Your eXpert Guide to
Meal Replacements (MRPs)

Meal replacements were originally fed to patients in hospitals who couldn't swallow whole food. MRP's provided all the nutrients that patients required for maintenance, growth and recovery. Meal replacements have come a long way since their original use in hospitals. They are an essential tool for many individuals, from the physically active to elite athletes, to provide optimum nutrition to support performance.

Meal replacements provide a high quality alternative to whole food and provide precise amounts of protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals for optimum nutrition

Meal replacements provide a high quality alternative to whole food and provide precise amounts of protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals for optimum nutrition. Available in powders you mix into shakes, bars, and pre-mixed ready to drink formulas for convenience. Meal replacements are handy nutritious meal fillers, snacks or post workout meals and supply the best nutrients.

Benefits of meal replacement over whole food

• Takes the guess work out of eating right
• Convenient
• Can use 'on the go'
• Provides optimal amounts of nutrients
• Stops you reaching for high sugar/fat snacks
• Easy to use
• Perfect when you don't have time to prepare, cook and eat a meal
• Know exactly what you eating

Studies have shown that 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day are better than traditional 3 square meals. Smaller meals:

• Increase metabolic rate
• Stabilize blood sugar levels
• Enhance nutrient absorption

Meal replacements used with training are a convenient, effective way to help you build your best body. Meal replacements alone will not result in achieving this but can assist in reaching different goals, from weight loss to muscle building. There are several varieties of MRPs that can assist with your different goals, such as:

• Long term weight loss¹,³
• Improved resting metabolic rate²
• Preserving lean body mass on resistance weight loss programs²
• Boost energy levels
• Support muscle growth
• Improve recovery after exercise

Meal replacements should help you reach your goals if you are:

• Physically active
• Eating 5-6 meals a day
• On a weight loss program
• Resistance training
• Looking for a post workout recovery drink
• Strength and power training

Protein repairs the muscles after exercise to improve recovery and provides an anabolic environment for muscle growth

Meal replacements contain a blend of protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals and are usually low in fat. The nutrients in meal replacements aid performance in the following way:

Protein repairs the muscles after exercise to improve recovery and provides an anabolic environment for muscle growth when consumed in the correct amounts. Carbohydrates supply energy during exercise and refuels your muscles after exercise. Vitamins and minerals support optimal health and wellbeing.

Some meal replacements contain added ingredients, such as creatine. These provide a further stimulus that improves performance by their individual mechanisms.

Meal replacements are designed to replace a meal, provide a snack 'on the go', or post workout recovery. MRP's should be used with whole food meals to provide a balanced nutritional diet. The amount you have depends on your training goals, what you eat during the day etc.

Meal replacements can be used alone, after training, or more frequently if you are trying to build muscle mass. We recommend no more than 2-3 a day in between 3 whole food meals.

Meal replacements come in 3 main forms:

• Powders
• Nutrition bars
• Ready-to-drink

They follow the same principle but simply offer alternate ways to use them, each with small advantages and disadvantages.

Meal Replacement Powders

MRP powders mix with milk or water in a shaker or blender to produce a shake. Meal replacement powders are generally cheaper, have the best nutritional profile and are lower in fat than bars and RTD's. The downside is you do have to mix the shake up.

The average values found in SNC's range of MRP powders per serving

Meal Replacement Bars

Meal replacement bars were designed for convenience. They can be used 'on the go', taken to the gym or kept in your drawer. Bars are ideal when you need a nutritious, tasty snack that stops you reaching for high sugar, high fat foods. MRP bars are higher in fat and have added ingredients over the powders and ready-to-drinks, such as glycerine.

Meal Replacement Ready to Drinks

Meal replacement ready to drinks are pre mixed nutrition shakes. They come in handy throw away cartons, perfect when you're out and about. They are similar to the MRP powders but tend to be less filling due to smaller volumes and less protein. Ready-to-drinks are a low fat alternative to meal replacement bars.

Table 1: Average values of meal replacements that we sell

Meal replacements cater for a variety of goals from weight loss to muscle building. Meal replacement powders, bars and ready-to-drinks can be divided into 3 categories:

MRP's for muscle building are similar to those for optimum nutrition but contain added ingredients to promote muscle growth

• Weight loss
• Optimum nutrition
• Muscle building

Meal Replacements for Weight Loss

Meal replacements designed for weight loss contain fewer calories and carbohydrates per serving, compared to the rest. Recommended daily protein intake increases on a fat loss diet⁶. The protein aids to satisfy hunger and prevent lean muscle loss⁵.

Meal Replacements for optimum nutrition

MRP's for optimum nutrition are based on high protein content with equal to slightly less carbohydrate content. Typically they contain between 230-360 kcal, 30-45g protein, 11-35g carbohydrates. Vitamins, minerals and glutamine are generally added for wellbeing and muscle recovery.

Meal Replacements for muscle building

MRP's for muscle building are similar to those for optimum nutrition but contain added ingredients to promote muscle growth. Typically they contain between 290-348kcal, 32-53g protein, 11-28g carbohydrates. Added ingredients include:

• Creatine
• Branched chain amino acids (BCAA's)
• Colostrum
• Glutamine
• Medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
• Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
• Essential fatty acids (EFA's)

Those allergic to lactose should look for lactose free MRP's or, if sensitive to dairy products, should look for a soy based formulation. Finally, try to avoid MRPs that use an aspartame sweetener as it can lead to gastrointestinal stress and stomach upsets.

What is the difference between a protein powder and MRP?

Most protein powders are made with a single source protein, such as whey. Meal replacements offer more and can include a variety of protein sources as well carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fats, hence the term 'meal replacement'.

Are meal replacements better than whole food?

MRP's are not necessarily better than whole foods but provide an excellent alternative. Whole foods should always form the base of your daily diet however it's often difficult to cook and prepare 5-6 meals per day. Fruit and vegetables provide nutrients such as phytochemicals and fiber that is not a component of MRP's, although are included in some.

It is also possible that over-use of liquid meal replacements may not stress the digestive system adequately. This may lead to a down-regulation of digestive enzymes. SNC recommend you have a maximum of 2-3 meal replacements in between whole food meals.

Should I use water or milk to make up my MRP?

If your goal is to increase your total caloric intake, i.e. weight gain, then milk or water should be used, however if your goal is simply to increase consumption of quality proteins whilst decreasing calories, then adding water is just as appropriate.