Herbalife weight loss program: protein shakes, tea, pills

Herbalife weight loss products have been manufactured and distributed through direct sales by the international company Herbalife Ltd. (headquartered in Los Angeles, California) since the 1980s. In addition to representative offices in almost 90 countries around the world, Herbalife has a large number of distributors and online sellers of food supplements and dietary supplements.

Herbalife Weight Loss Program

The Weight-Management Programs or, as it is called, the Herbalife weight loss program includes an individual nutrition plan using Herbalife food supplements based on the Cellular Nutrition technology, which is quite popular in the West.

The company's specialists claim that adequate nutrition of the cells that make up all the tissues of the body is possible only by taking special food supplements. On the one hand, this allows you to reduce calorie consumption, and on the other hand, it provides the body with all the vitamins, micro- and macroelements necessary for good health, which act as activators of cell functioning.

The basic Herbalife weight loss program may consist of:

• Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix;
• Formula 2 tablets (Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex) with a set of vitamins and minerals;
• capsules Formula 3 (Formula 3 Cell Activator) with α-lipoic acid;
• Total Control tablets with tea extracts and caffeine (to stimulate metabolism and provide a feeling of vigor).

Medical professionals would like to point out that these statements have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration and that Herbalife products, dietary supplements and nutritional supplements, are not intended to treat or prevent any disease.

Herbalife products for weight loss

Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix (14 flavors) is advertised as a healthy meal – nutritious and balanced, containing two dozen essential vitamins and minerals. Each serving contains 9 grams of protein and fiber, which helps “manage body weight” and “support metabolic function.”

Herbalife's powdered weight loss shakes consist of soy protein isolate (SPI), derived from defatted soy flour, and whey protein concentrate (WPC), which is extracted from cheese production waste. The product also contains: soy lecithin, fructose, powdered cellulose, rice bran, guar gum, ginger root powder, canola oil, citrus pectin, etc. These ingredients are not listed in the consumer annotation.

For one serving, simply mix two measuring spoons (25 g) of powder with 200-230 ml of skim cow's (or soy) milk, add fresh fruit and ice.

For children, take half the dose of powder. By the way, this product is not given to children under four years old.

It is also contraindicated to use Herbalife for weight loss during pregnancy, since soy protein not only increases flatulence, but also contains phytoestrogens (genistein, genistin, daidzin and other glycosides), which bind to estrogen receptors in the body.

In addition, the product contains artificial flavors, sweeteners sucralose (E955) and acesulfame-K (E950), silicon dioxide (E551), sodium carbonate (E500) and potassium carbonate (E501).

Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex tablets contain beta-carotene, ascorbic and folic acid, tocopherol and other vitamins, as well as calcium and iron.

Herbalife Snack Defense weight loss tablets are designed to maintain normal blood sugar levels in adults (it is recommended to take one tablet twice a day). The consumer annotation does not indicate the full composition of the product, only two components are noted: gymnema plant extract and chromium.

The evergreen plant Gymnema sylvestre, native to India and Sri Lanka, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for diabetes. The acids and triterpene saponins in its leaves act on the receptors of the tongue and suppress the sweet taste in the mouth, as well as slow the transport of glucose from the intestines to the blood. Some studies have found that Gymnema leaf extract combined with chromium bound to niacin promotes weight loss. The same extract can stimulate the digestive process.

It should be borne in mind that this herbal component is a laxative and diuretic, lowers blood pressure and reduces the content of calcium and zinc in the body (manufacturers do not provide this information in the annotation to the tablets).

In addition to α-lipoic acid, Formula 3 Cell Activator capsules contain ingredients such as aloe vera gel, shiitake extract, pomegranate peel, rhodiola root, and pine bark.

But Herbal Aloe Concentrate – Herbalife aloe concentrate is not intended for weight loss; the description says that it soothes the stomach when it is upset and digestive disorders. It is recommended to mix three caps (15 ml) of aloe juice concentrate with 120 ml of water and add to any drink. To prepare 0.5 l of drink, you will need 60 ml of concentrate.

However, there is no information that aloe, when taken orally, promotes intestinal peristalsis, exerting a laxative effect, and also increases the secretion of bile. So, Herbalife aloe for weight loss is contraindicated in cholelithiasis, liver disease, diarrhea and spastic colitis. This product is also contraindicated for pregnant women, however, as mentioned earlier, the use of Herbalife for weight loss during pregnancy (all products without exception) is strictly prohibited.

Herbalife Nutrition for Weight Loss

All Herbalife weight loss nutrition consists of soy protein isolate and whey protein concentrate.

So, Personalized Protein Powder (in a 12.7 oz. or 360 g. jar) is a mix of these proteins.

Chicken Cream Soup Soup Mix Mix (powder in portion packets) has a chicken taste due to flavors; each serving contains 16 g of protein, giving 80 kcal. The manufacturers assure that this high-protein product can satisfy hunger: just pour the contents of the packet into a large cup, add 6-8 ounces (170-230 ml) of hot water and mix until smooth. If you add half as much water, you will get a sauce (for vegetables, meat or poultry).

Protein Bars (chocolate, coconut or peanut butter flavors) also contain soy protein and milk protein casein (12 g total), as well as vitamins and minerals; the caloric content of one bar is 150-170 kcal. As a snack - as part of the Herbalife weight loss program - it is not recommended to consume more than two bars per day.

Herbalife tea for weight loss

The company offers 11 varieties of Herbal Tea Concentrate – Herbalife tea for weight loss.

This herbal tea concentrate contains caffeine, which invigorates and stimulates metabolic processes in the body. It is very easy to prepare tea: you need to mix two-thirds of a teaspoon of concentrate in 200-250 ml of water.

The composition of this drink also includes extracts of green tea, forest mallow (Malva sylvestris), hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus Flower) and cardamom seeds (Fructus cardamoni). The presence of green tea is justified by the fact that it exhibits the properties of a powerful antioxidant, and the polyphenolic flavonoids (catechins) contained in it accelerate metabolism, including in liver cells. Antioxidants in the form of vitamins A and C are contained in mallow and hibiscus flowers (Sudanese rose); mallow has a good effect on the stomach and intestines, but hibiscus increases the acidity of the stomach and diuresis (i.e. it is a diuretic plant), stimulates the secretion of bile. Therefore, the producers of Herbalife tea should have warned consumers that it should not be consumed in case of hyperacid gastritis and gastric ulcer.

This also applies to cardamom seeds, which not only activate gastric secretion, but also... increase appetite. Moreover, Herbalife tea for weight loss contains fast-absorbing maltodextrin (dextrin maltose) as a sweetener, which has a high glycemic index and causes an increase in blood sugar.

Why is Herbalife dangerous for weight loss?

In fact, we have already partially answered the question that many people who want to get rid of extra pounds ask: how dangerous is Herbalife for weight loss?

Data from several studies conducted by doctors in Germany and Israel have confirmed the negative impact of some Herbalife herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) for weight loss on the functioning of the hepatobiliary system, in particular, on the liver.

Initial reports of liver damage attributed to Herbalife products came from Spain and Israel, followed by a series of cases involving gastroenterologists in Latin America, Switzerland, Iceland, and the United States. To date, clinically apparent liver damage has been reported in at least 50 individuals who have used Herbalife products for weight loss, according to the international scientific journal Clinical Liver Disease.

Experts do not hide the fact that the main difficulty in assessing cases of liver damage from Herbalife products is that most patients take more than one drug, and each product contains many components that can potentially cause harm.

Reviews from those who have lost weight and doctors

Herbalife for weight loss is a multi-million dollar business project, so positive reviews from those who have lost weight are perceived as advertising (and in most cases this is true).

However, they can be analyzed. For example, when a woman is delighted that the Herbalife weight loss program helped her lose 32 pounds (14.5 kg) in five months, then in a month it turns out to be 4.6 pounds, that is 2.08 kg.

Doctors' opinions regarding such weight loss are unambiguous: natural products with a balanced diet of fats, carbohydrates and calories, drinking enough water and physical exercise are much more effective and cheaper than Herbalife. And, most importantly, safer.

Keep in mind that any Herbalife analogues for weight loss (Slimquick Pure, Nutiva Organic, Pure Protein, Clif Bar Shot, Navitas Naturals Superfood, Crystal Light, Naturaide, etc.) promise weight loss, but do not guarantee safety for health.