Why is Shakeology so much more expensive than Herbalife? Aren’t all these shakes basically the same?

Short Answer

No. Shakeology and Herbalife have next to nothing in common. Literally not one of the top 30 plus ingredients is the same. Shakeology isn’t about weight loss or protein, though it delivers both. It’s about NUTRITION.

Medium Answer

Don’t take my word for it.

Long Answer

Industrial farming’s impact on our food supply is like the Fed’s impact on our money supply; there’s a lot more of it, but it’s worth a lot less. In a discussion of the declining nutritional content of industrially farmed foods, Dr. Mark Richards observed:

“The mass production of agriculture in this country has done a great thing in that it feeds 300 million people. The downside is that they do that through fertilizing the soil. Nutrients that were originally in the soil and got absorbed into the food are no longer there. A typical apple today has about 25 percent of the nutrient value of an apple from about 25-30 years ago. This means that we really do need to get our nutrients from other places.”

But we need to be very careful where we get them. Herbalife is one of the largest supplement companies in the world, the #2 competitor in a $61 billion industry capitalizing on weight loss products perpetuating the cycles that drew people to them in the first place. This happens because dieters measure products’ benefits by the numbers in the Nutrition Facts, which actually tell very little of the story. But in the interest of thoroughness and transparency, let’s start there.

Looking at the Nutrition Facts alone, there doesn’t appear to be a huge difference between Herbalife and Shakeology. They’re pretty close on calories, fat, carbs, fiber, and sugar, though Shakeology has almost twice as much protein and a substantially higher vitamin and mineral density across the board.

Phytonutrients are the thousands of compounds that comprise a plant’s immune system. They protect plants from disease by detoxifying and repairing damaged cells, which has had major treatment implications for several of the leading causes of human death, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Consuming plant foods confers phytonutrients’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to humans, boosting immunity and slowing or even reversing signs of aging and degenerative disease.

Unfortunately, as we discussed in the beginning, supplementing is a must because industrial farming has stripped many of these essential phytonutrients away. Shakeology is chock full of them, but the Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal… not so much. Let’s take a look.

Yikes. That doesn’t sound like a very herbal, life-sustaining “Healthy Meal” to me. The premise of Herbalife’s products is that increased protein intake aids weight loss, which is true, but not all proteins are created equal, especially when you mix them with a bunch of sugars, questionable chemicals, and artificial additives. On that note, let’s compare with Vanilla Shakeology.

If your eyes glaze over when you see a long list of ingredients, you’re not alone.

So let’s break them down in order, one by one:

Herbalife vs. Shakeology

1. Soy Protein Isolate vs. Whey Protein Isolate

Soy is one of the cheapest, most harmful foods you can ingest, especially if you’re a man. It’s well documented that soy impairs the function of the endochrine, reproductive, and digestive systems.  It also contributes to the growth of cancer cells, likely because 90 to 95 percent of soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically modified. The soy used in protein isolates is also unfermented, which has beenlinked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, malnutrition, reproductive problems, allergies, ADD, and higher risk of heart disease and cancer.

Soy protein also doesn’t boost new muscle fiber synthesis after a workout like whey. Whey protein isolate is milk protein separated from the fat and lactose. It’s a complete protein, which means that it contains all nine amino acids essential to humans. Whey contributes to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and fuels muscle development, which in turn supports the thyroid, metabolism, and amino acid absorption. The vegan Shakeology formula is soy-free as well, deriving its protein primarily from brown rice and peas.

2. Fructose vs. Pea Protein

Four of the first five Herbalife ingredients are either sugars or empty carbs that your body turns straight to sugar. Fructose occurs naturally in fruits, and small amounts may help your body process glucose. But modern diets include way too much, and sugar the liver is unable to process turns straight to triglycerides that elevate the risk of heart disease. Fructose not only fails to appropriately suppress hunger cues, but actually contributes to overeating by triggering the hypothalamus to signal for more food.

Peas are rich in amino acids like lysine, which helps lower cholesterol and convert fatty acids into energy, and glutamine, which aids muscle recovery and the development of lean muscle mass. They’re free of soy, lactose, and gluten, which makes for a highly soluble, digestible protein. Pea protein also slows the production of ghrelin in the stomach, which keeps you fuller longer.

3. Cellulose Powder vs. Pea Fiber

Cellulose is a fake fiber wood by-product indigestible by humans, commonly used as a food additive to make substances thicker and creamier than they otherwise would be.

Peas, on the other hand, are especially dense in natural fiber, which controls the pace of digestion and the movement of carbs through the body, promoting stable blood sugar levels. Peas are also a good source of omega-3 and rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, which reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

4. Corn Bran vs. Maca Root

Corn bran is a common fibrous filler. The problem with corn is that 88 percent of the U.S. corn crop contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which not only are nutritionally inferior, but also contribute to allergies, organ toxicity, and numerous other health problems.

Maca root is an energy enhancer and mood stabilizer that regulates hormones and digestion. It’s full of phytonutrients, amino acids, vitamins, fatty acids, and adaptogens that help our bodies fight disease. Peruvian Indians cultivated it for thousands of years before its modern discovery as a libido, focus, and fertility booster.

5. Artificial French Vanilla Flavor vs. Chia

Artificial flavors are made up of any number of undisclosed synthetic chemicals; artificial vanilla in particular often contains ingredients from petroleum or paper mill waste. Vanilla Shakeology took several years longer to develop than chocolate because that’s how long it took to find a vanilla source that met Beachbody’s quality standards.

Chia is an incredible food. Dense in fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, it’s also a complete protein, which means that it contains all the amino acids essential to humans in easily digestible form. Chia gel creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down,suppressing calorie and sugar absorption. It holds 9-12 times its weight in water, prolonging hydration and endurance because the food’s energy releases so gradually.

6. Guar Gum vs. Flax

Guar gum is a fiber often used as a laxative and thickening agent, which may suppress the appetite by expanding the intestine.

Flax is a powerful source of fiber, omega-3s, and more lignans than almost any other food on earth; lignans are powerful antioxidants that protect against cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

7. Potassium Chloride vs. Yacon Root

This might be the scariest ingredient on the list. Potassium chloride is used not only in fertilizers and batteries, but also in lethal injections and abortions, the final drug administered in each procedure to stop the individual’s heart. Mmm, Healthy Meal!

Yacon root is a source of prebiotics that improve gut flora, gastrointestinal fermentation, and digestion. It contains a natural sugar called fructooligosaccharide, which can lower levels of triglycerides, bad cholesterol, and therefore also the risk of heart disease.

8. Calcium Caseinate vs. Acerola Cherry

Calcium caseinate is a protein powder extracted from milk that slows digestion, increases sensations of fullness, and aids dispersion of the product in water. It’s rich in an amino acid called glutamine, which aids muscle recovery and rebuilding.

One tiny acerola cherry has 65 times more Vitamin C than an orange, which might explain why I haven’t gotten sick since introducing Shakeology to my routine. Vitamin C fends off cancer and heart disease, and Shakeology contains 300% of the daily value. Acerola cherries are the second richest food source of Vitamin C on earth, topped only by camu-camu, which happens to be the next ingredient on the list.

9. Casein vs. Camu-Camu

Casein is a slow-digesting milk protein known to increase satiety and muscle mass. It’s also known to stimulate the growth of cancer cells, unlike whey, which may actually reduce the risk of breast and colon cancers.

Camu-camu is not only the most potent source of Vitamin C in the world, but also a rich antioxidant full of fiber and protein. Its antiviral and antidepressant properties also help control and and reduce outbreaks of herpes simplex, shingles, and mononucleosis, and its phytochemicals lower cholesterol and blood pressure while neutralizing free radicals.

10. Calcium Phosphate vs. Pomegranate

Bones and teeth are made primarily of calcium phosphate. Organic phosphates occurring in natural protein sources are essential to humans, but the inorganic laboratory phosphates used as food additives aren’t chemically bound to the fats and carbs of natural sources. The body therefore absorbs way more phosphate than it needs, contributing to heart disease, rapid progression of kidney disease, weak bones, and even premature death.

Pomegranate is one of the most concentrated sources of antioxidants and phytonutrients on earth, known for suppressing various cancers, reversing even advanced atherosclerosis, and enhancing skin texture. It elevates the expression of nitric oxide in the body, which reduces blood pressure, coronary plaque build-up, inflammation, and the proliferation of cancer cells.

11. Rice Fiber vs. Astragalus Root

Brown rice is an excellent source of fiber and selenium that mitigate the risk of colon cancer by minimizing the amount of time cancer-causing cells spend in contact with the colon. Brown rice alsodetoxifies the liver and helps protect against cancer and heart disease. The problem is that Herbalife doesn’t specify whether they use white or brown rice; white rice is cheaper, containers far fewer nutrients, and also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Astragalus is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory adaptogen that boosts the immune system and cardiovascular function. It also helps lower cholesterol and flush excess fluid from the body, and it may even relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies.

12. Soy Lecithin vs. Bilberry

Soy Lecithin is one of the most common emulsifiers (water and oil mixers) used in processed food today. The big problem with it is the source of the soy itself, which, as we learned in #1, is almost certainly genetically modified, unfermented, and affirmately anti-nutritive.

Bilberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants called anthocyanosides, which prevent and reverse cell damage by flushing free radicals from the system. Its antioxidant properties also help fend off long-term diseases like cancer, macular degeneration, and heart conditions.

13. Canola Oil vs. Blueberry

Canola is a cheap oil manufactured by mixing rapeseeds (no, that’s not a typo) and a toxic solvent called hexane under high heat, a process that releases a significant volume of harmful trans fats into the final product. Canola is similar to soy in that 90 percent of the world’s crop is genetically modified, though it’s not quite as anti-nutritive.

Blueberries are a high-quality source of Vitamin C, fiber, and manganese, which boosts bone development and helps convert stored fats and carbohydrates into energy. They’re also full of antioxidants that roll back cancer, urinary tract infections, and heart disease while supporting brain and eye health.

14. Carrageenan vs. Goji Berry

Carrageenan is a seaweed extract thickening and stabilizing agent that’s found its way into almost every creamy liquid on the shelves. It’s also a carcinogen injected into lab rats to produce inflammatory symptoms and sprayed onto frozen aircraft as a de-icing agent. When ingested by humans, it triggers all sorts of digestive discomfort and disease.

Goji berries are unique among fruits in that they contain all nine essential amino acids, more protein and antioxidant carotenoids than any other fruit, 15 times more iron than spinach, and high concentrations of a number of other nutrients, including Vitamin C and calcium. In addition to immunity-boosting antioxidants, goji is a rich source anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal compounds that ward off degenerative disease.

15. Medium Chain Triglycerides vs. Spinach

MCTs are dietary fats with about half as many carbon links as the Long Chain Triglycerides hiding in most processed foods, meaning that they’re more efficiently converted into energy. The rapid absorption makes them a popular choice among athletes to enhance endurance, performance, and thermogenesis. They’ve also been shown to suppress appetite and support immunity and cardiovascular health.

Dense in iron and protein, spinach is also among the best sources of dietary potassium, which supports muscle recovery, and dietary magnesium, which supports metabolism, muscle and nerve function, healthy digestion, and immunity. It boasts a variety of health benefits, from preventing cancer and asthma to managing diabetes and blood pressure.

Bottom Line

Feel free to continue this investigation if you need more evidence, but as for me and my house, we will drink Shakeology. Yes, it’s more expensive – a 30-serving bag of Shakeology retails for $129.95, while a 30-serving jar of Formula 1 retails for $34.99 – but you get what you pay for. $4 per day is less than half of what the average American spends on a lunch outing and several dollars less than an individual’s average daily out-of-pocket medical expense over the course of the year.

If you were to purchase each Shakeology ingredient as a separate supplement, you’d spend nearly $800. Herbalife boasts a lower price tag and a claim that “ingredients used in our products are also found in many foods,” but that’s exactly the problem. If I want to spend $1 a day consuming toxic waste, I can find plenty of that at the grocery store. I can’t, however, travel the world every day or every month collecting the superfoods that the makers of Shakeology source from exotic places I’ll probably never go.

If you’re looking for a lower-cost weight loss supplement, you can do a lot better than Herbalife. They’re called vegetables, and if you need some ideas to work more of them into your diet, I can help.