310 Shakes, a popular meal replacement drink made by 310 Nutrition, debuted in 2003 and has become a popular meal replacement shake, mostly because of all the buzz generated online by the company and users who hashtag the heck out of 310 Shakes social media posts. [1]
The Science (or Lack Thereof) Behind 310 SHAKES
A study published in 2003 in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders says that partial meal replacement (PMR) strategies for overweight and obese people (meal replacements are almost universally some sort of shake-like drink) are generally effective, although it does not mention 310 Shakes directly. [8]
back to menu ↑Word on the Street About 310 SHAKES
The 310 Nutrition website reviews page is not likely a location for full, candid, and objective reviews. In fact, more than 56,000 reviewers gave 310 Shakes an average of 4.75 out of 5 stars. Hmm.
So to Amazon.com we go, where candor is common. There are 214 reviews on the 310 Chocolate Shake with an overall score of 3.6 out of 5 stars. Nearly 60 percent rate it as a five-star product, but otherwise reviews are all over the map, from 1 to 4 stars. We’ll look at one from each: [11]
“Renee” (2016, 5 stars) is a huge fan.
My daughter introduced me to 310 Shake and I love it. I did a lot of research on ingredients before buying your products, I ordered 2. The top things I was looking or I should say not looking for was sugar amount. Your products have less than 1 gram, very important to me. Next was low carb and proper amount of vitamins. Both within the amounts I was looking for. Great taste, though I prefer the vanilla, which I could not find, the chocolate is great tasting. What I truly find great about your product is the calorie amount, most shakes are 190 calories while your product is 90 calories, this is important to me for the fact I put fruit and raw oatmeal in my shake which still keeps it at a proper amount of calories for my breakfast and lunch. Could you image if I started to add fruit, veggies and raw oatmeal to those other shakes…I could end up with a 400 calories shake! I mean I’m trying to lose weight here. Thanks again for a truly good product.
There were 16 1-star reviews, and all save one or two took issue with the taste. But “Mahakall” (2017, 1 star) took issue with a lot more than taste.
..powdery, not happy with company, phone support snotty, charged me shipping after deal was already final and paid for. i do not like people charging my card after the fact. change in formula two months ago has left people wanting.
“Jack of All Trades” (2014, 2 stars) had a kinda-sorta critique:
back to menu ↑Okay, first off let me say that this product worked as advertised in that I felt full after drinking but I actually gained weight after using it for 2 weeks as a meal replacement. My reasons for only giving 2 stars are 1. tastes terrible (but that was actually expected as most similar products taste bad) and 2. made me so constipated and bloated that I didn’t even want to eat. … Conclusion: – I would not recommend this product but rather healthy food and portion control!
310 SHAKES Claims
310 Shakes claim to be “unlike any other meal replacement shakes you’ve seen or tried.” 310 Nutrition claims its meal replacement shakes are “absolute best of the best in a product that will not only enable you to lose weight, but will also give you a new lease on life – helping you develop a functional, healthier lifestyle that’s perfect for you.” [1]
That’s quite the claim. What makes these meal replacement shakes better than the hundreds of similar meal replacement products? 310 Nutrition says it’s their “unique proprietary blend of proteins, called Tri-Plex.” [1]
Each 310 Shake is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and comes in vanilla and chocolate flavors. At 90 calories each, this shake is a fraction of the average daily 300-to-800 calorie meal, so subbing that big lunch out seems like a no-brainer way to lose weight by significantly reducing your intake. And that’s exactly what 310 Shake contends.
Nowhere else will you find meal replacement shakes that taste as amazing as 310 Shakes, or proven weight loss and fitness products that actually work (with millions of real user reviews to prove it), or ingredient lists so good that your doctor will be thoroughly impressed. [3]
One reason 310 Nutrition Shake has been so successful is its assertive, focused social marketing strategy: millions of followers across all social media platforms. Big-name paid celebrity endorsers hawking 310 Shake on Instagram and Facebook, and boasts from 310 Nutrition about the as-seen-on-TV, in magazines, blog posts and in videos—think TMZ, Shape magazine, E!, even celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton—has likely made a huge impact on sales.
Another key for 310 Shake is the support, coaching, and “community” of users:
Because taking the steps necessary to live a healthier lifestyle is not a process you need to embark on alone. The 310 Nutrition Community is an unmatched group where you can share with others who are also on journeys to better health, and find all the resources, as well as health advice you need to succeed. [4]
310 Nutrition also claims that its shakes are good. No, way better than good:
…The most delicious, mouthwatering shakes you’ve ever had …smooth and creamy, with incredible taste and no gritty texture. [4]
So they taste good (we’ll see if that’s true in a minute). But what about effectiveness? Will you lose weight drinking 310 Shakes?
310 Nutrition does not make any claim of a specific number of pounds of weight loss a user might see.
Everyone is different so we cannot tell you exactly how much you will lose. However, users have reported good results when replacing one meal a day with a 310 Shake, and enhanced results when replacing two meals a day with 310 Shakes as well as adding other proven 310 weight loss products. Many users report seeing results fast when sticking to a disciplined regimen. [5]
310 does promise that the shakes taste good, that they will boost metabolism, curb appetite, and cravings, increase energy, and provide dietary nutrients, and finally they will “maximize your weight loss.” [3]
There it is: 310 Shakes will maximize your weight loss. And it offers a full 30-day (well, the returned product has to be back in their warehouse by day 30, so I’d give that a week’s leeway) money-back guarantee and a price match compared to other meal replacement shakes. And it should be noted that 310 Nutrition doesn’t claim the shakes or other meal replacement products will alone do the job: you must eat right and exercise.
A 310 Shake 28-serving package runs almost $70. The starter kit includes 310 Shake recipes e-book, a 30 minute session with a live online coach, a shaker, the shake mix, and either their Thin energy drink or Metaboost supplement, for $98 plus shipping, handling and taxes, which vary. There are a number of other options, including a bundle for $250 that includes four bags of shake mix and an extra plastic shaker.
back to menu ↑310 SHAKE Ingredients
310 Shake ingredients run the gamut from super-food greens, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, plant proteins, and amino acids. But it’s not all good greens.
310 Nutrition’s proprietary blend TriPlex is made from pea, brown rice and hemp, a so-called plant-based protein formula with “immense support to aid in weight loss.”
310 shakes are sugar-, soy-, and dairy-free and contain no artificial ingredients or harmful chemicals. “So you can rest assured that what you’re drinking supports your health entirely.” [5]
Because two supplements can be added to the Starter Kit, we’ll glance quickly at them.
310 Thin, the appetite suppressant, contains the so-called “safe” version of ephedra, Advantra Z from Nutratech Sciences, which 310 Nutrition claims is “clinically proven to increase the body’s metabolic rate and increase energy.” [6]
We’ve looked at this ingredient before, and I noted that while it’s basically bitter orange—often used in diet and performance enhancing supplements—combined with caffeine, it’s banned by the NCAA, can cause high blood pressure and increased heart rate.
Capsimax Plus is found in the 310 MetaBoost and is essentially capsaicin, the hot pepper extract . In this case, it is “microencapsulated using a patented OmniBead technology, which delivers effective levels of the active principles in the peppers while reducing internal irritation.” [7]
Of course, MetaBoost also contains Chromium Picolinate, Caffeine, and Green Tea Extract, all also known for their claims of energy boosting, so it’s not all the peppers.
back to menu ↑The Bottom Line on 310 Shake
Depends. Meal replacement plans are generally safe if you drink shakes that are full of protein, vitamins, essential nutrients and are not “energy” drinks. And at only 90 calories per, and if you can get past the taste some complain about, it may work for some. 310 Shakes are not cheap; but then again, you are replacing whole meals and they don’t come cheap either.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS