Contact Us
Please contact us with any questions or comments.
Fact: While they promise "complete nutrition" and may be OK for healthy adults to use in a pinch, meal replacements don't provide the same health benefits of whole foods. These drinks, whose composition is controlled by Health Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations, are made of water, sweeteners such as corn syrup solids and/or sugar, a source of protein (typically from milk and/or soy), oil, vitamins, minerals, emulsifiers and flavouring. While meal replacements are fortified to be nutritionally balanced, there is good evidence that we benefit more from nutrients found naturally in food. Meal replacements lack beneficial components like phytonutrients that protect health and also contain little or no fibre, which could lead to constipation or increased hunger.
Rather than relying on these products, which were originally developed as nourishment for people too ill to eat solid foods, prepare for those busy days by planning your menu, shopping in advance and preparing food for the week ahead. For easy and nutritious meal and snack ideas, check out the Dietitians of Canada free app Cookspiration.
Please contact us with any questions or comments.
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.