The Soylent brand comes in a wide variety of meal-replacement products including shakes, meal replacement powders and calorie protein bars. Its main claim to fame, however, is the ability of its shakes to aid in weight loss. However, as skeptics, we’re looking for answers and asking can soylent help you lose weight?
Luckily, we didn’t have to do much heavy lifting as Health Energy Guru was kind enough to do the proper research. If you are one of the millions of individuals who locked in a constant struggle against flab, is Soylent the answer to your weight problems?
What is Soylent?
Those who have been using this brand to manage their weight often use the brand’s name to refer to its line of meal replacement shakes, which is its top selling product. The shakes come in 6, 12, 24 and 32-ounce bottles and in different flavors including original, cacao, strawberry, café mocha, café chai and café vanilla. Its manufacturers tout it as being a “nutritionally complete, ready-to-drink meal in a bottle.”
The name is an obvious play on its main ingredient, which is a soy protein isolate. This substance is derived from soybean protein. Most fitness enthusiasts are aware of the controversy surrounding soy and one of its components, phytoestrogen. However, soy protein is still regarded as complete, containing all the essential amino acids that the body needs for muscle building and for other body functions. Among the other ingredients in Soylent shakes include high-oleic sunflower oil, isomaltulose and canola oil.
Soylent and Liquid Diets
Soylent drinks fall under the category of liquid diets, particularly a full liquid diet. Liquid diets are medically prescribed by doctors to prepare a patient for a medical procedure, treat or manage a medical condition, or as a temporary means to nourish a patient who is recovering from certain surgical procedures.
Although liquid diets are not originally meant for weight loss, it is one of its secondary effects. This is due to caloric restriction in the diet, which forces the body to turn to its own fat stores for an alternative source of energy. Clear liquid diets are the most extreme form of this diet and it should only be done for a few days because it lacks the necessary nutrients that the body needs to function properly.
Full liquid diets provide more nutrients as it can include pureed meat, vegetables, fruits and cereals, along with other liquid food such as milk, yogurt, butter and even peanut butter. Soylent fall into this category, even though it will likely be wanting in some nutrients as in the case of most types of liquid diets.
Should You Try Soylent Drinks to Lose Weight?
It is important to remember that the healthy way of losing weight involves more than just restricting your caloric intake. This does not mean, of course, that Soylent isn’t good for weight loss. On the contrary, this meal replacement drink comes with more vitamins and minerals that are lacking in other liquid diets. You may supplement a sound fitness and eating regimen with Soylent drinks.
The key to using Soylent successfully is to make sure that you also use vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for the nutrients that are lacking in the drink. This is especially important if you plan to subsist mainly on Soylent for extended periods. As with any radical eating changes that you plan to try, it will be best to consult your physician before you start.