Almased is a meal replacement product used for weight loss. It’s a powder that can be mixed into water or other drinks, and the brand claims that the product can “boost metabolism, burn fat, and support weight loss.”
But has Almased been proven in research studies to cause weight loss? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Does it cause side effects? And is Almased better or worse than popular weight loss shakes like SlimFast?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze clinical studies on Almased to determine if the shake is proven to cause weight loss, and analyze its ingredients to give our take on whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also discuss the risk of side effects, share our thoughts on which Almased product is the healthiest, and compare Almased to other popular weight loss shakes, in terms of formulation quality, to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Clinically proven to cause weight loss in legitimate human trials
- Contains vitamin additives
- We do not currently recommend Almased
Is Almased Proven to Cause Weight Loss?
Almased has been studied in several clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals, which is the gold standard of product research.
A clinical trial published in the Nutrients journal tested the effects of Almased supplementation in overweight and obese patients.
One group received health coaching on healthy eating and exercise, and the other group received the same health coaching but also consumed Almased as a meal replacement.
Those using Almased lost an average of 11.62 pounds after one year. While this is an impressive result, the control group lost an average of 9.81 pounds, so the Almased difference only equated to 1.81 pounds.
A 2014 clinical trial tested the effects of Almased supplementation in middle-aged obese women.
The study design was similar to the previous trial: one group with health coaching plus Almased, one with just health coaching.
Again, Almased use led to slightly improved weight loss outcomes.
Women using Almased as a meal replacement lost an average of 16.76 pounds after one year, while women getting health coaching alone lost an average of 14.55 pounds.
Another clinical trial published in the Nutrients journal found that Almased improved quality-of-life in individuals with an unhealthy lifestyle.
Patients who were at a high risk for metabolic disorder and used Almased experienced improvements in physical function and physical symptoms.
Overall, we will conclude that Almased is likely to be effective for weight loss, although the difference between the Almased groups and the control groups in the clinical trials we reviewed only amounted to a few pounds per year of weight loss.
Ingredient Analysis — Is Almased Healthy?
The ingredients in Almased Original are shown below:
Soy protein isolate is the main ingredient, and we consider this an effective choice for a weight loss shake because high protein intake can increase satiation and reduce food cravings.
One serving of Almased provides 27 grams (g) of protein in only 180 calories, which is a relatively high amount.
A medical review published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that “meal-specific protein quantities of at least ∼25-30 g protein” can cause improvements to appetite and body weight management, and the protein dose in Almased is right in that range.
Raw honey is not only a nutritious, whole food ingredient, but a 2018 medical review found that honey intake is associated with reduced risk of excessive weight gain.
Skim milk yogurt powder may have beneficial probiotics due to the fermentation process, but Almased doesn’t state whether or not their shake contains probiotics, or whether or not the dairy is sourced from pastured animals.
Calcium citrate and vitamin A are two ingredients in a vitamin and mineral blend.
We haven’t come across any clinical evidence that multivitamin supplemtation causes weight loss, and this is the only section of the ingredient list that we find to be questionable.
Supplemental vitamins and minerals may cause toxicity in consumers without a deficiency in those vitamins and minerals.
As we documented in our Premier Protein Shake reviews article, a different wellness brand was forced to recall their products from the market in early 2022 due to the supplemental vitamins causing toxicity.
Overall, we consider Almased Original to be relatively healthy, but we don’t currently recommend it due to the added vitamins and minerals.
If the shake were made with entirely whole food ingredients we would likely recommend it.
Does Almased Cause Side Effects?
Because Almased has been studied in legitimate clinical trials published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, it's easier to determine the risk of side effects than for most nutritional supplements.
The first clinical trial cited in the first section of this article didn't report on side effects.
The second trial also didn't report on side effects.
The third trial reported no serious side effects (and didn't report on non-serious side effects).
Clinical trials often monitor for side effects if the risk of side effects is legitimate, but since Almased is a nutritional shake, the risk was likely seen as so inconsequential that it wasn't worth monitoring.
We do not consider Almased likely to cause side effects, and the brand's website currently states that the product "does not have any known side effects."
What About Almased’s Other Products?
Almased sells three products other than Almased Original.
Here’s our quick takes on each:
Almased Almond-Vanilla: Exact same ingredients as Almased Original except this version is flavored with natural flavoring.
As we documented in our review of Skinny Fit, there is clinical research suggesting that some natural flavoring agents may be toxic.
Our verdict: Less healthy than Almased Original
Almased Wellness Tea: Made entirely from whole herb ingredients and contains no questionable additives.
One of the ingredients in this tea, hawthorn berries, was shown in a 2020 medical review to improve cardiovascular health and reduce cholesterol levels.
Our verdict: A healthy herbal tea blend that may support cardio function
Almased Shaker Bottle: Made from plastic. We recommend avoiding plastic bottles due to the risk of plasticizing chemicals leaching into the drink, and also because they’re harmful to the environment.
Stainless steel, glass or silicone bottles are superior options.
Our verdict: Less healthy than stainless steel
Almased vs. Popular Weight Loss Shakes
Here's how Almased compares to other popular weight loss shakes in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
310 Nutrition
Contains more inactive ingredients that we consider unhealthy than in Almased, including natural flavors, which is clinically shown to occasionally contain unhealthy compounds.
This brand has also been sued over allegations of high heavy metal levels in their shakes.
Winner: Almased
Herbalife
Contains artificial flavor and artificial sweeteners, both of which are clinically shown to be harmful to human health, as we documented in our Herbalife reviews by doctors article.
Almased's formulation is significantly healthier than Herbalife's.
Winner: Almased
SlimFast
Contains refined, added sugar, and phosphate additives.
Almased has the advantage from a healthiness perspective.
Winner: Almased
Almased Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Impressive clinical backing
- Clinically shown to cause weight loss
- Contains effective protein dose
- Should reduce hunger cravings
- Wellness Tea may support cardiovascular function
- Contains raw honey
- Healthier than competitors
Cons:
- Contains synthetic vitamin and mineral additives
- Unclear if dairy is sourced from grass-fed animals
