Shakeology Review | Is This Meal Replacement a Waste of Money?

What would one call the science or study of shakes? Shakeology, I guess. Jokes aside, in this Shakeology review, I will analyze one of the most popular diet shakes in the US.

In fact, you’ve probably seen them or heard of them. But what are they? Are they any good?

According to them, Shakeology is a dietary supplement, offered in both plant-based, as well as whey-based formulations. They range between 140 to 160 calories, and contain 16g of protein, 15g of carbs and about 3g of fat. The plant-based versions have five flavors, whereas the whey-based has four, but most are the same flavors.

Considering that each serving costs you $4.3, they must be amazing. Is Shakeology the healthiest shake in the planet, as the price suggests?

Unfortunately, it is not, as you will discover in this Team Beachbody Shakeology review. I even have a list of what I consider the best Shakeology alternatives that I recommend you check.

Spoiler: Rootana is our current preferred meal shake alternative to Shakeology.

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Our top meal shake recommendation

Rootana Real Food Shake

Rootana is our top everyday meal shake, with premium plant-based nutrition from oats, pea protein and golden flaxseed. Its carefully balanced nutritional profile combines protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre, essential fats, vitamins and minerals in a satisfying, convenient meal.

The clean ingredient list uses organic coconut sugar for subtle sweetness, with no stevia, sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K or monk fruit. Our review found a mild, pleasantly oaty flavour and smooth texture, without the intense sweetness or lingering sweetener aftertaste of many meal shakes. It becomes creamier with milk or a milk alternative.

Visit Rootana ↗Read our Rootana review

Complete ingredients & label facts

Complete ingredients by flavour

Original: oat flour, pea protein isolate, organic coconut sugar, gold flaxseed powder, sunflower lecithin, sunflower oil powder, vitamin and mineral blend (potassium chloride, sodium chloride, calcium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, ascorbic acid, d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, niacinamide, phylloquinone, retinyl palmitate, zinc oxide, manganese citrate, cholecalciferol, D-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, biotin, folic acid, copper sulfate, pyridoxine HCl, thiamin HCl, riboflavin, chromium picolinate, cyanocobalamin, potassium iodide, sodium molybdate), guar gum, xanthan gum.

Dark Chocolate: oat flour, pea protein isolate, organic coconut sugar, gold flaxseed powder, sunflower lecithin, sunflower oil powder, cocoa, natural flavors, vitamin and mineral blend (potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, sodium chloride, ascorbic acid, d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, niacinamide, phylloquinone, retinyl palmitate, zinc oxide, manganese citrate, cholecalciferol, D-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, biotin, folic acid, pyridoxine HCl, riboflavin, thiamin HCl, chromium picolinate, cyanocobalamin, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, sodium molybdate), guar gum, xanthan gum.

Both current US labels show 14 servings per pouch. Contains oats.

Rootana: current US labels, per serving

Nutrient	Original · 102 g	Dark Chocolate · 105 g
Energy	400 kcal	400 kcal
Total fat	14 g	14 g
Saturated fat	2 g	2 g
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	440 mg	400 mg
Total carbohydrate	44 g	46 g
Dietary fiber	8 g	9 g
Total sugars	12 g	12 g
Added sugars	11 g	11 g
Protein	20 g	20 g

All vitamins and minerals, per serving

Rootana: complete vitamin and mineral amounts

Nutrient	Original · 102 g	Dark Chocolate · 105 g
Vitamin D	3.8 mcg	4 mcg
Calcium	270 mg	280 mg
Iron	8.1 mg	10.5 mg
Potassium	860 mg	1070 mg
Vitamin A	180 mcg	180 mcg
Vitamin C	18 mg	18 mg
Vitamin E	3 mg	3 mg
Vitamin K	24 mcg	24 mcg
Thiamin	0.24 mg	0.24 mg
Riboflavin	0.26 mg	0.26 mg
Niacin	3.2 mg	3.2 mg
Vitamin B6	0.3 mg	0.3 mg
Folate	80 mcg DFE	80 mcg DFE
Vitamin B12	0.5 mcg	0.5 mcg
Biotin	6 mcg	6 mcg
Pantothenic acid	1 mg	1 mg
Phosphorus	340 mg	370 mg
Iodine	30 mcg	30 mcg
Magnesium	75 mg	90 mg
Zinc	2 mg	2 mg
Selenium	11 mcg	11 mcg
Copper	0.2 mg	0.2 mg
Manganese	0.5 mg	0.5 mg
Chromium	7 mcg	7 mcg
Molybdenum	9 mcg	9 mcg
Chloride	730 mg	630 mg

US labels: Original 102 g; Dark Chocolate 105 g. Official ingredients and nutrition.

Shakeology at a Glance

Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Cafe Latte, Strawberry, Cookies & Creamy (Plant only), Tropical Strawberry (Plant only).

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Opinion

Shakeology has become a household name. You do not have to be a meal replacement nerd like us to have heard of it. As a matter of fact, I knew of it long before I knew anything about the mainstays in the complete food space.

They’ve achieved this notoriety through very aggressive marketing that has taken many forms. Their parent company, Team Beachbody, is a fitness company, but also a media company. This means they can offer the product via their fitness videos, infomercials and even multi-level marketing.

To shift the focus back to Shakeology specifically, I’m not sure exactly what to expect. I’ve had it twice before and one flavor was pretty good, and the other was not to my taste. However, I will say that the people I knew who had it, never finished it, and were trying their best to give the rest away. 

All that said, I’m going to approach Shakeology with an open mind. Innocent until proven guilty.

What We Like

1. Packaging options. Offered in multi-serving bags & single serve packs.

2. Plant & Whey. No matter your diet, you can incorporate Shakeology shakes.

3. Samples. I’ll always support the offering of sample packs. Most would prefer to try before they buy.

4. International shipping. To Canada, the UK, and France.

5. High in fiber.

What We Dislike

1. Ultra expensive. Can be over $5 per serving without subscribing.

2. Packaging penalty. If you opt for single serve, you get six fewer servings for the same price.

3. MLM/Infomercials. The company operates in a way where you are the product.

4. I found the customer experience and subscription terms disappointing. In order to get a subscription discount, you need a coach (MLM salesperson) to give you preferred pricing. Otherwise, it’s just recurring delivery at retail price.

5. Nutrients are missing. Some micronutrients are missing, which is unacceptable at this price point.

6. Website is hard to navigate. More often than not, this is because they are trying to hide and make simple things complex.

7. Shakes taste pretty bad.

Nutritional Breakdown

Nutritionally speaking, Shakeology tries to place themselves in the upper echelon of meal replacements. They claim to have some of the healthiest and most nutritious shakes on the market, and as showcased below, they are indeed packed with seemingly positive nutrients.

Furthermore, they have a dairy-free shake and a whey-based version, which is very welcome. My fear, however, is that the ingredients are in quantities that are too low for them to be effective.

Besides, Shakeology’s are fairly low-calorie shakes, that might be able to help you with your weight loss goal.

Shakeology Nutrition Overview

Kcal/meal	140 – 160
Macros (C/P/F)	45/46/19
Vegan	Yes*
Keto	No
Features	Nut Free, Soy Free
Non-GMO	No
Organic	Partially
Includes Probiotics	Yes
Artificial Sweeteners	No
Synthetic Additives	No
Contains All Micronutrients	No
Controversial Ingredients

Carbohydrates

Based on 140kcal serving:

• Total Carbs: 15g, 5% of DV.
• Net Carbs: 11g, (Total Carbs – Dietary Fiber – Non-digestible Carbs)
• Sugars: 7g.
• Fiber: 6g, 21% of DV.

Both plant and whey options have roughly the same carb makeup.

Organic cane sugar provides the sweetness as there are no artificial sweeteners.

Also take note of the 6g of fiber which is from peas, just like the protein.

Protein

Per 140kcal serving:

• Total Protein: 16g, 26% of DV.
• Plant Source: Pea, Rice, Quinoa, Flax
• Whey Source: Whey

Another multi-source protein can be found in the plant-based version.

Of note, for the whey-based protein, they stress that the whey used is purified through state-of-the-art cold-filtration. This intentionally omits the usage of high heat, to prevent protein breakdown.

Fats

Per 140kcal serving:

• Total Fats: 3g, 4% of DV.
• Saturated Fats: 1.5g, 20% of DV.
• Omega-3: 250mg

Nice to see the added omega-3 fatty acids, as well as the amounts on the labels. However, it’s worth noting that the omega-3 comes from ALA which is poorly converted into DHA and EPA (the “real” omega-3 fatty acids). Therefore, I wouldn’t rely solely on Shakeology for my omega-3s.

The whey product naturally contains a bit more fat than the plant-based. Both also contain organic flax seeds.

Micronutrients

There are massive differences between the two products when it comes to micros. The plant product has only 6 micros, and is in far lower amounts than its counterpart.

The whey products has 20 micros, most of which are 20% or higher. If this is important to you, dairy-based might be the “whey” to go. Lol.

Allergens

The whey product is dairy based. No other allergens of note.

Taste Test

We ordered both plant and whey sample packs. Occasionally, there are limited edition flavors, but we have all the base flavors of each type to try out.

Unfortunately, both tasters were pretty underwhelming, and after trying various flavors, all I can say is that Shakeology shakes taste average at best. I wouldn’t buy them for the taste, that’s for sure.

Best flavour	Plant-based Vanilla
Taste	There are better options
Texture	Can be loose. Measure carefully
Satiety	Short of 90min
Easy to Clean	No issues
After Thoughts	None of them would be my first choice

Vanilla (Plant)

Striking vanilla scent. Surprisingly, it tastes pretty good. Not too sweet, ice cream-like flavor. Not bad at all.

Cafe Latte (Plant)

This one has a really strong coffee flavor. It’s ok, I’m not a big coffee fan, but if you like bolder coffee flavors and not the foo-foo stuff like, you may enjoy it. Got it down, but I wouldn’t want it again.

Chocolate (Plant)

Simply put, this one wasn’t that good. It tasted like there was something else mixed in. There are much better chocolates out there.

Cookies & Creamy (Plant)

This one was seemingly much sweeter than the others. It tasted mostly like chocolate, but with a mix of Oreo flavor.

Vanilla (Whey)

This one is not as good as the plant-based vanilla. Noticeably sweeter, and the flavor just seemed a bit off. Not horrible, but a sure drop-off.

Chocolate (Whey)

A bit better than the plant-based chocolate, doesn’t taste like there are other items mixed in. I still stand by my opinion of there being better chocolates available, though.

Cafe Latte (Whey)

Sweet. Very sweet. I had to add extra water to dial it back. No better or worse than its plant-based counterpart. Another I wouldn’t want a repeat of.

Strawberry (Whey)

I thought it would be just like Tropical Strawberry, but I was wrong. It has a much more prominent strawberry flavor. It was solid, and the best of the whey options.

Summary – Which Shakeology Flavor is Best?

The best Shakeology flavor is the plant-based Vanilla, while both latte flavors were my least favourites.

Glad this is over, it became a real chore in the end. While none of the Shakeology drinks were flat-out gross, most of them were a C- if graded.

Rootana is our current preferred meal shake alternative.

Shakeology’s Story

As a renowned wellness coach and formulator, Isabelle Brousseau-Daikeler saw the same issues again and again in her clients: they felt exhausted, run-down, had digestive issues, and just didn’t feel good. Similarly, famed superfood hunter Darin Olien was frustrated by the lack of high-quality products on supplement shelves. As such, the two teamed up to create the world’s first premium superfood wellness shake, backed by rigorous, high-quality ingredient testing.

We drew from decades of personal experience to craft a shake that helps feed your body the nutrition it needs to function at an optimum level. But from the very beginning we made a promise: we didn’t want to cut any corners or create a lower-quality product to help our margins.

Instead, we chose to include some of the most potent ingredients on the planet, and painstakingly sourced them from suppliers who shared our commitment to quality.

The result is a delicious shake that helps you build a foundation for good health. One you’ll want to drink every single day. Because when you feel like your body is firing on all cylinders, it’s easier to be consistent, stay on-track, and reach your potential.

Pricing & Shipping

Before diving into the pricing, I want to make a small remark. Buying off their website was a difficult experience for me. I struggled to find the products I wanted, and the information I required.

Just for that, I would not buy Shakeology, but let’s keep going.

Shakeology can be purchased from their webpage, or from marketplace sellers such as Ebay. Their monthly subscriptions appear to only be monthly, so keep that in mind.

If It’s Complicated, They Hiding Something

The subscription model is…interesting. So, a subscription purchased from the webpage, offers no discounts, so you will pay full retail price for basically just monthly delivery.

However, if your subscription is created as a “preferred customer” which is done by a “coach” and qualifies for “coach pricing” you’ll get 25% off. This is completely unnecessary, and you should not need a “coach” to provide you with a product. The company should be able to provide you with the best prices directly from the website.

As for shipping, in the US is $7-$12 and will be delivered by FedEx. Here are the costs and product availability for standard delivery to other select countries.

USA	Canada	United Kingdom	France
9.25% of total retail cost  $6.95 minimum $11.95 maximum 5-7 Days All flavors available	15% of total retail cost  $9.95 minimum for orders priced below $70 $14.95 minimum for orders price $70 or above $29.95 maximum 2-7 Days All flavors available	6.2% of total retail cost  £4.94 minimum £16.80 maximum 3-7 Days Only plant-based vanilla, chocolate & cafe latte are available	6.2% of total retail cost  €6.95 minimum €12.95 maximum 4-10 Days Only plant-based vanilla, chocolate & cafe latte are available

Is Shakeology Worth It?

Funnily, Shakeology charges you “premium” and provides you with a subpar customer experience. They force you to go through convoluted buying systems, instead of offering the product directly.

At the price reviewed, $4.4 for 140kcal did not represent good value to me. Yes, there are meal replacements that are made solely of real food ingredients and provide you the best of the best. And yes, these are expensive (as seen in the table below), but by no mean this expensive.

price per 100kcal	Shakeology	Ka’chava	Lyfefuel
Expensive	$2.69	$1.94	$2.27
Cheapest	$2.38	$1.66	$1.88

Therefore, if you want a premium product, I would recommend one of the above. Plus, you don’t need to spend that much. There are plenty of great meal replacement shakes that cost you $.50-$1/100kcal that will provide you with essential nutrition without breaking your wallet.

Shakeology vs.

I’ve covered the top Shakeology alternatives in detail in another piece. However, I think it’s worth comparing Shakeology shakes to another well-known US brand: Herbalife.

The latter is notorious for following a multi-level marketing (MLM) model. In fact, it has for years hurt the image of meal replacements with multiple scandals not related to the products.

That said, both products are readily available in the US, and are often the first contact people have with complete foods. In this brief Herbalife vs Shakeology comparison, I will highlight the pros and cons of each, and what you should buy.

Head to Head

Category	Shakeology (Plant)	Shakeology (Whey)	Herbalife
serving price	$4.33 (USD)	$4.33 (USD)	$1.70 (USD)
kcal/serving	160	140	170
servings per bag	30	30	30
Packaging	Bag	Bag	Tub
Flavors	5	4	13
Protein (g)	16	17	17
Sugar (g)	7	7	9
Fiber (g)	6	6	3
Fats (g)	3	2	1
Carbs (g)	15	15	13
Vegan	Y	N	N
Certified Organic	N	N	N
Micronutrient	6	20	21
Artificial Sweeteners	N	N	Y
Synthetic Additives	N	N	Y
GMO?	Y	Y	N
Protein Source	Pea & Flax	Whey	Soy
Availability	US, UK, FR, CAN	US, UK, FR, CAN	Worldwide
Other Products	Bars	Bars	Many

Which One is Worse?

The numbers don’t lie, and many of them don’t look good.

Shakeology is priced exorbitantly for what it offers, even more so if you opt single-serving packs. The whey option is much more complete than the plant-based option and compares favorably with Herbalife.

Herbalife is cheaper and offers several flavours, but contains soy and artificial sweeteners. Its nutritional profile does not meet my meal shake preferences.

Regarding to the taste, Herbalife’s drinks are sweeter than Shakeology’s, mainly because they require you to add milk. Thus, they might be easier to like at first, even though they would get boring fast.

Frankly, both aren’t worth the trouble considering there are much better products to be had, and those come without a salesperson trying to convince you how amazing it is and pestering you to re-up.

Herbalife vs Shakeology; What’s the Alternative?

As pointed out in the brief Herbalife vs Shakeology comparison, I wouldn’t recommend either to anybody. Instead, I believe there are tons of great options that will fit your budget or dietary requirements better. I have covered Herbalife alternatives in another article, too.

Rootana is our current preferred meal shake alternative. Ka’chava and Lyfefuel are also compared below.

Similarly, if you are looking for something cheaper, a brand like Huel could be a much better option. They have a great array of products including ready-to-drink shakes and powders.

You can find all the reviews here.

Shakeology FAQ

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Verdict – Shakeology Review

After some face-palming, and trying not to swear, we’ve reached the conclusion. I stated in the beginning that I would approach this Shakeology review with an open mind, and I believe I did that. But the more I learned about the product, the more I wanted to bring this to a full stop right then.

Firstly, it’s way too expensive for what it offers. I mean the plant version is lacking so many nutrients, why would anyone pay north of $4 a serving for that!?

Secondly, I found the buying experience and website navigation difficult. It took me 10 minutes to find the sampler. The nutritional information of the product also was difficult for me to find.

Lastly, a word about MLM. While I don’t want this to turn into a lecture about the horrors of MLM, I will say that out of anything, you don’t want to use this model for something related to your health.

However, before I finish the Shakeology review, I must admit that there are some positives. The ingredients seem to be of good quality. The shakes include probiotics, digestive enzymes and greens to provide you with an extra boost.

To many people, complete foods/protein shakes/meal replacements are a lifeline to better health choices. So, the last thing you want is someone, whose job it is to sell this, badgering you with a product like Shakeology which is overpriced, and underwhelming.

Bottom Line: Shakeology would not be my first choice, for the reasons described above.