Slim fast vs. Milk

Bought a carton of strawberry milk today, definitely on impulse after lunch. Figured its a decent option, cause afterall, its MILK.

It was 500 mL: per 250 mL was 190 calories and 33grams of sugar. I did drink all of it.



Now Im thinking, I would've rather had 2 cans of slim fast.

180 calories for 325 mL -- MORE nutrition (MORE fiber, protein, vitamins, calcium, etc and LESS sugar and saturated fat)
probably wouldve made me much fuller / happier too. I bet I wouldnt have been able to drink BOTH cans after lunch.
Tastes better too, in my opinion!! 

  

So, why do people drink this strawberry milk stuff AT ALL?
Or even chocolate milk for this matter?
Possibly even 2% milk... or skim milk (okay thats a little lower in calories, but slim fast is MUCH more filling & nutritious if you compare the values)



Even people who arent dieting.... slim fast is clearly more nutritious. I guess its because its 'slim fast' which is why people avoid it?



They were clearly the better option right??... unless theres something I'm missing here about "strawberry milk" or even milk in general

Milk doesn't come out of the cow in strawberry or chocolate flavor.

Essentially strawberry and/or chocolate milk is high cal because they add a ton of extra sugar to it.

2% or skim milk has much fewer calories than flavored milk. 

Slim Fast (strawberry flavored for argument):

180 calories, 5g fat, 20g sugar

"Strawbery" Milk:

10 more calories, 33 grams of sugar, about 2.5 grams

(depending on which brand you choose).

Milk is a good choice for many people, as long as you choose the low-fat or skim variety. What is bad here is the "strawberry" flavor. Pure sugar, or worse HFCS. Not good.

Slim fast is a little higher in fat, and it has a multi-vitamin added. I prefer to get my vitamins from fruit and vegetable sources, so that is not an attraction, but if you don't get enough whole foods I can see that Slim fast might be a better choice.

For me, skim milk would win that debate, no contest. Each person has different needs.

2% milk has 130 calories per 250 mL

Slimfast has 180 calories per 325 mL =
appx 135 cals per 250 mL if I'm correct
And MUCH more nutrients, fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc.

Also, slim fast does have 5g of fat, but over half is monounsaturated. Isnt that the good fats you want?



Of course skim milk is the lowest in calories of all.

But my food/drink consumption isnt purely based on calories. I want nutrition too! (I probably check those nutrition values for everything I eat -- from fat to fiber to vitamins)

And slim fast does keep me fuller longer.

  

And I agree that getting the vitamins/minerals naturally is the ideal way. 

But if Slim Fast provides all that extra stuff that milk doesnt have....

I guess the whole natural thing can extend to people who use egg beaters, whey protein, etc.

  

I hope I dont sound like a crazy hardcore fan for slimfast. I just want to understand and justify my milk drinking. I drink skim milk almost everyday. And I really dont drink much slimfast... I probably drink them MAX once a week.

I drink SlimFast every day, but I drink the low-carb version, which is much, much better in terms of sugar and carbs than the other types.  It's actually better than milk for me, too--I'm diabetic, and it has less sugar (lactose) than milk does.  And I've never been healthier since I started drinking them; its easier for my body to assimilate the nutrients in liquid than in pill form, and my immune deficiency is much improved since boosting my nutrition this way.  So I'm definitely an advocate for SlimFast, but only the low-carb type.

i drink the powdered high protein slim fast every day...so you mix it in with your milk, best of both worlds? i drink it because its really hard for me to eat breakfast in the morning bc 1) im not hungry as early as i have to get up and 2) i'm always pressed for time. im also trying to beef up the protein in my diet bc i usually don't get enough.

i LOVE milk, but if i drink it alone on an empty stomach it makes my tummy hurt, and i'll usually have another glass of milk throughout the day anyway - i'll go through a gallon by myself in a week...haha.

so i guess that makes me a slim fast and a milk fanatic...it's really just what fits better with my diet and my day. and like cc, i feel as though my immune system has been boosted since drinking slim fast every day - although i'm sure if i was a bigger fan of orange juice i could boost it that way. its whatever works for you - although i would say if you have to have the strawberry, the slim fast is probably a better route. 

 

Interesting thread.

But I don't drink Slimfast or milk.  I switched over to unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze .... 1/2 the calories of fat free milk and a fraction of the carbs. (Just 40 calories a cup.)

=^..^= MOLLY