310 Shake Review: A Surprisingly Satisfying Meal Replacement Shake
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Meal replacement products have come a long way over the years. They used to be a way to simply cut calories, but the best meal replacement shakes now provide essential vitamins and minerals, probiotics and other health-promoting ingredients, like adaptogens, to help you feel your best.
310 Nutrition is a popular brand right now and, from the outside, it’s easy to see why. The 310 Shakes are made with high-quality ingredients and natural sugar substitutes (like stevia), and they’re entirely non-GMO (many of the ingredients are organic, too). But do they taste good and keep you full?
I tried these shakes in eight different flavors over the course of a month and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were and how good I felt. In this 310 Shake Review, I’ll go into more detail about the brand, the products and my personal experience to help you decide if you want to try them for yourself.
This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.
310 Meal Replacement Shake At a Glance
- Low-calorie, low-sugar shakes
- Combine protein and superfood ingredients for gut health, immune health, and weight loss
- Contain probiotics and digestive enzymes
- Fortified with 26 essential vitamins and minerals
- Come in 10 flavors
Pros
- Clean ingredient list
- No sugar or artificial sweeteners
- Suitable for all types of diets, including keto, vegan, low-fat, low-calorie, and gluten-free
- Contains digestive support and adaptogens
- Can buy in bulk to save money
Cons
- Low in calories
- Some flavors are chalky
- No exact breakdown of ingredients
- On the expensive side
310 Shake Claims
The 310 Shakes are marketed as a meal replacement shake. In theory, this means they have ample calories—more than protein shakes—as well as a balanced macronutrient profile that can help keep you full. The company also says its shakes “provide well-balanced nutrition and targeted ingredients for total immune, digestive, and full-body health.”
While 310 Nutrition doesn’t put any weight loss claims front and center, the brand does say the shakes are a “convenient way to start your weight loss journey” and that they can keep you on track by providing balanced nutrition, while helping you control calories. 310 Nutrition does stress that you’re not meant to replace all your meals with these shakes. They recommend replacing one or two meals and then adding a healthy meal or two to meet your daily nutrition needs.
Quality of Ingredients
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At first glance, the quality of ingredients in these shakes seems high. There are many organic ingredients and the shakes are non-GMO, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free. There isn’t anything artificial, including colors, flavors and sweeteners.
And the shakes have a really extensive ingredient list. There are more than 60 ingredients total, and each one is lumped into a broader category, as follows:
- 310 Tri-Plex Protein Blend
- 310 Fiber and Superfood Blend
- 310 Healthy Fats Blend
- 310 Vitamin and Mineral Blend
- 310 Adaptogen Blend
- 310 Digestive Blend
The downside is that 310 Nutrition doesn’t provide any information on the specific amounts of each ingredient that are in the shakes. Because of this, it’s impossible to say whether or not they contain effective amounts.
One thing to note is that all of the brand’s products are manufactured in Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) facilities. This means that the ingredients on the label match what’s actually in the product (something that all supplements can’t claim). That’s a good start, but it doesn’t help us determine if the ingredients in the shake are provided in effective amounts.
All that being said, we’ll look at each category of ingredients separately, and provide some expert thoughts about the ingredients in general.
310 Tri-Plex Protein Blend
The first ingredient “grouping” in the 310 shakes is the protein blend, which combines three different types of plant-based proteins: pea protein isolate, brown rice protein concentrate and organic pumpkin protein.
“Protein is an important nutrient for keeping us full and satisfied after meals, which can help with an overall weight loss nutrition strategy,” says registered dietitian and running coach Stephanie Hnatiuk, founder of Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition. “Protein is also used by our bodies to build and repair muscle tissue after exercise, so getting a good source of protein in a post-workout meal is recommended for exercise recovery.”
One shake provides 15 grams of protein, which is a little on the low side for a meal replacement shake. For comparison, most protein powders provide around 20 to 25 grams of protein per scoop, and research shows that getting around this amount (20 to 25 grams of protein) per meal is ideal for muscle protein synthesis.
To add to this, plant proteins are often lacking in essential amino acids compared to whey proteins. But pea protein is actually considered highly digestible even though it’s lower in some specific amino acids, and research shows that pea and whey protein have similar muscle-building effects.
310 Nutrition further mitigates this by providing a blend of three plant proteins. Mixing plant proteins like this can help ensure you’re getting the full range of amino acids, albeit the absorption rate is still typically lower than animal-based proteins.
All in all, this isn’t a high-protein shake by any means, but you could boost the protein content by adding ingredients, like collagen protein or powdered peanut butter, to it and blending.
310 Fiber and Superfood Blend
Just like it sounds, the fiber and superfood blend combines different types of fibers and prebiotics with mostly organic foods. This blend contributes to the overall fiber content of the shake and provides essential vitamins and minerals.
The complete list of ingredients in the Fiber and Superfood Blend is as follows:
- Oat fiber
- Carrot root
- Celery seed
- Goji Berry
- Hydrangea Root
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Kale
- Organic Alfalfa
- Organic Apple
- Organic Beetroot
- Organic Broccoli
- Organic Chaga Mushroom
- Organic Chlorella
- Organic Ginger Root
- Organic Spinach
- Organic Spirulina
- Organic Turmeric
- Pineapple
Because 310 Nutrition doesn’t provide any specific amounts for each ingredient, it’s impossible to say exactly how many vitamins and minerals (and other beneficial plant compounds) you'd be getting from each.
We can see the total dietary fiber content, though, which is 5 grams per shake. Hnatiuk says fiber can help keep you full, but this is a little on the low side, especially if you’re using this as a true meal replacement shake. For reference, the American Heart Association recommends getting around 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, so one shake would provide only 20% of that.
You can boost the fiber content by adding fruits and vegetables and blending—something that 310 recommends. You can also add high-fiber mix-ins like chia seeds or flaxseeds. This will not only help with bowel regularity, but it can also promote satiety since fiber can slow stomach emptying and help regulate appetite.
310 Healthy Fats Blend
The healthy fats in the 310 Shakes come from coconut oil creamer. This is a blend of coconut oil and acacia gum, which is used as an emulsifier and thickener.
Coconut oil is an excellent fat source since it contains mostly medium-chain triglycerides, MCTs. MCTs are a quick-acting source of energy and some research shows that replacing long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) with MCTs may promote weight loss without negatively affecting cholesterol and other blood lipids.
There’s also some evidence that MCTs may enhance exercise endurance and increase athletic performance. They may be especially beneficial for high-intensity exercise since they can suppress the production of lactic acid and delay muscle soreness.
In total, each shake contains about 2.5 to 3 grams of total fat and 0.5 to 1 gram of saturated fat, so there’s not a significant amount. Several studies on the benefits of MCTs use one to two tablespoons, or closer to 25 grams of fat.
These shakes are a good start, but you’ll need other healthy sources of fat in your day to round things out.
310 Vitamin and Mineral Blend
The vitamin and mineral blend contains 25 different essential micronutrients, including calcium, zinc, B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iron. Again, these are very non-specific, but there is a breakdown of the total amount of each vitamin and mineral on the nutrition facts label.
Most notably, one shake contains 9.1 mg of iron (50 percent of daily needs), 64 mcg of biotin (210 percent of daily needs), and 2.2 mg of pantothenic acid (45 percent of daily needs). It offers 10 to 70 percent of all the remaining nutrients.
This is a good baseline, but you’ll want to round out your micronutrient intake with healthy, whole foods and maybe a high-quality multivitamin.
310 Adaptogen Blend
Adaptogens are compounds that can help your body manage stress. Unlike vitamins and minerals, which have specific recommended amounts, there’s no daily requirement for these since they’re non-essential (you don’t need them to survive).
They’re a nice touch though, and the 310 Shakes have a decent combination. Most of the adaptogens are mushrooms (chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi), but you’ll also get ashwagandha and maca root.
Some research suggests that regular intake of adaptogens can help your body maintain homeostasis and make you more resilient to both internal and external stressors, so these meal replacements could be a good option to help you wind down before bed.
310 Digestive Blend
The digestive blend contains a combination of probiotics and digestive enzymes that can help you break down macronutrients.
310 Nutrition does share how many probiotics are added—100 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of Bifidobacterium bifidum. This is a high dose, but, ideally, we’d see more than one type of bacteria for best results.
There’s no exact amount of each digestive enzyme, but there is a range that helps you break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates. These are amylases, lactase, lipase and proteases.
Other ingredients
310 Nutrition lists its inactive ingredients under the grouping “310 Flavor Blend.” The exact ingredients in this blend vary depending on which shake you pick, but they’re all made with natural flavorings and sweetened only with stevia, which can help prevent blood sugar spikes. 310 also adds an emulsifying powder that helps with the texture. This is a blend of guar gum, gum acacia and xanthan gum.
Nutrition Facts
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The exact nutrition facts depend on which flavor you choose, but in general, here’s what you can expect from one shake.
Right off the bat, one thing that sticks out is the calorie content. These shakes are marketed as meal replacements, but they only have 110 calories per shake. Granted, most meal replacement shakes, including this one, are marketed toward weight loss, so this isn’t surprising.
Still, the calorie content is too low to completely replace a meal—you should never be severely limiting calories to lose weight.
On its website, 310 Nutrition does say that the calorie content for these is purposely low so you can add mix-ins, like fruit, if you want to blend it up and make it a more calorie-rich meal. That seems fair, but ultimately since you’re paying a premium for a meal replacement shake it would be nice if the calories were more in line with what you’d get from a meal.
The protein is also a little on the low side. In general, you should be aiming for about 20 to 25 grams of protein per meal. While a higher protein intake is generally connected to muscle-building, adequate protein is also important for weight loss.
One more thing worth mentioning is the sugar content. There’s no sugar at all in these shakes, so they’re great for blood sugar management. Even better? They’re sweetened with stevia instead of artificial no-calorie sugar substitutes.
310 Shake Flavors
The 310 shakes come in 10 flavors, which is a lot of variety. For comparison, the Ka’Chava meal replacement shake comes in only five flavors, while the Kaged powder is available in only three.
There are the 10 flavors:
- Vanilla Cake
- Chocolate Icing
- Vanilla Creme
- Chocolate Bliss
- Mocha
- Strawberry
- Tropical Coconut
- Pumpkin Spice
- Caramel Sundae
- Banana Cream Pie
I got the variety pack, so I was able to try eight of these (more on that later).
310 Shake Cost
There are a few options when purchasing the 310 Shakes: You can buy bulk packs of individual flavors or a variety pack that includes several flavors. There’s also a “Triple Flavor Pack” that lets you mix and match a handful of preferred flavors. The cost depends on what you order.
For the individual flavor packs, you can purchase 14 or 28 shakes at a time and a one-time order will cost $59.99 ($4.28 per meal) or $89.99 ($3.21 per meal), respectively. You also have the option to subscribe for a recurring delivery, which will save you 25%. Recurring delivery options are every 15, 30 or 45 days.
If you subscribe for a recurring delivery, the 14-serving option drops to $44.99, which breaks down to $3.21 per shake, and the 28-serving option drops to $67.49 for the box or $2.41 per shake.
Instead of a subscription, you can also save some money by purchasing the Triple Flavor Pack. This gives you three 14-serving bags in the flavors of your choice for $149.99 instead of $179.97—a savings of 17%.
This is considered a premium product, but you’re also getting premium ingredients. Unlike other meal replacement shakes, the 310 Shakes have a clean ingredient list without added sugars or artificial flavors and fillers. Because of that, I think it’s worth the price and would happily spend more for this higher-quality product.
My Personal Experience Trying 310 Meal Replacement Shakes
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I tried the variety pack over a period of four weeks, and overall I really enjoyed the experience. As someone who got sucked into the Slim-Fast shakes in the early 2000s, I was skeptical that I would like these—and that I would actually feel satisfied after drinking them—but I was pleasantly surprised.
The variety pack comes with eight flavors: Chocolate Bliss, Caramel Sundae, Vanilla Creme, Strawberry, Tropical Coconut, Mocha, Cookies and Cream and Lemon Cake.
I might just be a purist, but the chocolate-based flavors, Chocolate Bliss and Mocha, were by far my favorite. I wouldn’t say any of the flavors were particularly good though. Some were okay, others were tolerable and some (looking at you coconut) I could barely get down, but I never really looked forward to drinking them based on flavor alone.
And the real-life flavors didn’t really match up to their names. For example, I didn’t get any coffee notes from the Mocha and the Cookies and Cream just tasted a little less chocolatey than the others, but there were no obvious cookie or cream flavors. The same was true of the Strawberry flavor. It tasted fruity, but in a blindfold test, I wouldn't have been able to name it as strawberry.
I was not a fan of the coconut, lemon or caramel flavors, and neither was my boyfriend, who is salted caramel-obsessed. Again, the notes didn’t really come through as I would have liked.
I did get a slight aftertaste from the stevia, but nothing too major. It’s usually really hard for me to get anything sweetened with stevia down—I’m really sensitive to the taste—but this didn’t bother me at all, which I was surprised about.
The texture wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. I tried each flavor in its true form, with water and a shaker cup, and blended with almond milk. Just shaken, they looked pretty grainy, but they didn’t have a grainy mouthfeel. Some of them tasted a little chalky, but it wasn’t too off-putting; this is the texture I typically expect from a meal replacement shake.
When blended, they were really smooth and thick. I liked them blended as a treat (and the Vanilla Creme almost tasted like a vanilla shake), but I actually preferred them shaken with some ice. They were much better cold than mixed with room temperature water.
What really surprised me, though, was how good I felt while drinking them. I didn’t think they would satisfy me at all, but I felt pretty full after drinking them. Initially, it just felt like my stomach was filled with liquid and that’s why I was full, but I didn’t get hungry for several hours—I’d say about four hours on average.
I felt like I had more energy during the day too. I normally feel like I’m dragging in the morning, even when I get plenty of sleep, but I felt sharper and almost like my mind was clearer. I felt like my stomach was light too, and I noticed less bloating throughout the day.
Ultimately, these health effects are what kept me coming back for more. I didn’t love the taste or texture, but it was tolerable and I would drink these shakes every day for the increased energy and improved digestion.
Who Should Use 310 Shakes
The 310 shakes are a great option for anyone looking for a clean meal replacement shake, or those who want help meeting their daily requirements for micronutrients. Hnatiuk says they’re also a good fit for plant-based eaters or those who follow a vegan diet and want to get more protein, according to Hnatiuk.
Who Should NOT Use 310 Shakes
They’re not for everyone. “Due to the iron content of these shakes, I would not recommend them for individuals who need to limit their iron consumption or have issues with high iron levels,” says Hnatiuk. “I would also not recommend these shakes as a standalone meal replacement for individuals who have high energy/calorie needs due to the low-calorie nature of this product.”
Anyone who has an allergy to any of the ingredients listed should not use this product.
What Customers Are Saying About 310 Shakes
Overall, customers are really happy with the 310 Shakes. All of the flavors have more than 4 out of 5 stars on the brand’s website, and a 4.1 average rating from almost 6,000 customer reviews on Amazon.
The reviewers are a little split though. Some say they absolutely love the taste of the shakes and they feel incredible (no cravings, less hunger and more energy) when drinking the shakes regularly. Others say that while they definitely feel better, they don’t think the shakes taste very good.
A common theme among those who said it doesn’t taste good is that blending it up with some fruit or ice in a blender makes it much more palatable. Of course, the taste will also depend on which flavor you choose. For example, the coconut isn’t as well received as the Chocolate Bliss, and I can definitely see why.
All in all, the positive user reviews far outweigh the negative. Even those who said they didn’t like the taste think it’s worth it for the health benefits and the way they feel after drinking it.
About 310
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310 Nutrition was founded by Tim Sharif, the brand’s current CEO. After some sessions with a personal trainer, Tim experienced firsthand how healthy eating can “literally change your life.” After that revelation, he wanted to formulate a meal replacement shake that was actually healthy, and not full of fillers and artificial ingredients.
All of the brand’s products are produced in a cGMP-certified in Salt Lake City, Utah and they source the highest quality ingredients available, something that Sharif says sets them apart from other brands. The company employs its own formulators and flavorists who are consistently working toward making the shakes better and introducing new flavors, after extensive testing.
Ultimately, Sharif says the company’s mission is to “create the safest and healthiest products that are going to help you toward your goals.”
In addition to meal replacement shakes, the company also manufactures “shake boosters,” like peanut butter powder, collagen peptides, MCT oil and vitamin C powder that you can add to your shake to play around with the macros a little bit. There are also gold, green and red superfood powders and energy-boosting lemonade mixers that you can add to your water as a flavor enhancer.
310 Shake vs Shakeology
The 310 Shake and Shakeology are fairly similar. Both of them have a plant-based protein blend (although Shakeology does have a couple flavors that are available in whey protein), an adaptogen blend, a superfood blend and a digestive blend. The biggest difference here is that Shakeology doesn’t add extra vitamins and minerals—all of the vitamins and minerals come from these core ingredients.
The protein content is about the same: The 310 shakes have around 15 grams of protein, while Shakeology has 16 grams. But Shakeology sweetens its powders with a combination of organic cane sugar and stevia, so the carbohydrate and sugar content is a lot higher. A serving of Shakeology has 17 grams of carbohydrates and 7 grams of sugar, while most of the 310 Shakes have 6 grams of carbohydrates and 0 grams of sugar.
Shakeology is about the same price as a one-time purchase of the 310 shakes. It costs $129.95 for 30 servings, which breaks down to $4.33 per meal.
Ultimately, the 310 shakes are a better choice for those who want a lower-sugar option.
310 Shake FAQs
Do 310 nutrition shakes help you lose weight?
According to Hnatiuk, 310 Nutrition shakes can help you lose weight as part of an overall reduced-calorie diet. “However, long-term/sustainable weight loss requires a careful and personalized balance of calories eaten versus calories burned, so not everyone who uses this product would be guaranteed to see the same result, depending on a number of other factors,” she says.
How many 310 shakes can you drink per day?
Ideally, no more than two—and you should make sure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet that provides plenty of whole foods, too. Because of the vitamin and mineral content in these shakes, Hnatiuk recommends speaking to a registered dietitian or doctor if you are planning on using more than two scoops of this product per day to determine if it’s appropriate for you.
Are 310 shakes FDA-approved?
No, 310 shakes aren’t FDA-approved. The FDA doesn’t “approve” meal replacement shakes, but it does have regulations in place that prohibit dishonest branding and marketing. Ultimately, it’s on the brand to follow the rules, but the FDA can take legal action against a misbranded product.
Takeaway: Are 310 Shakes Worth It?
I think the 310 Shakes are absolutely worth it. In general, I’m skeptical of any weight loss or meal replacement shakes but these have an impressive ingredient list and they actually kept me satisfied in the morning before lunch. As is, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them for a complete meal replacement—they’re low in calories and a little low on protein—but they’re a great supplement to a healthy diet.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.
