Ample Meal Review – Why You Should Try This Vegan Shake

Last Updated: April 29, 2020

Vegan meal replacements aren’t easy to find.

And I’m always on the lookout for meal replacements to review. I often find that meal replacement drinks are garbage — they either don’t have high vitamins and minerals or contain artificial ingredients.

I had a friend tell me to try out and review the vegan Ample meal replacement. I was intrigued because Ample seemed to answer all of my meal replacement drink woes.

I chugged a bottle (or maybe more), and let’s see what I discovered in my Ample meal review.

Does it live up to the hype of other meal replacement shakes?

“Answer: Yes it does live up to other shakes but it’s not our #1 recomended choice…KA’chava is.”

What Is Ample Meal?

Ample Meal is one of the newest meal replacement products on the market today.

They have three products — the regular Ample Meal, the keto-friendly Ample K, and the vegan version, Ample V.

Obviously, I will be focusing on the vegan Ample meal replacement powder in this review.

Ample claims that their meal replacement shake has all of the natural and healthy fats, protein, fiber, probiotics, and organic greens for optimum benefits to the body.

You can either have the 400 or 600 calories Ample bottle, depending on your desired goals.

So many people feel challenged to incorporate healthy meals into their busy lives or even understand what is ‘healthy.’ Our goal is to offer optimal nutrition that’s completely simplified.

Connor Young

Founder, and CEO of Ample

What Are The Benefits of Ample V?

Let’s start with nutritional benefits of the vegan Ample.

Ample uses real foods. I go into the contents more in-depth later, but it’s true that you only find wholesome elements in their formula.

There’s also no artificial flavors or sweeteners, so you’re altogether avoiding fake ingredients.

The Ample plant-based meal replacement formula is also full of optimum nutrition. It can help your body stay healthy and keep running throughout the day.

The fiber and protein help you stay full for at least 4 hours, so it’s a great option if you are looking for a breakfast or lunch option that is quick but still keeps you fully satisfied.

The Ample packaging is what makes this a quick on-the-run option for busy folks.

It comes in recyclable, BPA-free bottles. Simply add cold water, shake, and then you have your Ample meal replacement!

It can’t get any easier.

I was also happy with the taste. The berry flavor was strong but not in an overwhelming, fake kind of way. Sometimes I would mix it with almond milk to give it a thicker texture.

Finally, Ample is affordably priced. Premium meal replacements shakes usually come with a premium price tag, but Ample is a similar price to takeout food.

What Are The Nutrition Facts?

For this purpose, I’ll use the Ample vegan version with 400 calories. The 600 calorie version of the bottle is a little different, but it should give you an idea of the nutrition in the 600 calories shake.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find in this drink:

Calories: 400
Total Fat: 26g
Cholesterol: 0mg
checkSodium 380mg
checkPotassium: 360mg

Total Carbohydrates: 23g
Dietary Fiber: 11g
checkSugar: 4g
checkProtein: 20g
Net Carbs: 12g

The vegan Ample also contains tons of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B12 (see also our guide to biotin). (Maybe because these meal replacements have barley grass and high oleic sunflower).

My first thought looking at the label was that I was impressed with the grams of protein.

Twenty grams of protein is enough not to need a protein shake in your diet.

I also thought the grams of sugar was pretty low, considering how sweet it tasted (but I’ll discuss my personal experience later).

If you’re looking for low carbs, you may or may not be happy that the net carbs are 12 grams.

The 26 grams of fat were interesting to me. It has 13 grams of saturated fat. Your body does need some grams of fat to function, but I wish it were more healthy fats and less saturated fat.

What Is The Unique Macronutrient Profile?

One of the unique selling points of Ample V was the macronutrient profile.

58% premium fats (Sourced from coconut, macadamia nut, and sunflower oil) carrier oils
20% protein (Sourced from pea and rice protein)
23% carbs (11 grams of fiber and 12 grams of net carbs. Sourced from whole grain oats, acacia fiber, and organic guar gum)

Ample set this formula up specifically to keep you feeling full and energized for 4 hours or more. Based on what’s in the Ample formula, I can see why they can make that promise.

There is plenty of protein and fiber in an Ample bottle to help you feel full for longer. It also gives your steady energy levels throughout the day with no caffeine crash.

What Are The Ingredients of Ample V?

They use the popular plant-based protein of split pea in their meal replacement shake.

It’s popular because it has most of the essential amino acids. If you are going to consume pea protein, then you want to ensure that rice protein is in the formula. Rice makes up for the essential amino acids that peas don’t have.

They are two peas in a pod.

I was impressed that there were plenty of Ample ingredients to support gut health. There is a lot of prebiotics and probiotics to create a supportive gut health microbiome.

Overall, these vitamins, minerals, and probiotics make a bottle of Ample a healthy meal replacement.

As a registered dietician specializing in gut health, I’m always on the lookout for top-quality products that are free from fillers and artificial ingredients. Made entirely from real foods, Ample is the first meal replacement that I have felt comfortable recommending to my clients as a convenient grab-and-go option!

Tracy Grant

Registered Dietician, Certified Health & Wellness Coach

Detailed Ingredient Analysis of Ample V: Does It Actually Help?

Now we all know how much I love to study each ingredient for effectiveness. No review would be complete without an ingredient analysis.

I won’t go through every single ingredient, but I think looking at the top 10 is a good indicator of what you are getting in Ample meal replacement shakes. Here is what I discovered during my research.

Organic Pea Protein: Ample switched out the grass-fed whey protein with a vegan-friendly pea protein. A study has shown that pea protein is just as effective as whey protein to increase muscle mass (see also ‘Turkesterone vs. Ecdysterone: What’s The Difference?’)

(see best bulking workout routine) [1]. It contains nearly all of the essential amino acids, but it has low amounts of cysteine and methionine.

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil falls under the category of healthy fat. It can encourage your body to increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind) in your body, which may lead to a reduced risk of heart disease [2]. Ample also claims that coconut oil can help burn fat during exercise and create fuel for the brain.

High Oleic Sunflower Oil: The sunflower oil is different from that traditional version because it contains a higher amount of oleic acid.

It helps maintain HDL and triglyceride levels making it an excellent nutrient for a healthy heart. It’s another healthy fat included in Ample’s formula.

Whole Grain Oat Flour: Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber helps your digestive system and is primarily responsible for giving you that “full” feeling after eating. Ample says it’s useful for maintaining healthy gut bacteria. Oats also contain potent antioxidants that can help with blood pressure [3].

Acacia Fiber: Acacia fiber is in tree sap. Ample says the soluble fiber has benefits like lowering cholesterol levels, maintaining blood sugar levels, promoting digestion, and can potentially protect you from diabetes. Even the FDA recognizes acacia as a good source of fiber [4].

Organic Rice Protein: As I mentioned before, rice protein is complementary to pea protein. Rice has high amounts of the essential amino acids-cysteine and methionine. Combined with pea protein, it makes a complete protein with all of the essential amino acids that you need.

Raspberry Powder: I would guess that raspberries are what give the Ample V the berry flavor. Ample says raspberries are high in vitamin c, folate, magnesium (see also ‘Natural Ways to Increase Magnesium Intake‘), riboflavin, and potassium. It has a lot of antioxidant power. It helps that it also tastes great and makes a meal replacement drink enjoyable.

Macadamia Nut Oil: Macadamia nuts contain a lot of nutrients with health benefits to match. It can help boost heart health (by reducing LDL cholesterol), aid weight loss, improve gut health, and promote brain health.

Sunflower Lecithin: Sunflower lecithin sounded like a fake product to me at first. It’s completely natural, though, and is from the gum part of dehydrated sunflowers. It’s rich in choline, which could aid brain health. Research suggests that it can improve memory [5].

Tapioca Dextrin: Even though Ample has an entire web page dedicated to explaining their ingredients, they had nothing on tapioca dextrin. It’s a flour alternative that doesn’t have much nutritional value, so I can see why they decided not to elaborate on why they included this ingredient.[6]

I was impressed that they used no artificial sweeteners. Instead, they used maple syrup, monk fruit extract, and stevia extract to make their drink tasty. It also contains ingredients like organic wheatgrass, barley grass, and sea salt.

I was disappointed that it didn’t contain some of the other ingredients in the Ample Original recipe like organic psyllium husk and a vegan version of collagen protein.

Overall though, it’s an excellent alternative to the original grass-fed whey protein option.

What Do Other People Say About Ample V?

I like Ample, but I wanted to know what other people’s review of it. Ample was in publications like Forbes, CNN, Business Insider, Los Angeles Times, and TechCrunch.

How does Ample stack up? On taste, it is certainly as good as Soylent, and some might prefer its pleasant nutty flavor (it is not nut-free like Soylent).”

Business Insider

Here are a few comments I found from people who have tried it:

I’m a busy dude. Okay, sometimes I’m a lazy dude as well, but either way, Ample shakes are perfect when I just don’t have time (or don’t feel like) making lunch. Great-tasting, filling, and smooth – I’m obsessed!

Zach F. Tweet

I like the Vegan version. Tastes delightful. No aftertaste and fills me up. Easy to mix and all ingredients mix well (no graininess). Have had it using only water because I find it very filling.

Karen C. Tweet

It’s honestly hard to find someone with something negative to say about Ample V meal replacement.

Some of the few complaints I found said it had a chalky texture. Maybe they didn’t mix it thoroughly because I noticed that you had to shake the bottle to get the powder fully absorbed vigorously.

Are There Any Side Effects?

I didn’t experience any side effects from drinking Ample, and I couldn’t find any reports of side effects either.

As long as you use meal replacements responsibly, then you probably won’t experience any adverse effects.

It’s best to discuss with a health professional if a meal replacement is a right choice for you. They can give you personalized advice on how your body would react to meal replacements.

You can also check out our list of other meal replacement shakes that you can take in case Ample V is not for you.

What Are The Shortfalls of Ample V?

It only has one flavor; berry.

If you happen to like the berry flavor, then this may not be a bad thing. But if you’re like me and enjoy some variety, it’s pretty disappointing. Even an unflavored that I can dress up in other ways would make these meal replacements more appealing.

Even though it has great ingredients, I wish they included more components from their Ample Original like organic psyllium husk and collagen (see also ‘Does Collagen Make You Poop More?‘) protein. It’s not a dealbreaker, but I think it would have helped with having a balanced meal.

FAQ

How Does Ample Meal Taste?

Ample V tastes like a strong berry flavor, but it also has some nutty undertones. It’s one of the better options when it comes to taste. I appreciate the sweetness that comes from the monk fruit extract.

As I mentioned before, there’s only a berry flavor. You might get bored of one taste after a while, so hopefully, Ample can come out with new flavors soon.

Is Ample Appropriate for Vegans?

Yes, Ample V is appropriate for vegans. A lot of companies advertise themselves as vegan but have some ingredients like honey or gelatin that isn’t vegan. It’s annoying, and I’ve lost some trust with some companies over it.

Ample V ingredients passed my test to ensure it was entirely natural and vegan. The bottle is even recyclable if you are plastic-conscious as well.

What Is The Difference Between Meal Replacements and Protein Shakes?

The difference between meal replacement drinks and protein shakes is that they have entirely different nutritional goals. Meal replacements are often used to help control weight and contain enough nutrients to replace a meal.

Protein shakes help bodybuilders and athletes to improve their performance and gain muscle. It usually only contains protein as a sufficient nutrient. You may find other nutrients, but it’s often not enough to replace them in your diet.

Does Ample Offer A Money-Back Guarantee?

Yes, Ample has a money-back guarantee. To get a full refund, then you need to return any unused product within 30 days of receiving it. They even pay for return shipping. It seems like they stand by their product with the taste-and-satisfaction guarantee. So what do you have to lose by trying it out?

Should You Buy Ample?

Ample is relatively new in the market, but it’s already making waves with their natural ingredients and supportive nutritional profile.

It passed all of my tests for vegan-appropriateness, taste, high-quality ingredients, and feeling full for a few hours until my next meal.

A bottle of Ample is a great option if you don’t want to think about cooking for one of your meals.

If you’re busy, just grab a bottle, and you are ready to go.

We keep our content & product information up to date & as of the writing of this article, a few better options have cropped up. Our #1 Vegan Meal replacement is Kachava, followed by #2 Ample & #3 Orgain Organic Meal.

#1 Choice Meal Replacement

9.7

Kachava

Most nutrient dense Meal Replacement Shake on the market
Contains max amount of Superfoods
Ingredients sourced through sustainable growing practices
Can be used to lose weight
25g of protein per serving
Fiber 9g
Healthy Fats 7g

Check Price

#2 Ample Meal Replacement

9.5

Ample

Top quality Vegan meal replacement shake
Great flavor & easy to mix
25g Protein
4g Net Carbs
400 Calories

Check Price

#3 Orgain Organic Meal replacement

9.1

Vegan Protein Meal Replacement Powder by Orgain - 20g of Protein, Certified Organic and Plant Based,

Includes 1 (2.01 pound) orgain organic plant based vanilla bean meal replacement all-in-one nutritio
20 grams of organic plant based protein, 6 grams of organic dietary fiber, no sugar added. contains
Usda organic, vegan, non dairy, gluten free, lactose free, soy free, carrageenan free, non-gmo, no a
Great as a supplement to your daily diet and nutritional needs. good source of vitamin b6, vitamin c
Ideal for healthy, on-the-go nourishment for men, women, and kids. these are perfect for breakfast s

Check Price

About the author

Jason Hughes

Hey, I'm Jason and welcome to my website. I created VeganLiftz because of my passion (more like obsession) with the vegan diet, strength training, Bodybuilding, Health & Wellness. Feel free to peruse the various articles on this website; I hope you find something useful!

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