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Jake Review | Simple, Complete and Healthy Vegan Shakes

Opinion | Nutrition | FAQ | Extra InfoJake Vs… | Conclusion | Verdict

Jake logo

In this Jake review, I take a look to another great Dutch brand. In fact, Jakefood nutritionals has been around almost since the inception of meal replacements. Currently, they offer 3 meal replacement powders: Light, Original and Sports; as well as, some of the best meal replacement bars. All of these complete food products are vegan, soy-free and lactose free.

Interested? Let’s find out if Jake shakes are the right ones for you?


Jake Review at a Glance

Flavours: Oaty Vanilla, Chocolate, Banana, Forest Fruits, Coffee, and Coconut.


Opinion

Taking everything into consideration I must say that I have mixed feelings about Jake:

  • Their shakes are generally good to great (Oaty Vanilla), but I think they have room to improvement on how they taste. That said the texture is excellent.
  • Similarly, their website is ultra clean and pleasant; but they make some of the most basic things hard.
  • Lastly, Jake Shakes’ individual bags are very convenient, but a bulk bag would be very welcome, too.

All in all, Jakefood shakes are OK. Their pricing is competitive, they offer free shipping to US and EU and even ship to Canada (with custom fees), and their products are solid.

What I Like

1. Meal replacement powder options: Light, Sport, Original. The first thing to notice that you will find 3 different shake options. Therefore, you can choose the one that fits you best.

2. Texture and consistency. Another thing Jake does very well is the texture of the shakes. While the taste might not be mind-blowing, all shakes are incredibly easy to mix and they achieve a very pleasant consistency.

3. Multiple flavours available. My favourite is still Oaty Vanilla (truly S-tier), but it’s good to see at least 6 flavours per powder.

4. Great bulk discounts. The starting price of the shakes is a little high when compared to some other alternatives; but it goes down fast when you buy in bulk.

5. Free shipping, and worldwide deliveries. Part of the reason for the higher pricing is that they include the shipping costs. Thus, you’ll always get free delivery. That said, the product will be more expensive in the US than in EU (higher shipping costs).

6. Some of the best meal replacement bars. Seriously, check them out if you are looking for healthy snacks.

7. Superb starter packs – for just €19.

What I dislike

1. Taste of shakes can be improved. None of them are bad, but rather a little bland. While Oaty Vanilla is excellent, the others are just good.

2. Sports should have more micros.

3. Maltodextrin is one of the main carb sources.

4. Jake Soup is a great idea, but doesn’t taste good.

 We’ve specifically designed the sports shake for young active people who work out a lot. In short, the sports shakes provide a diet of 3000 kcal and, if following a diet of only sports shakes, should be consumed four times a day. You will also consume 160 grams of protein this way, more than sufficient for any kind of extensive workout.

Adding more micronutrients per sports shake would be useless, and as stated before, the sports shake is for those who need more calories than normal whilst not wanting to overconsume their daily vitamins and minerals requirements. When working out, you need more carbs to burn for energy and more protein for your muscles to recover, your daily vitamin and mineral requirements do not change significantly.

From Jake Support

Improvements

1. More options for Jake Soup.

Overview of Jake products.

Jake Taste Review

Jake banana taste review
Jake Banana, together with Oaty Vanilla, is better than the rest of flavours.
Best flavourOaty Vanilla
TasteAll shakes have a strong oat background flavour. That said, they are mostly good to really good. I enjoy Banana and Oaty Vanilla the most, since I found the rest to be a little weak. E.g. Chocolate is not the best.
TextureJakefood has a creamier texture. The shakes actually reach a nice consistency and blend together well.
Easy to MixAbsolutely perfect. No clumps, the shakes mix perfectly.
SatietyJake Light will fill you up for 3-4h; whereas the other two could satiate you for even longer.
Easy to CleanThe new shaker doesn’t have any ridges (like the old one) and cleans much more easily. That said the oats do stick to the side, so make sure to scratch the shaker walls.
AfterthoughtsJake shakes are really pleasant mostly, but some of them just feel weak in flavour. Energy-wise no issues and they are also easy to digest.

Pro-tip: Even though the shakes are already quite thick and creamy, they improve a lot with some oat milk.

Nutritional Breakdown

All Jakefood shakes are vegan, soy-free and lactose-free. However, they do contain maltodextrin and dextrose, two sources of carbohydrates with bad name among the enthusiast due to their high glycemic index.

The main fat sources are sunflower and flaxseed oil, as seen in numerous brands; and the main protein source tends to be pea protein in the powders and a blend of pea with rice in the Vitaminbar.

JakeFood Shakes Nutrition Overview

Jake Light Meal
Kcal/meal500
Macros (C/F/P)28/32/40
VeganYes
KetoNo
FeaturesVegan
Non-GMOYes
OrganicNo
Includes ProbioticsNo
Artificial SweetenersYes
Synthetic AdditivesYes
Contains All MicronutrientsYes
Controversial IngredientsMaltodextrin
Based on Jake Light. The other variations will have different calorie outpputs and macro splits.
Loader image

Pea protein isolate, oat flour (gluten), sunflower oil powder (sunflower oil, modified starch, glucose syrup, silicon dioxide, natural flavour), maltodextrin, oat fibre, dextrose, vitamin & mineral mix (tri-potassium citrate, di-calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, maltodextrin, magnesium oxide, di-potassium phosphate, sodium ascorbate (vitamin c), ferric pyrophosphate, dl-alpha tocopheryl, (vitamin e) acetate, zinc sulphate, folic acid, potassium iodide, nicotinamide, sodium molybdate, sodium selenite, retinyl (vitamin a) acetate, vitamin k1, calcium-d-pantothenate, manganese sulphate, d-biotin, chromium-III-chloride, copper sulphate, cyanocobalamin (vitamin b12), ergocalciferol (vitamin d2), pyridoxine (vitamin b6) hydrochloride, riboflavin (vitamin b2), thiamine (vitamin b1)), vegetable oil (flaxseed), colouring agent: red beet, modified starch, acidity regulator: citric acid, anti-coagulant: silicon dioxide, flavour, thickening agent: xanthan gum, sweetener: sucralose.

Oat flour (gluten), pea protein isolate, maltodextrin, sunflower oil powder (sunflower oil, modified starch, glucose syrup, silicon dioxide, natural flavour), dextrose, oat fibre, vitamin & mineral mix (tri-potassium citrate, di-calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, maltodextrin, magnesium oxide, di-potassium phosphate, sodium ascorbate (vitamin c), ferric pyrophosphate, dl-alpha tocopheryl, (vitamin e) acetate, zinc sulphate, folic acid, potassium iodide, nicotinamide, sodium molybdate, sodium selenite, retinyl (vitamin a) acetate, vitamin k1, calcium-d-pantothenate, manganese sulphate, d-biotin, chromium-III-chloride, copper sulphate, cyanocobalamin (vitamin b12), ergocalciferol (vitamin d2), pyridoxine (vitamin b6) hydrochloride, riboflavin (vitamin b2), thiamine (vitamin b1)), vegetable oil (flaxseed), natural flavour, modified starch, anti-coagulant: silicon dioxide, thickening agent: xanthan gum, sweetener: sucralose.

Oat flour (gluten), pea protein isolate, maltodextrin, sunflower oil powder (sunflower oil, modified starch, glucose syrup, silicon dioxide, natural flavour), dextrose, oat fibre, vegetable oil (flaxseed), vitamin & mineral mix (tri-potassium citrate, di-calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, maltodextrin, magnesium oxide, di-potassium phosphate, sodium ascorbate (vitamin c), ferric pyrophosphate, dl-alpha tocopheryl, (vitamin e) acetate, zinc sulphate, folic acid, potassium iodide, nicotinamide, sodium molybdate, sodium selenite, retinyl (vitamin a) acetate, vitamin k1, calcium-d-pantothenate, manganese sulphate, d-biotin, chromium-III-chloride, copper sulphate, cyanocobalamin (vitamin b12), ergocalciferol (vitamin d2), pyridoxine (vitamin b6) hydrochloride, riboflavin (vitamin b2), thiamine (vitamin b1)), natural flavour, modified starch, anti-coagulant: silicon dioxide, thickening agent: xanthan gum, sweetener: sucralose.

Energy

Each Jakefood powder meal is designed to be had in 3 servings. Because each serving differs in size, the total outcome for the day is also different. In the case of Vitaminbar, you would need to consume 6 bars in order to get close to 2,000kcal.

Jake Light

  • 500kcal/serving
  • 1500kcal/day
  • 32P/28C/40F

Jake Original

  • 670kcal/serving
  • 2,010kcal/day
  • 24P/45C/31F

Jake Vitaminbar

  • 332kcal/bar
  • 1,992kcal/day
  • 24P/42C/35F

Jake Sports

  • 750kcal/serving
  • 2,250kcal/day
  • 21P/45C/34F

All Jake products are fairly high in fats (especially Jake Light) and low in carbohydrates. They are all around the 35% of the total energy mark, which is the upper limit for the acceptable macronutrient distribution range for fats (EFSA). On the other hand, Jake meals are in the lower end for AMDR for carbohydrates (45-65%).

This does not meant Jakefood’s shakes are unhealthy. Furthermore, when used in conjunction with a standard Western diet, it might help you to get the daily fats needed and lower the sugar intake.

Fats

Per serving (DRI is based in 2,000kcal):

Jake Light

  • Total Fats: 22.0g. 31.43% of the DRI.
  • Saturated Fats: 2.9g. 14.5% of DRI.
  • Monosaturated (MUFA): 7.5g. This is 13.5% of the calories per serving.
  • Polyunsaturated (PUFA): 10.0g. This is 18.0% of the calories per serving.
  • Omega-3: 1.1g.
  • Omega-6: 8.2g.

Jake Original

  • Total Fats: 22.0g. 31.43% of the DRI.
  • Saturated Fats: 3.0g. 15% of DRI.
  • Monosaturated (MUFA): 7.4g. This is 9.9% of the calories per serving.
  • Polyunsaturated (PUFA): 10.0g. This is 13.4% of the calories per serving.
  • Omega-3: 1.6g.
  • Omega-6: 8.0g.

Jake Vitaminbar

  • Total Fats: 12.0g. 17.1% of the DRI.
  • Saturated Fats: 1.6g. 8% of DRI.
  • Monosaturated (MUFA): Not available.
  • Polyunsaturated (PUFA): Not available.
  • Omega-3: Not available.
  • Omega-6: Not available.

Jake Sports

  • Total Fats: 28.0g. 40.0% of the DRI.
  • Saturated Fats: 10.0g. 50.0% of DRI.
  • Monosaturated (MUFA): 6.2g. This is 7.4% of the calories per serving.
  • Polyunsaturated (PUFA): 9.9g. This is 11.9% of the calories per serving.
  • Omega-3: 1.6g.
  • Omega-6: 8.0g.

High Polyunsaturated Content

Jake Light’s and Jake Original’s fat quantities are very similar (the percentages change because the serving sizes are different), which suggest they use the same amounts for both shakes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 6-11% of energy from PUFAs. According to WHO, based on experimental studies, risk of lipid peroxidation may increase with high (>11%E) PUFA consumption, particularly when tocopherol intake is low.

In fact, none of the powders fit, because they are richer in polyunsaturated fats than monounsaturated fats. While MUFA>= PUFA > SFA (saturated fatty acid) diets have been shown beneficial; there is some evidence that PUFA rich diets can increase fat oxidation, too; perhaps at a greater extent than MUFA.

Most importantly, in the recent WHO draft for saturated and trans-fat recommendations, they suggested to used PUFA to replace excess SFA (when it needed), as there is strong evidence that lowered LDL.

Omega-3s Are High, and the Omega-3 to -6 Ratio Is Close to the Ideal

All three powders offer the same omega-3 and omega-6 content, which are mostly originating from flaxseed and sunflower oil, respectively.

While the omega-3 content seems adequate (probably mostly alpha-linoleic acid, ALA), usually a 1/1-1/4 ratio is deemed as ideal; as higher omega-6 ratios have been linked with more likelihood for obesity. Jake offers a 1/5, which is not so far off.

Lets Talk About the Saturated Fats in the Sports Variation

While the saturated fat content is low in the Original and Light version (and the Vitaminbar), Jake Sports gets all the extra calories from saturated fats. This is because they add coconut oil to the mix, which is high in saturated fat (87%).

Even though some other brands use coconut oil, particularly to add medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) as source of quick energy from fat (they are burn at a similar rate to certain carbs); I am no sure this is the right move for the sport variation. Coconut oil is not a pure MCT source, and mostly provides lauric acid (not such a good MCT) and other saturated fats.

Thus, I would advise to use Jake Sports in moderation, or together with the other variations.

Carbs

Per serving:

Jake Light

  • Total Carbs: 31.0g. 11.9% of the DRI.
  • Sugars: 6.1g. 6.8% of DRI.
  • Fiber: 7.4g. 37.0% of DRI.

Jake Original

  • Total Carbs: 72.0g. 27.7% of the DRI.
  • Sugars: 9.4g. 10.4% of DRI.
  • Fiber: 9.3g. 46.5% of DRI.

Jake Vitaminbar

  • Total Carbs: 34.0g. 13.1% of the DRI.
  • Sugars: 14.0g. 15.6% of DRI.
  • Fiber: 6.0g. 30% of DRI.

Jake Sports

  • Total Carbs: 81.0g. 31.2% of the DRI.
  • Sugars: 22.0g. 24.4% of DRI.
  • Fiber: 7.8g. 39.0% of DRI.

Jakefood uses 3 main carbohydrate sources: oat flour (and oat fiber), glucose syrup and maltodextrin. Oats are a great source of complex carbohydrates and are used by almost every brand. Dextrose and maltodextrin, in the contrary, are “less common” and not very liked by the community.

Maltodextrin is a source of complex carbohydrate that, unlike other complex carbs, is broken down really rapidly into glucose and rapidly increases blood glucose levels (high glycemic index, GI 85). This can be problematic for people with diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions; as well as increasing the likelyhood to become diabetic.

On the other hand, glucose syrup is rapidly passed to the blood and creates an insulin spike.

Even though, Jakefood shakes have more sugar than most other shakes, they still offer fairly low sugar values, and none of them surpasses the upper limit. Regarding the GI, I suspect the GI of the shakes is lowered by the amount of fats, but it would be interesting to see the values.

Protein

Per serving:

Jake Light – 40g (80.0% of RI).

Jake Original – 40g (80.0% of RI)

Jake Vitaminbar – 19g (38.0% of RI)

Jake Sports – 40g (80.0% of RI)

Perhaps, one of the most curious things is that all Jake powder versions have the same amount of protein, even if they vastly differ in the amount of calories. This is more suprising in the case of the Sport variation; since this often tend to pack extra protein. In fact, 3 servings will offer you 120g of protein, which may not be enough for some higher sport people or gym goers. For most, Jake shakes have more than enough protein.

The main source of protein is pea protein, even if oats will also contribute. Pea protein is a very popular plant-based protein; due to the fact that it has a fairly well round up amino acid profile. The only issue is the low methionine content, and lower values of leucine, lysine and isoleucine when compared to whey.

Jake Sports AA vs Whey AA
Amino acid profile of the protein in Jake Sports vs whey protein. Each serving of Jake Sports provides 40g.

As such, pea protein is often paired with rice protein for a better amino acid profile. Surprisingly this is the case for Vitaminbar. Thus, I do not understand why they would not introduce it in the powder versions, too.

With regards to the pea-rice combination, we don’t like how this combination influences the taste and texture of our shakes.

Jake

It is a fair concern, considering that even if lower than whey, Jake products (3 servings) provide more than the recommended amount for all EAA.

Jake Original amino acid profile
Jake Original amino acid profile.
Jake Light Amino Acid Profile
Jake Light amino acid profile.
Jake Sport amino acid profile
Jake Sport amino acid profile.

Micronutrients

Both Jake Original and Jake Light have at least 33% of all vitamins and minerals; including vitamins like vit K2, which are often forgotten.

In contrast, Vitaminbar and Jake Sports come with at least 25% of all micros. This is understandable in the case of Vitaminbar and it is actually a fairly high number for a 332kcal bar.

On the other hand, you would have to drink 4 Jake Sports (3,000kcal) in order to get 100% of the daily recommended (which is actually based on a 2,000kcal). I find this surprising and a little disappointing. Even if the recommended intake were 4 servings, I would rather see some extra nutrients rather than just meeting the minimums.

Allergens

The “only” allergen in Jake meals is gluten from oats. I find it a little surprising that they have not yet incorporated a gluten free option.

More About Jake

Jakefood is one of the old European guard. Founded in 2014 in Amsterdam, it has been a part of the meal replacement industry since the beginning.

Founded “by a group of young ideological food enthusiasts” they strive to make a healthy and sustainable food source. Among the founders are Frank de Wijk, Eelco Bakker, Julian Sarkinovic and Casper Hoving, all Dutch nationals with plenty of experience in start-up worlds.

Jake Mission

We believe that we, as the world, can do better. We need to work towards a healthier world, with healthier people. That’s why our mission is to make eating healthy easy. We hear you think, how does that help? We believe that the best way to help people change their bad habits, is by offering a better option. And, that would be complete food that is vegan, plant based and easy to make. These features could mean a world of difference.

In order to achieve this, Jake is based on 4 pillars:

  • Easy and quick.
  • 100% vegan.
  • Complete food.
  • Free shipping.

More Jake Products

In this Jake review, I mainly focus on their meal replacement powders. However, Jake does also sell one of the best meal replacement bars; as well as, a complete soup.

Vitaminbar Forest Fruit

VitaminBar Review

  • Meal replacement bar.
  • Energy: 332kcal/bar.
  • Macros: 52C/25P/23F.
  • Price: €2.20/bar (most expensive)
  • 4 flavours available: Banana, Vanilla, Coffee Cacao, and Forest Fruit.
  • Chewy, fairly solid, but OK tasting.
  • Coffee Cacao is the best by far.
Jake Soup Review Tomato

Jake Soup Review

  • Complete food.
  • Energy: 400kcal/serving.
  • Macros: 44C/27P/29F.
  • Price: €3.45/400kcal
  • Only available in Tomato flavour.
  • Needs to be eaten hot.
  • Doesn’t taste great. The flavor is weak and artificial and the mix quite watery.

In all honesty, when I reviewed Jake Soup I really wanted to like it. With the recent surge of “food-like” meal replacements (e.g. Huel Hot & Savory), Jake Soup had a unique angle. However, this soups fails in the basics: taste and texture. It’s simply too bland, weird tasting (tons of artificial flavours in the background), and the soup never thickens enough. Thus, Jake Soup is a good first try, but it has tons of room for improvement.

On the opposite side, Vitaminbars are some of the best meal replacement bars. While far from perfect, they beat a lot of the competition in terms of price and taste. Personally, I found Coffee Cacao to be a step above the others, but all of them are a solid A.

Packaging

Jake powders come in used to come in single serving bags only.

Jake Individual Packages
Each variant differs in the amount of grams that the package contains.

However, recently they added bulk bags into their repertoire, which makes it easier for those who regularly consume Jake.

The guarantee shelf life for Jake products is at minimum 3 months, but the average shelf life upon delivery is 6 months. Once the shelf life is expired the product should still be good, but not at the peak of the nutritional value.

Shipping and Return Policy

One of Jake’s main strengths is that they offer free shipping within the EU, to the US and to Canada.

Jake Shipping Fees

However, it has a catch for Canadian, Norwegian and Swiss citizens. These are countries in which you will have to pay extra custom and import fees (image above).

Refund Policy

Regarding the return policy, Jake operates a 14 day return policy in unopened products (since the day you received the item). The item needs to be returned in the original packaging to (and the shipping cost will not be refunded):

Jake Nutritionals
Peizerweg 97N
9727 AJ, Groningen
The Netherlands

Pricing & Subscription

Jake’s pricing is simple and complex at the same time. For instance, the subscription discount is not a flat number; but it’s usually around 10%.

Regarding the price, it will vary depending two factors: location and order size. The latter is quite intuitive; but the reason for the first is because shipping costs are included in the price.

Let’s see a couple of examples.

a) Shipping to Europe (Spain) without subscription:

20 meals 2.953.203.45
40 meals2.732.983.23
80 meals2.492.742.99
Cheapest €/kcal0.00500.00410.0039
Meal size varies (500kcal, 670kcal and 700kcal, respectively.

b) Shipping to the US without subscription:

Price ($)/mealJake LightJake OriginalJake Sport
20 meals 3.844.164.49
40 meals3.553.874.20
80 meals3.243.563.89
Cheapest $/kcal0.00650.00530.0051
Meal size varies (500kcal, 670kcal and 700kcal, respectively.

FAQ

Are Jake shakes vegan?

Yes, all Jake meal replacement products are vegan.

Are Jakefood shakes gluten-free?

No, the shakes might contain gluten.

Can I order Jake from the US?

Yes, Jakefood offers worldwide shipping. Shipping to the US will cost you a little extra, since the products are shipped from the Netherlands.

Could I use Jake to lose weight?

Yes, in fact, Jake Light is designed for a diet of 1,500kcal; thus, it can be a great diet shake.

Is it safe to consume Jake as a diabetic?

In theory, it should be OK to drink Jake shakes. However, Jake’s are not marketed as diabetic shakes; therefore, I would advise to ask your doctor first.

JakeFood Products review

Jake vs Other Meal Replacements

Similarly to Jake, there are many other meal replacements that offer vegan shakes in both Europe and the US. Truth be told, very few do with the style and convenience factor that Jake does, though.

Here are some dairy-free shakes and other Jake alternatives:

Overview

Jake LHuelPlenny ShakeC360
kcal/serving500400400400
Macros (C/P/F)28/32/4040/30/3047/20/3335/26/39
Protein (g)40302026
Sugar (g)6.11315
Fiber (g)7.47.08.26.9
Fats (g)22.013.013.018.0
VeganYYYY
Keto-friendly?NNNN
OrganicNNNN
Real Food basedNNNN
Artificial SweetenersYYYY
Synthetic AdditivesYYYY
GMONNNN
Based on Jake Light.

If you are looking for more natural shakes; or alternatives without artificial sweeteners; please check out Ample (US) and Ambronite (EU/US).

JakeFood Shake vs

Huel Powder

This is one of the best-known meal replacement powders. It offers 2 options with more protein, and less sugar. The mix relies heavily on oats, like Jake, but it’s not as smooth to drink. Furthermore, the flavours are generally not as accomplished.

Plenny Shake US

Plenny Shake

If you are looking for a cheaper meal replacement shake, then Plenny Shake is your choice. Jimmyjoy is a brand that has made it’s name in affordable and tasty shakes. Consequently, Plenny Shake is one of the most beloved drinks out there.

Complete 360 Meal

Despite having discovered this recently, it is already one of the best shakes in my opinion. It offers solid nutrition at an affordable price; as well as premium tasting experience. Unfortunately, the prices are best for UK and Eu citizens.

Besides the above mentioned, there are many other meal shakes. For instance, if you are looking for a ready to drink product; there’s Soylent in the US and YFood in Europe (among many others).

Jakefood shakes full review

Verdict – Jake Review

Dutch companies have been around for a while and Jake is another example of the excellency of the brands from this country.

In this Jakefood review, I have been particularly impressed by the Light version, even though is a bit too pricey, and the Vitaminbar. In fact, I believe that these two are the best products they have.

Besides, Jake Original and Sports are great for those looking for bigger meals; but personally, I enjoy smaller shakes. Plus, Sports is too high in saturated fats and too low in protein for my liking.

On the other hand, while I like the idea of Jake Soup, I think that the execution is simply not there. I would wait to see some improvements before buying it.

That said, I would highly recommend getting a starter pack; and giving both the shakes and the bars a go.

Jake Food Shakes

From € 1.62
4

Nutrition

3.8/5

Taste

4.0/5

Texture

4.3/5

Satiety

4.0/5

Price

4.0/5

Pros

  • 3 different formulas to choose from
  • Great texture, particularly for oat vanilla. This is also the best flavour.
  • Nice convenient single packaging.
  • All flavours available for all variants.
  • Shipping included in the price.

Cons

  • On the expensive end in small purchases.
  • Contains maltodextrin.
  • Sports is high in saturated fats.
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