Jake Review | Simple, Complete and Healthy Vegan Shakes

Opinion | Nutrition | FAQ | Extra Info | Jake Vs… | Conclusion | Verdict

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?

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• From:
• Ships to: EU & NA
  
• Price/mealFrom €1.62/400kcal
  
• Subscription: 10%
  
• Nutrition Profile:Vegan
  
• Allergens:Gluten
  
• Kcal/meal:500/670/760
  
• User Reviews:Positive

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

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.

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

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 Food Light Ingredients

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.

Jake Food Original Ingredients

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.

Jake Food Sports Ingredients

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.

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.

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 Light amino acid profile.