I receive many emails asking me to compare medifast products with other diet products. A very popular request is to look at medifast and slim fast shakes side by side. So, in the following article, I will do just that.
Options / Flavors: It used to be that medifast won in this category hands down, boosting their 55 “regular” shakes, as well as the 70 higher protein variety, ready-to-drink variety, appetite suppression, option for diabetics, joint health, health, ready-to-drink and metabolism boosting. Almost all of them have multiple flavors available, so there are tons of different options and varieties here.
However, recently Slim Fast has introduced a few more options in addition to the “original” line. There is now an “optimal” line that is said to control hunger, the highest protein line, the easy to digest option, and the “low carb” variety. If you want to get really technical about it, medifast still has more options available, but Slim Fast has come a long way with this, so I’ll call it a wash.
Calorie/Carbohydrate/Protein Content: I know that few people consider these variables as important as I do. But my opinion and experience is that drinking diet shakes is a waste of time if they contain too many carbs and calories (and not enough protein) to put you into fat burning mode (called ketosis). When I compare shakes, this is often where medifast comes out on top. Many grocery store items contain too many calories and sugar, so let’s take a look.
If I were to compare every shake on both plans, this article would take forever to read, so I’m going to choose what I think are the most popular shakes on both plans. This would be the “original” from slim fast and the “55” from medifast. First, let’s take a look at losing weight fast. This shake has 220 calories, 25 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbohydrates, and 10 grams of protein. Now at medifast. We’re looking at 90 calories, 10 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of protein.
So how significant is this difference? I think it’s quite significant. In terms of calories, you could drink two of the 55 and still have calories to spare. And, in my opinion, 40 grams of carbs is too much to get you into ketosis. At the very least, you should look for the low carb option if you’re interested in losing weight fast, but I have to tell you that even this option is around 190 calories.
Taste / Texture / Cost Comparison: To be honest, aside from the high calories and carbs, the biggest drawback I see to Slim Fast shakes is the chalky texture they’re known for. There are some decent flavors, but you just can’t help this weird texture. This is my opinion and I realize others may have a different one.
Granted, medifast premixed shakes are also not my favorite in terms of texture. But, the 55 is so versatile that you can make sure you get creamy and light. This makes a big difference to me. If I’m going to be on a diet, then I’m going to need the food to be appetizing.
In terms of cost and price, there isn’t as big of a difference as you might think. You’re looking at around $8.50 for a box of 6 for the thin and fast. There’s no denying that medifast costs a bit more, but if you buy it as part of a package, you’ll only pay about $2.00 each. This small difference is definitely worth it to me because I’d rather pay a little more and lose weight pretty quickly and enjoy consuming the product.
Plus, Medifast offers many other foods (chili, soup, eggs, oatmeal, pudding, etc.) that give you more options and keep you from getting so bored. This makes it the best option in my opinion, but everyone will have their own criteria to make this determination.