BodyKey Meal Replacement Shake

Amway, the company that sells BodyKey Meal Replacement Shakes is a multi-level marketing company, which means that they sell their products directly through individual sales team members. There have been concerns and claims about the practices of Amway, but this doesn’t necessarily affect the quality of this shake.

BodyKey Meal Replacement Shakes have many positive qualities. One is that it comes in a variety of flavors. For convenience, we based this review on the French Vanilla flavor. One quality that we liked is that it’s only 110 calories, a low amount that we find desirable in a meal replacement shake. It’s also a good source of protein, at 16 grams, as well as a good source of fiber, at 5 grams per serving. It contains over twenty different vitamins and minerals, almost all of them at least 50% of your recommended daily value.

The price to serving ratio makes BodyKey one of the better options in terms of pricing.

Unfortunately, it seems too much to ask that a meal replacement shake contain only positive attributes. With this particular shake, we were concerned about one of the protein sources as well as the artificial sweetener.

In addition to whey protein, this meal replacement shake contains soy protein. Soy protein is derived from the soybean plant. It’s a plant-based protein option that made it a popular choice for vegetarians and vegans in order to supplement their protein intake. At one point in time soy was touted for its numerous health benefits, but in recent years the GMO debate, especially with soy protein has hit controversial firestorm.   Just google “dangers of soy” and you’ll find claims from a-z, from stunting growth, infertility and promoting breast cancer in women, and toxicity to the nervous system and kidneys.   It’s a good idea to take the time to read up on the controversy surrounding soy and decide on your comfort level with this ingredient.

Along with that soy being controversial there is sucralose, an artificial sweetener that’s more popularly known as Splenda in this shake. Sucralose became popular as a no calorie sweetener. Research has suggested that sucralose may be responsible for various health concerns, such as:

• Reducing “good” gut bacteria. Consuming this artificial sweetener can alter the amount of microbes in your gut by more than 50%. It can also reduce the quality of those microbes. A lack of “good” gut bacteria can lead to weight gain.
• Making medication less effective. Sucralose may limit your body’s ability to absorb therapeutic drugs, which consequentially renders those drugs less effective.
• Releasing toxins in your body. Baking with Splenda causes the compound to decompose, potentially releasing toxic compounds called chloroproanols.
• Altering your body’s responses. Consuming sucralose can alter insulin responses, which affects blood sugar levels. It has also been associated with inflammatory bowel disease and may even alter genes.

We do like to see little to no sugar in these shakes, but sucralose is under scrutiny and has even been banned in some big stores like Whole Foods. We also see stevia, a natural and effective sweetener in the ingredients list. Why not use stevia instead and leave it at that?

BodyKey Meal Replacement Shake is made by a reputable company and has several nutritional benefits.  However, there are some ingredients in this shake that we recommend you research further before you make a lifestyle decision.