We’re constantly being told to eat your ‘five-a-day’ and we know that eating fresh, heathy foods is what is best for us, but sometimes life just gets incredibly busy and there simply isn’t time to whip up a well-balanced meal. Instead of turning to fast food, one satisfactory alternative could be a good protein/meal replacement shake or bar. Before making your choice, you need to consider the nutritional content of these items and ensure you are not getting ones that are high in added sugar, artificial sugar or sugar alcohols, according to registered dietitians. Anything high is sugar causes a spike in blood sugar and then a quick drop, so you can feel very energic for a short period of time and then very tired shortly after.

When making your choice, look for shakes and bars that are high in protein, fibre, healthy fats and are low in sugar. You also want to go for options that contain vitamins and minerals. A well-balanced bar or shake will include 300-400 calories, 15-30g of protein, 3+g of fibre and 10-15g of unsaturated fat. Good protein sources are whey, soy, hemp, brown rice and pea protein. Natural sugars are better, as in those from cane sugar, brown rice syrup or coconut palm sugar and fats should be plant-based like those from nuts and seeds.