Meal alternatives: good or bad for weight loss?
These diet products in the form of creams, drinks, etc. are being renewed today with a clear trend towards plant-based ingredients. However, we must remain careful.
To lose weight without worrying, it's a little easy because you don't need to weigh or cook your food! Especially since today, the meal replacements are very diverse. Whether sweet or savory, the compositions are ready to eat in the form of cream, syrup, bar ... or ready to dilute when served in powder form (soup, omelette). Principle: one or two meals per day is replaced by one of the meal substitutes that, according to the legislation, should provide 200-400 calories. To avoid deficiencies, regulations also require that you provide a minimum amount of protein, omega-6, vitamins and minerals.
Instructions to follow strictly
With the goal of slimming, meal replacement should be done under strict control of the total calories per day. If you swallow a protein soup at noon and stuff yourself in the evening, that's a waste of time! If you eat a product for lunch that provides about 200-250 calories, then it is better not to exceed 1500 calories per day, as is the case with the classic diet. An example of a balanced day that includes an alternate:
Breakfast: 4 slices (80 grams) of whole wheat bread with 1 tbsp. c. Butter + 20 cl of milk + 1 fruit (440 calories)
Lunch: 1 meal replacement
Snack: 1 3% cottage cheese + 1 fruit (150 calories).
Dinner: raw vegetables with 1 tbsp. in s. Oil + 100 grams of cooked meat or fish without fat + vegetables and 5 tablespoons. in s. (150g cooked) starch with 1 tbsp. c. Oil + 1 natural yogurt + 1 fruit (660 calories)
Plant version, is it better?
Most meal replacements contain milk protein and are therefore not suitable for people who are intolerant to dairy products. Several brands have recently released trendy products made with 100% plant-based ingredients. For example: Milical's Oryoki range, MRN Veggie Meal Powder, Mince Délice Almond & Almond and Seed Bar ... Tip: When choosing a product, make sure that it combines legume proteins (soybean, pea, lupine, etc.) and grain proteins ( wheat, rice, corn, etc.) to make up for each other's nutritional deficiencies.
Not to be confused with "liquid food"
be careful ! Some new products (such as feed, scent, etc.) are not used to lose weight. They also have more calories than meal replacements in the narrow sense because they provide an average of 600 calories, or even much more. These bottled liquid meals are inspired by American products originally intended for overbooked executives who don't have time to eat and who swallow their meals through a straw while still playing their computers. Obviously, skipping your lunch break this way is not a recommended solution!
Meal Substitutions: Do They Really Make You Lose Weight?
According to Laura Sirio, MD, a dietitian and nutritionist, "To lose weight, you have to consume fewer calories than you burn: So meal replacements are no more effective than a traditional low-calorie diet. If you're eating two days a day, your calories are low." Very (about 1000 calories): Lose weight quickly,
but be careful, there is a high risk of the yo-yo effect! Most nutritionists do not recommend them, even if these products can help when you do not have time to eat a meal. If you are eating one In the noon, it is better to offer a snack until the evening.In case of regular use, it is preferable to seek advice from a health professional, because the imposed minimum levels of some micronutrients (calcium, vitamins D and E, etc.) are less than the recommended intake. Also, the risk of eating disorders.