Matt Smith takes this meal replacement shake for a two week test. Find out if he enjoyed it and whether it is a good fit for you in our Rootana review below…
Written by: Matt Smith
Fact Checked by: Editorial Team
Editorial Process: Our team of health and fitness professionals test each product in house. This review process is independent of the company and we always look to provide an unbiased assessment of the product in question – read our full editorial process here.
Fitness Brain is reader supported. Content may contain links and purchases made may earn us a commission. Find out more
Eating healthily and losing weight is the goal of many people, but it can be quite daunting at first. This is because dieting often involves a lot of time spent prepping and cooking meals, learning complicated rules around carbs or fats, and spending a fortune on ingredients.
Because of this, many new dieters fail to last their first week, and the success rate over 12 weeks is around 10%. It’s fair to say the odds are stacked against you.
The fitness world is filled with people and diets that promise to help shift those odds. It is that intention that fuelled the Keto diet, the Paleo diet, CrossFit, and any other diet or extreme exercise program you can think of.
One of the most successful dieting techniques is to introduce meal replacement shakes into your diet. Studies have found that meal replacement shake diets can outperform regular calorie-controlled diets in both the short and the long term [1].
Meal replacement shakes used to get a bad press, but they’ve come on leaps and bounds in the last ten years or so.
Rootana is one of the new guard of meal replacement shake companies, and they are committed to changing how we perceive meal replacements. Their shake is completely plant-based, environmentally friendly, and it is completely free from artificial sweeteners and preservatives.
This review will be taking an in-depth look at what Rootana is made of, how effectively it meets its claims, and whether it is the right fit for you.
About Rootana
Rootana is a plant-based meal replacement shake that contains 400 calories per serving. There are 16 grams of healthy fats, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 7.1 grams of fibre, and 21 grams of protein. The ingredients list is reassuringly brief, with just seven main ingredients.
One of the key selling points is that Rootana avoids the use of artificial sweeteners, instead using natural coconut sugars to provide a pleasant level of sweetness. Though it should be noted that coconut sugar is not as sweet as regular table sugar, nor is it as sweet as artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or stevia.
This makes it ideal for those of us who prefer a more flavourful and less sweet (or artificial tasting) shake. A common complaint about stevia (for example) is that it can leave a bitter aftertaste, while sucralose is often seen as “too sweet” with an artificial flavour.
Rootana is perfect for people who prefer their shakes to be as close to nature as possible, using real food ingredients and naturally occurring products.
How Does Rootana Work?
Meal replacement shakes are designed to be used instead of one or two (rarely three) meals per day. This can be for convenience, saving time and money, or it can be used for weight management (gaining weight, losing weight or maintaining weight).
Unlike protein shakes, meal replacement shakes usually have a very balanced ratio of macronutrients (protein, fats, carbohydrates). They tend to have high fibre and protein contents, making them highly satiating while remaining relatively low in calories.
This is why meal replacement shakes are often used for weight loss, as they can help you to stick to a calorie deficit. But it is also possible to incorporate them into a diet aimed at gaining weight healthily or just maintaining weight. Huel, for example, is often used for weight loss but promotes itself as a weight maintenance shake.
Rootana is well balanced, with a decent amount of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, making it suitable for whatever goals you have.
Check Latest Offers On Rootana Meal Replacement
Ingredients In Rootana
Let’s take a look at the 7 key ingredients found in Rootana and the benefits associated with each.
Oat Flour Powder
Rootana’s main source of carbohydrates is oat flour. Oats are incredibly popular with meal replacement shake companies because they provide many health benefits while also having minimal effect on the environment.
Oats are high in fibre, and because of this, they can help to improve gut health, reduce cholesterol, protect the heart, and they can also lead to weight loss (as they are highly satiating). A 2013 study found that consuming oats as part of a daily supplement can prevent obesity and reduce the risk of metabolic disorders [2].
Meal replacement shakes that contain oats also end up tasting better. The oats give a delicious thickness and taste to the shake. The consistency really improves when they are added.
Pea Protein Isolate
Pea protein is seen by many as the ultimate plant-based source of protein you can get. Unusually for a plant-based protein, pea protein has a complete amino acid profile. Meaning that you have the optimal amino acids for building muscle in each serving.
Pea protein is also more environmentally friendly than the more traditional whey protein, and fewer people have allergies or suffer from bloating with it than they do with whey or soy protein.
Golden Milled Flaxseed
Flaxseed is a really effective ingredient to add to a meal replacement shake. It is a plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids (technically, it contains the building blocks of omega-3) and has many health benefits.
It is a source of plant protein and fibre. It contains lignans which can protect your heart, boost your immune system, and prevent atherosclerosis and osteoporosis [3].
Sunflower Seed Oil
Sunflower seed oil is the main fat source for Rootana, and the shake only uses the highest quality. This means it is rich in omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, which have been shown to protect your heart from cardiovascular disease.
Coconut Sugar
Rootana uses naturally occurring coconut sugars rather than artificial sweeteners. Coconut sugar does not come from the coconut itself but from the sap found in coconut palm trees. This sap is dried out, and the sugar comes from it.
Coconut sugar is a healthier option than table sugar as it has a lower GI score and also contains traces of micronutrients. Rootana does not use much, though, as a little goes a long way.
Sunflower Lecithin
Sunflower lecithin is used as an emulsifier, but may also help to improve cognition by supporting brain chemical production.
Vitamin & Mineral Blend
Rootana contains 24 vitamins and minerals. Each one is around 20% of your recommended daily intake. This means that combining Rootana with a healthy diet can help you to avoid any nutritional deficiencies.
Check Latest Offers On Rootana Meal Replacement
My Thoughts on Rootana
For a meal replacement shake to work, it needs to taste nice and keep you feeling full and satisfied afterwards. Rootana manages both of these things beautifully. As important as taste and mixability are, they are just surface issues.
I tested Rootana for a 14 day period, substituting it for my usual lunchtime meal.
When using any form of meal replacement, the important thing is that it is healthy and nutritious. That’s where Rootana really stands out. The prioritisation of real food ingredients and the lack of artificial sweeteners help Rootana to improve your overall health. Oat flour has hundreds of benefits, as does pea protein and flaxseed – some of which we mentioned above.
The high fibre content is great for gut health, but it also helps to improve satiety after a meal, making Rootana ideal for anyone who struggles with weight management.
We know it is healthy, and we know that the shake is free from artificial sweeteners, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the process.
When lunchtime comes, you grab your shaker, add water, mix in your Rootana powder, and then drink it. This process works incredibly well, and you really do feel full for a long time after. The shake tastes great, and you will start to feel the difference after a few weeks of consistent use.
Check Latest Offers On Rootana Meal Replacement
Does Rootana Work?
This is a very common question when it comes to meal replacement shakes and of course is the pertinent question in this Rootana review.
The first thing you must decide is what you want it to do. Are you taking a meal replacement shake to lose weight? Gain weight? Improve your health? Save yourself time and effort?
Rootana can do all of these things, but it cannot do them alone (apart from the last one). If you want to lose weight, then replacing a high-calorie meal with a 400-calorie Rootana shake will lead to weight loss.
If you are looking to gain muscle in a healthy manner, then using Rootana as a 400-calorie snack can help you to create a calorie surplus. If you want to improve your health then switching a low-nutrient meal for a shake can help to improve that too.
Verdict
Rootana is one of the most effective meal replacement shakes on the market, possibly the best. It has a clean, effective ingredients list, and avoids the use of artificial sweeteners. It tastes great, mixes well, is easy to prepare, and is much better for the environment than most meal choices.
Overall, I’d highly recommend trying it. Choose from either flavour or bundle up and try one of each – you won’t be left disappointed.
Check Latest Offers On Rootana Meal Replacement
References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851659/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23371785/