Herbalife is a brand that offers a range of products, including meal replacements, protein shakes, teas, aloes, high-protein snacks, vitamins and supplements, sports nutrition, and outer nutrition products, all backed by science. One of the most popular Herbalife products is the Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix, which comes in a variety of flavors. However, Herbalife shakes and supplements are expensive, highly processed, and do not contain enough calories to be true meal replacements. They are made with highly processed ingredients, such as protein isolates, sugars, gums, fibers, synthetic vitamins, artificial flavors, and emulsifiers. They also contain a variety of added vitamins and minerals to make up for the nutrients these processed ingredients lack. One of the biggest drawbacks is that the shakes are very high in sugar, with 40% of the calories in each serving coming from added sugars, primarily fructose.
According to an analysis of Herbalife protein powder and shakes, they have some ingredients that might need a second look, such as "natural" flavors that may be filled with chemicals and corn- and soy-based ingredients. Herbalife protein powders also contain a long list of high processed gums, fillers, and additives. The protein sources for most Herbalife shakes are whey and soy, which are not recommended by the author of the analysis.
It is important to note that Herbalife has a sales model similar to Shakeology, where they pay other people to sell and promote their products (this is called MLM, or Multi-Level Marketing) . Former employees have accused Herbalife of running a “pyramid scheme” . Additionally, there have been concerns about the lack of regulation of supplements, which means that there is no way to know what is in these drinks.
