User rating
Keep up with Diets in Review
Get Weekly Email Updates (sample)
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow us on Pinterest
Home 
Diets
Meal Based
How Does
Slim-Fast Compare?
QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
BACKGROUND
PRO
CON
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Slim Fast Video Review
Whats better than
Slim-Fast?
Diets
Meal Based
Slim Fast Exposed 2024 [MUST READ] - Does It Really Work?
Want to lose weight but not sure where to start? Here's one of diet convenience mainstays.
Top Rated Diet Shakes of 2024What is it?
Slim Fast is a meal replacement shake said to be clinically supported to help keep weight off. It’s offered in 4 distinct flavors including creamy chocolate, strawberries & cream, vanilla cream, and caramel latte.
It’s said to help control hunger for a total of 4 hours, and it’s made with 20 grams of protein and just 1 gram of sugar. This ready to drink shake is made without any gluten or lactose, and the company offers it in many retail stores. Is this meal replacement a good option for weight loss? What kinds of effects are customers experiencing? In this full review you’ll see what Slim Fast truly has to offer. Discover the top 10 diet shakes by clicking here.
Do You Know the Best Diet Shakes of 2024?
Slim Fast Ingredients and Side Effects
Here are the ingredients to their creamy chocolate flavor:
|
Water |
Calcium Caseinate |
Milk Protein Concentrate |
Canola Oil |
Cocoa processed with Alkali |
|
Maltodextrin |
Cellulose Gel |
Natural and Artificial Flavors |
Potassium Phosphate |
Mono and Diglycerides |
|
Glycerin |
Potassium Citrate |
Salt |
Soy Lecithin |
Sucralose |
|
Carrageenan |
Sodium Citrate |
Citric Acid |
Caramel Color |
Magnesium Phosphate |
|
Sodium Ascorbate |
Calcium Phosphate |
Vitamin E Acetate |
Zinc Gluconate |
Ferric Orthophosphate |
|
Niacinamide |
Calcium Pantothenate |
Manganese Sulfate |
Vitamin A Palminate |
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride |
|
Thiamin Mononitrate |
Riboflavin |
Chromium Chloride |
Folic Acid |
Biotin |
|
Sodium Molybdate |
Potassium Iodide |
Phylloquinone |
Sodium Selenite |
Cholecalciferol |
|
Sweetened with non- nutritive sweetener |
|
|||
Milk Protein Concentrate: A processed form of milk protein that loses its minerals and liquid. It’s spray dried and treated as a cheap and longer lasting alternative to regular milk.
This ingredient has been used controversially, since around 70% of it is imported from countries with different safety standards.
The Food and Water Watch group has released a statement on this ingredients lack of safety:
“MPC’S are largely unregulated”
There are concerns of this ingredient being contaminated with melamine. This ingredient is considered harmful if swallowed, and it’s also known to irritate the skin.
It's believed that pasteurization is able to kill contaminants; this is why the FDA allows this ingredient to be imported in. Though the Food and Water Watch Group argues this isn’t enough, and that things like melamine are still found and cannot be pasteurized away.
Potassium Phosphate: Typically given as a medication to help balance out the amount of calcium that’s in the body. It makes urine more acidic and is used to help prevent kidney stones.
Possible side effects may include:
- Headaches and dizziness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
Sucralose: A non-caloric artificial sweetener that is up to 1,000 times sweeter than average sucrose.
The Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health did a study on rats. They found many damaging effects including:
“increased fecal pH and enhanced the expression of P-gp”
“exerted numerous adverse effects, including reduction in beneficial microflora”
Damaged microflora can have serious health consequences, such as reduced immune function and increased inflammation. It’s also known to cause symptoms of depression.
P-gp or glycoprotein is a found in the cells membrane, and it makes sure that any potential contaminants are filtered out of the body. So according to this study, sucralose is considered a toxic ingredient when in the body.
Carrageenan: Thickener and binder found in red seaweed.
A study on mice showed that this ingredient could cause tumors. The Cancer Letters published a clinical study that showed major damage:
“degraded carrageenan is carcinogenic to the colorectum of the rat”
This effect was seen in just small doses of this ingredient.
Artificial Flavors: A man made synthetic ingredient used to mimic the taste of real flavors. It can be made from many different foods and it’s unknown where Slim Fast sources their ingredient from.
This ingredient is a cheaper alternative to more wholesome and real additives.
Caramel Color: A food coloring made from treated carbohydrates.
It can be extracted from many common allergens, though it’s unknown where Slim Fast sources this ingredient from.
This is a highly processed ingredient that is specially treated in order to provide a color to drinks.
Slim Fast Quality Of Ingredients
When judging a meal replacement shakes, it’s important to look at the quality of the sweeteners and protein. The protein added to Slim Fast comes from cheap sources in milk protein concentrate and calcium caseinate.
Milk protein concentrate in particular has been shown to be heavily processed and potentially contaminated.
The added sweeteners sucralose and a nonnutritive sweetener which is never explained are also added. Though sucralose provides just 1 gram of sugar to this mixture, it’s been shown in studies to cause tumors. It also is treated as a toxin within the body, according to respected clinical studies.
There’s also a total of 180 calories added, which is exceptionally higher than other meal replacements. When looking to lose weight, it’s important to keep calories as low as possible in order to prevent weight gain.
Overall, the quality of ingredients is poor. There are artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and cheap protein added. In this top 10 list are the very best meal replacements.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven meal replacement such as 18Shake for better results.
The Price and Quality of Slim Fast
No official price is set by the manufacturers, but they do offer an interactive map showing the approved vendors.
An 8 pack of their chocolate sells for $14.16 on their Amazon.com page.
Since each shake is a full serving, around a month’s supply or a 32 day serving would be $113.28, if taken twice a day.
This is expensive for what are a cheap protein, and a blend of artificial ingredients. Though the sugar is low and the protein and fiber is high, it’s important to look at the ingredients to help determine the overall quality.
Too many artificial ingredients are added to suggest this would be a good brand to replace a meal.
There’s also no listing of the amino acid profile, so it’s unknown how well rounded the protein is. Amino acids are important since they provide support for many important body functions.
The company makes suggestions that up to 4 hours of appetite suppression are possible. They fail to offer any proof of these claims. It’s unknown if this is backed by any real studies, or it it’s a suggested number.
There was an issue with contamination in the past. The Associated Press reports:
“recalled all canned Slim Fast drinks because of the possibility of bacterial contamination”
“could cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting”
This 2024 recall was approved for all cans of Slim Fast, and it’s unknown exactly how this contamination was started. The manufacturers failed to provide any evidence that this issue wouldn’t happen again.
Business of Slim Fast
Information on the company practices aren’t explained on the official website.
The company name is also called Slim Fast. Here is their listed contact information:
Phone Number: (800) 754-6327
There are currently a total of 39 negative reviews against the company on their Consumer Affairs listing. This is due to their changed formula which sells for more but it’s offered in smaller portions. Also, people were disappointed with the lack of customer support.
EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results with meal replacement shakes diet our experts recommend to use it at least 5 months. Save your money buying a few bags of meal replacement product.
Customer Opinions of Slim Fast
Many reviews are available online, here’s what a few customers have had to say:
“my stomach began to get bigger”
“seems like it put weight on me”
“tastes like your generic, low-calorie protein shale”
“didn’t find this had the “four hour hunger control” it claims to have”
People mentioned how the taste was terribly artificial, and that it was hard to drink each bottle.
Weight loss was also missing for some customers, while others added how they actually gained weight even with diet and exercise.
Some side effects were also listed including nausea and ill feelings.
Appetite suppression was also lacking. For many customers, there was a lack of any benefits in drinking these shakes. The best options for weight loss are found in this top 10 list of meal replacements.
Conclusion - Does Slim Fast Work?
When making a decision on Slim Fast, it’s important to look past the supplements facts label. Though this shake does have a high amount of protein and fiber, as well as low sugar and lots of vitamins and minerals, it’s what’s truly inside what counts.
This shake has a combination of artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and a high amount of calories which might make weight loss harder. That’s why so many customers have mentioned that they not only failed to lose weight, but some actually increased in size.
This shake also uses a cheap protein source, with ingredients like sucralose which have been shown to cause tumors in clinical studies. Much better solutions exists which are made only with all natural and wholesome ingredients.
The very best meal replacement of 2024 offering all the necessary criteria for weight loss is 18Shake. This meal replacement has a high quality mixture of whey protein which is easy to digest, and well balanced in amino acids. It’s also made with a high amount of fiber, and low sugar. That’s why so many users have mentioned it’s a great solution for weight loss. You can find these impressive testimonials on their official website.
18Shake also has no binders, fillers, or artificial ingredients. All you get is a high quality formula made to help suppress appetite and increase weight loss. It’s even backed by a great 30 day money back guarantee. That’s why so many users keep coming back to this comprehensive meal replacement.
- Product Name
- User Rating
- Has Good Appetite Suppressant
- Has Only Natural Components
- Good Taste
- 18Shake
(Editor’s Choice) - 97/100
-
-
-
QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
- Established: 1977
- Founder: Daniel Abraham
- Headquarters: Unilever in Unilever House, London
- Stock Symbol: UL
- Accessibility: Retailers and drug stores
- Diet Type: Meal replacement through shakes, bars and snacks
- Gender: Male, female
Do You Know the Best Diet Shakes of 2024?
BACKGROUND
Slim-Fast made its name with meal-replacement shakes. But today it has expanded into a complete weight loss plan complete with an array of products and an organized weight loss plan.
By lending convenience and simplicity to its dieters lives, it has grown its product offering to include bars, snacks, smoothies, as well as a meal plan called Slim-Fast Optima, which provides a healthy combination of complex carbs, protein and healthier fats. For those watching their carb intake, there is a low-carb option and a low-sugar option.
The Slim-Fast plan offers 100 percent of the nutrients your body requires and typically has women consuming 1,200 calories daily. Weight loss is supported by the low-caloric intake. The Slim-Fast plan allows you to use both their products and your choice of nutritious foods to promote healthy weight loss.
Slim-Fast outlines a four-step approach to weight loss: Portion control, sensible eating, regular physical activity, and support.
By sticking to the plan, you can lose 10% of your body weight in the first six months at a rate of one to two pounds a week.
PRO
- Convenience of food products for people on the go
- Variety of flavors to choose from
- Realize actual weight loss
- Calorie intake isn't unsafe
- Named #3 in the Best Commercial Diets by US News, 2011
CON
- As with all packaged food plans, the cost will be more than if you prepare all of your own meals
- Contains aspartame
DIET and NUTRITION
There are a variety of ways to mix-and-match the Slim-Fast foods with your food choices. The Slim-Fast plan involves six small meals/snacks every day. You are advised to use Slim-Fast products for two meals and one snack daily.
The rest of the day, you're on your own to choose healthy meals when eating out or cooking at home. No calorie counting is necessary and no foods are forbidden; you can still eat your favorites. However, lean protein, fruits, and vegetables are emphasized.
Their meal plan might look like this:
Breakfast is a Slim-Fast Smoothie with six ounces of fat-free yogurt.
Lunch is a Slim-Fast Shake or Bar, in addition to a whole-wheat english muffin topped with marinara and low-fat mozzarella.
Dinner will be your one meal with no more than 500 calories. For dinner, divide your plate in fourths- half should be vegetables, one-quarter protein and one-quarter starch, along with a salad or fruit.
While following the Slim-Fast plan, be sure to drink plenty of water and commit to regular exercise.
EXERCISE
The Slim-Fast website has a thorough exercise support system that you can customize to your needs and desires.
It is recommended that you exercise 30 minutes a day to receive optimal results.
CONCLUSION
Slim-Fast is one of the "veterans" in the prepackaged weight loss solution arena. They're popularly known for their meal replacement shakes, but that doesn't mean you are restricted to a liquid diet. Mix and match their products with regularly prepared healthy food, and busy people like you can find healthy weight loss success.
Common Misspellings
slimfast, slim fast, Slim faster, Slim fast deit, Slim fast deit
Slim Fast Video Review
Having trouble viewing? Watch SlimFast Video Review
Featured Diets and Supplements
Slim-Fast?
User Feedback
(Page 3 of 7, 127 total comments)Beth
+can it cure a food addiction
posted May 3rd, 2010 10:53 pmcata
After a week I lost 4 lbs. I think I would have lost more if I would have drank the recommended 8 glasses of water. I only walk for 30 minutes, 3 times a week.
posted Apr 17th, 2010 7:24 pmThe bars and shakes are very convenient for me because I get up too early to eat a full breakfast, and I really don't have time to buy food or eat a whole meal for lunch.
If I am ever feeling hungy, I drink water and it goes away.
I eat every 3 hours, starting at 7 am. Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner.
For dinner I only eat fish (cooked in the oven), or grilled chicken with salad. Sweet potatoes, peas, are good as well.
For snacks I eat grapes, bananas, 100 calorie pack snacks, cheese sticks, or yogurt.
Most people loose weight the first week. I really want to see if I continue loosing this weight. I believe it will get lower, like 1.5 to 2 pounds a week.
Jehnavi
+When will Slim Fast be back in Southfield Mi Or Liviona MI
posted Feb 18th, 2010 2:42 amCheri
+Slimfast is amazing. I started 01/01/2010 I lost 40 pounds in one month. I drink 2 shakes a day and one healthy meal. And 3 snacks in between. I also work out almost 3 times a week. I love it.
posted Feb 13th, 2010 4:40 pmBrandi
Greg - are you drinking enough water? If that doesn't do it, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, They are low-cal, high-fiber, filling and tasty snacks.
posted Jan 22nd, 2010 5:07 pmgreg
i am very hungry after 2 hewers of drinking my slim fast so what do i do
posted Jan 22nd, 2010 4:36 pmninakurdish
i am gunna try it starting today and is lookin faword to seeing if it is the right one for me :)
posted Jan 15th, 2010 6:46 amprettylocks
iam 5"2 about 158 pounds iam trying to lose about 20 pounds. i have tried dieting and excercising and not eating much not much of a difference. iam going to give the slim fast challenge a try. if i substitute two of my meals with shakes and dinner with a regular meal and lose that would be awsome! so lets hope for the best cause iam running out of ideas.
posted Jan 13th, 2010 1:49 pmMM
+I just started this diet. One week to be exact and I've already lost about 4 lbs. I'm not overweight to begin with, just looking to shed some holiday pounds. I follow the 321 plan and it works fine. I'm amazed that this actually works!
posted Jan 6th, 2010 1:41 pmSusan
-will NOT ingest evil killer aspartame!!! please people look at the labels and find that carnation instant breakfast is the SAME but without the nasty chemical aspartame..and will even save you $ too! ONLY thing is less fiber in the carnation, so what! add a spoon of that tasteless non-grit fiber that easily mixes into water/milk...with the $ you saved.
posted Jan 4th, 2010 4:00 pmliz
i get up from work and come straight to work without eating breakfast so when it comes to lunch time i over do it.. Today i bought slim fast strawberry shake and drank it for my lunch and it didnt fill me up so i ate one of the snack bars too and hey im actually full.. i only eat twice a day which is lunch and after work which is after 5 and will drink another shake.. Im gonna keep doing this for a month if i lose weight I am 5'1 and i weigh 140 need to lose about 20 pounds.. will keep you posted on this slim fast
posted Dec 17th, 2009 2:10 pmKristin
i started the slim fast liquid diet today. i bought the low carb slim fast shakes and i was so busy today so i only drank 2 all day and i wasnt that hungry at all! anyways i am planning to drink them 3 times a day and go on the treadmill too! i will post my results up everyday or week!
posted Jul 28th, 2009 2:30 amGina
+I like the meal replacement bars (versus the shakes). I'm very active for my job and meals weigh me down. I eat a bar for breakfast, another one for lunch, and a veggie sub from Subway for dinner. Seems to work for me (though I really don't need to lose weight). Anyway, the meal replacement bars fill me up and give me the energy I need to get me through the day.
posted Jun 13th, 2009 9:37 amAndrew
Having recently just started a diet, I have decided to incorporate Slim Fast shakes into my diet with 2-3 days a week of the one shake at breakfast, one at lunch, and sensible dinner. I have lost 5-6 lbs prior to using the Slim Fast shakes, so I will see how it goes. I did have two shakes today so far, they are tasty .
posted May 8th, 2009 2:29 pmflabbymom
-I haven't gained or lost any weight after 1 week!
posted May 3rd, 2009 3:17 pmErikaVenegas
+I started drinking it last Wednesday (4/15/09). At the beginning I was kind of skeptical, but I read a lot of good reviews about it, plus I remembered my old friend had lost a bunch of pounds with this system, (how did I not think about it before), so I decided to give it a try, well by Saturday (4/18/09) I had lost 4.5 lbs, and I'm not joking. Of course that I followed the diet to the T. I exercised everyday and I drank about 3 litters of water everyday. I'm so happy, and best of all you don't go hungry all day, like you usually do with other diets. The taste is great. I just love it. I'm going to weight myself again this Wednesday just to see how many pounds I can loose in one week. I'll keep you all post it.
posted Apr 20th, 2009 3:55 pmMary
+I like it taste like a chocolate milk.
posted Apr 3rd, 2009 12:22 pmMarge Vallejo
I just started drinkn slim fast and i really liked the taste of strawberry i plan 2 keep drinkn it i hope 2 lose 15or 20pds
posted Mar 30th, 2009 11:08 amtina46
+Slim fast does work and yes you will spend a lot of money on it but you will spend a lot of money going grocery shopping, hanging out in clubs, drinking, smoking, and eating out so why not spend the money that you throw away on things that is not helping your weight loss. Spend it on something that will help you lose weight and feel better about yourself.
posted Feb 23rd, 2009 2:25 pmNancy
+With two 2 year olds and a 4 month old I have little time for breakfast or lunch. So, instead of skipping the meal or eating something fast and high in calories, I grab a slim-fast. I've managed to lose 12 pounds in three weeks and more importantly I'm getting the nutrients I need.
posted Feb 12th, 2009 3:45 pm