredients and cost side by side to help people make a more informed decision.
These posts are crazy… Joe do you know anything about proper whole food nutrition? Maybe you should take a look at some of the chemicals that BBV, Herbal Life and so many others contain. Shakeology contains NONE! It is 100% natural created with whole foods.
I would love to see you try to create a shake that compares to Shakeology. Do you warn people of the chemicals and artificial ingredients that are in most protein powders? or the dangers of Soy, or the fact that artificial colors/dyes and artificial flavors are proven to cause liver/kidney damage. People RESEARCH your ingredients!
All of them not just their “vitamin” list. Shakeology is over $100 because of it’s value of whole food quality ingredients. Also price wise… let’s be honest here… BBV is a lot more than 1.50 per serving, these prices are ancient PLUS they recommend TWO servings per day. It is the same price as Shakeology and no where near the same product. Of course you have to eat a good diet along with Shakeology it is great health but can’t help your body if you continue to feed it junk food the rest of the day.
Bottom line if you are looking to lose a few pounds and don’t care about your internal health choose the others… but if you truly care about your health try Shakeology.
Tim, I appreciate your words and the bottom line is that I’ll agree with whole food nutrition but shakeology isn’t food. It’s a processed meal replacement shake. It also have things that I see no proof we need – like Ginkgo, cordyceps and enzymes. Just to be fair the same is true about Body By Vi – its processed. I know this is a hotly debated issue because both shakes have passionate affiliates who sell the products. All that said, I’m with you on the food first notion and so I say bag Shakeology too! I know both are convenient options for people and I’ll respect that and for those who have hectic schedules I can understand how these shakes can be of benefit when food is not readily available. When food is available, I’d say use that and leave the shakes for special instances.
I feel both shakeology and body by vi are over priced
Thanks a lot…I will try ur smoothie recipe, it sounds soooo good 🙂
hello Joe, I’m a military wife, have 2 kids and a 3 month old baby so no time to go to the gym but i do zumba twise a week, Im 130lbs will like to get back to my 115lbs but its just hard for me right now sooooo what can i do or take? Im just confused with Shakeology, BBV, Herbalife and Visauls. What sould I take? Thanks an d I love your comments and all your work…
Viviana, all of those products would help people lose weight if they replaced more calorie foods. Personally Id just toss some fruits and veggies in a blender with a little protein powder. its cheaper and more real food than any of them.