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Writer’s Blurb: I’ve all the time seen protein shakes within the pharmacies—chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana flavoured ones—however by no means tried them. As I grew up, I did get a bit of hooked on Enhance Juice’s Fitness center Junkie, nevertheless, and that’s most likely the closest factor to a protein shake I’ve ever tried.
Only recently, I had the possibility to strive an actual protein shake. Whereas that’s basically what it’s, it’s marketed as a liquid meal alternative that wants solely 2 minutes of preparation, by a Malaysian startup known as Focus Meals.
Focus Meals is all about promoting hyper-convenient superfood meals, drinks and snacks which you could attain for any time of the day as a substitute of settling for business sugar and salt pumped snacks.
Founder Ben began it
due to some points he seen would plague Malaysians, himself included:
the truth that we battle to determine on the place to eat nearly each day, and the way
a few of us white collar employees could generally skip meals fully, or attain
for an unhealthy snack as we don’t need to spend time on a correct meal.
Setting My
Expectations
I received my arms on a couple of week’s price of liquid meals, together with just a few sachets of Focus Meals’ Each day Greens (a powder combination of spirulina, wheatgrass, barley grass, and many others.), Focus Gas (yerba mate tea), and The Excellent Snack (wholesome path combine).
My wholesome meals haul
I used to be actually out to
take a look at the liquid meals most of all, so right here had been my two fundamental, fast expectations
going into the week: it needs to be simple to make because it claims, and it should fulfil
my starvation from lunch till dinner (a couple of 7-hour window).
It doesn’t declare to
assist you drop some weight (depending on whether or not you’re employed out or not) and as I used to be solely
testing it for per week, I wouldn’t have seen any outcomes there anyway.
The liquid meals can
be purchased in three completely different types: 80/114g bottles (1 meal), 80/114g sachets (1 meal),
and a 2.4kg bulk pack (about 11 meals).
I acquired 5 80/114g
bottles, which might act as 5 lunches all through the week, they usually got here in
chocolate and choc mint, which is the latest flavour. There’s additionally an choice to
get them unflavoured and unsweetened, as the 2 flavours I received are sweetened
with stevia.
I’ve by no means been one to depend my energy or carbs, however the numbers on the liquid meals’ label seemed first rate to me.
The dietary charts for the 80g and 114g liquid meal bottles / Picture Credit score: Focus Meals
As there wasn’t a lot
change all through the week, this evaluate isn’t written day-to-day. As a substitute, the
info is simply relayed within the chronological order that they occurred
all through the complete week.
First Impressions
On the primary day, I
was already feeling the FOMO (worry of lacking out, for these out of contact) as I
watched my colleagues depart the workplace for lunch.
I headed over to our
unbelievable water dispenser with my first bottle of chocolate flavoured liquid
meal at round 12:30PM. Based on Focus Meals, you should use water of any
temperature you’d like, so I began with a little bit of sizzling water earlier than filling it
with chilly water the remainder of the best way.
Then got here the shaking,
which was an actual exercise. I might monitor how effectively I used to be dissolving the powder
by the clear plastic bottle.
The bottles are nice
for many who don’t personal shaker bottles, and the cap stayed leak-proof all through
my vigorous shaking.
Again I went to my desk
and opened up the bottle. Odor-wise, there isn’t something unhealthy to say about it.
I’ve by no means been averse to wholesome meals, and I used to be already anticipating it to be
fairly bland.
My first liquid lunch of the week
Instantly, nevertheless, I
seen a difficulty: ‘chunkage’. There have been nonetheless chunks of powder floating in regards to the
prime which no quantity of shaking might actually eliminate, even after I requested my
colleagues for assist.
So, I received a spoon to flatten
the chunks and blend them in. Disaster type of averted, I took my first gulp. There
was undoubtedly a thickness to its texture, however taste-wise, it wasn’t unhealthy at
all.
I couldn’t actually style
any chocolate however I did discover the stevia, and I have to say that I didn’t get pleasure from
it. I might have a lot most well-liked the unflavoured and unsweetened liquid meals, I
realised.
As soon as I completed the
bottle, I used to be hit with a fullness, the sort of bloating you get after consuming
numerous liquids.
As soon as the sensation
subsided, right here’s what shocked me essentially the most—I used to be saved full for the eight hours or
so earlier than I received dwelling for dinner.
I have to admit that I’m
additionally typically a small eater, so one bottle was greater than sufficient for me.
A Week Of Experimentation
For the remainder of the
week, I might experiment with the liquid meals.
1. I crammed my bottle with milk as a substitute of water.
Alternatively, for
one thing creamier, you should use milk because the liquid in the event you don’t thoughts including on some
energy.
It actually did get creamier,
however I discovered it too wealthy for me. The feel additionally received rather a lot thicker.
2. I crammed it with 1:1 water to take advantage of.
I used to be trying to minimize
down on the thickness, and this ratio helped.
I received round to making an attempt
these combos with the choc mint flavoured meal too, and I’ll say that
the mint masked the stevia.
In direction of the top of the
week although, I discovered myself preferring the common chocolate meal with solely
water. Typically easy is healthier.
It’s Not All Clean
Crusing
Expectedly, since I used to be
altering the consumption of my physique for my first meal of the day (I don’t eat
breakfast) the complete week, I bumped into some points.
1. ‘Chunkage’ by no means actually went away.
Each liquid meal I made,
there can be a point of it. Whereas they didn’t hinder the expertise too
a lot, swallowing powdery clumps in between gulps was a bit of nasty-feeling.
I managed to minimize
them considerably over the course of the week, however I by no means had a liquid meal with out
them.
The mix of pea protein and the opposite elements makes fairly a dense powder, so I believe that may be why it’s not simply combined simply by shaking.
2. The bloating and subsequent constipation.
By the third day of
liquid meal lunches, I seen that I hadn’t gone to the bathroom for a quantity 2
since day one.
I undoubtedly felt
constipated, and whereas I felt the urge to go just a few occasions, there was no finish
outcome. This left me in some discomfort for the remainder of the week, till just a few
days after I used to be accomplished with the liquid meals.
Maybe this was simply
my physique adjusting to the brand new food plan and its unfamiliar elements.
As I solely examined it for per week, I couldn’t monitor if my constipation would have finally gone away as my physique adjusted to consuming the liquid meals for lunch frequently.
three. The cravings for ‘actual’ flavour.
I might crave our
common, unhealthy snacks, not out of starvation, however as a result of I merely needed to style
one thing stronger, saltier, sweeter.
Not an enormous downside, as I
was disciplined sufficient to avoid unhealthy snacks and would attain for
The Excellent Snack as a substitute.
Supplementary
Snacks
I discussed I don’t eat breakfast on the each day, however for this experimental week, I snacked on The Excellent Snack within the mornings.
Undecided if it’s the right snack to me, however it’s a fairly good snack
It’s unsalted, and as
somebody who likes path combine, I discovered no downside with it.
The Each day Greens, on
the opposite hand, was barely powerful to drink due to how inexperienced it tasted.
It took me at the least 10 minutes to persuade myself to take the primary sip
Whereas I admire
that there’s no stevia in it, it’s too healthy-tasting even for me who loves consuming
greens.
I’m now not
depending on caffeine to assist me by the day because it can provide me the jitters,
so I used to be a bit of hesitant in regards to the Focus Gas yerba mate tea attributable to that.
A refreshing drink once you make it with chilly water
Fortunately, its flavour was very gentle, nice and never bitter in any respect, and I didn’t get the jitters after.
General, all through the
week, I didn’t go hungry after the liquid meals, and The Excellent Snack was a
welcome addition, together with the Focus Gas. I might do with out the Each day Greens.
The most effective a part of the
week was undoubtedly not needing to suppose or fear about what to eat—my lunch
was already determined, I simply needed to make it.
Focus Meals’ merchandise
additionally declare that can assist you focus higher, and all through the week, I did really feel a
little much less torpid at work.
I don’t need to
low cost the goodness of Focus Gas, however as a naturally uncertain particular person, I
suspect it might have simply been placebo.
When you’re somebody who can’t
abdomen bland flavours and textured liquids, I’d say that the liquid meals aren’t
for you.
It’s essential to notice
as effectively that they’re not meant to switch each meal of the day; they’re merely
there to avoid wasting you the time and brainpower once you’re crunching for a deadline
or likewise.
Backside Line: On the finish of the day, I nonetheless very a lot desire my strong meals lunches. I discover excessive pleasure within the act of consuming, once I can chew and style a mixture of flavours. I don’t suppose I might willingly survive on these meal replacements, however I would preserve a bottle or two round for days once I want one thing quick and wholesome.
You may learn extra about Focus Meals right here.
