The pace of life and evolving lifestyles have caused an impact on diets worldwide. The food on the plates of populations across the world have changed over the ages, and this contributed to nutrition gaps. Consequently, diseases and ailments attributed to nutrition deficiencies have increased. This has prompted a change among populations all over the world, with many choosing nutritional supplements to address the deficiency. Ensure drink is one among the more popular brand of nutritional supplements, that are used by a broad cross section of users. From individuals with a need to address nutritional gaps, sportspersons with additional nutritional needs, and patients with special requirements, the requirements vary.
Individuals on special programs to either gain or lose weight, and patients who need nutritional intake after certain procedures, are also given suitable ensure drink. Patients about to undergo procedures are also given suitable nutritional supplements. Most of the supplements are generally safe for consumption, but there is always the possibility of undesirable effects. Subsequent sections will look at possible ensure drink side effects and the best ways and methods to reduce or mitigate the effects.
Are there separate types of Ensure drinks for different patients and needs?
Ensure supplements are available in different types to meet various needs of patients. A strong reputation as a quality manufacturer with an impressive product portfolio makes ensure suitable for a wide variety of use cases. Patients who have undergone surgical procedures or patients with certain throat related ailments or cancer, are unable to consume regular diets. This makes it necessary for patients to be fed with the right kind of nutrition through a suitable alternative way of feeding. Similarly, patients with eating disorders, and malnutrition problems also require higher nutritional intake. The nutritional profile of different Ensure products are intended to meet specific needs.
Additional reasons that make Ensure a popular brand
In addition to the variety of products, there are other reasons that make Ensure popular and suitable. A gluten free tag makes Ensure the right option for individuals who need to consume food products that are free from the protein typically found in wheat and wheat products.
Another standout reason that makes Ensure popular and preferred across all categories of users is its ability to be taken without compromising on faith and beliefs that prohibit intake of certain types of food. Belonging to the category of kosher and halal food, it can be taken by Jews, Muslims and individuals practising different faiths.
What are the broad categories of Ensure supplements?
As mentioned earlier, Ensure products come in a wide variety, which ensures that a suitable product is available for most categories of users. The four different categories include
- Complete nutrition – Suitable for Individuals on weight gain programs or individuals on programs to maintain weight.
- Advanced nutrition – Intended for patients with certain digestive health complications. It is also suitable for patients with heart ailments, problems in the immune system, and those with problems in the muscles and bones.
- Targeted nutrition – Specially meant for individuals working on special programs to either build muscle and mass, or by sportspersons who work on improving performance and endurance.
- Specialty therapeutic nutrition – Developed for patients who are either slated to undergo surgical procedures or for patients as part of post-surgery nutrition and special diets.
As can be seen from the above categories of products, Ensure nutritional supplements comprise products suitable for different uses and requirements.
Nutritional profile and the link to special needs
The nutritional profile of Ensure is the reason for its success in the market for health drinks and supplements. There is a clear link between the nutritional profile and the outcomes of the products. Regardless of category of product, all Ensure products contain 24 minerals and vitamins that are essential for good overall health. This essentially means that Ensure products (depending on the category) can actually be a full meal replacement in certain instances. It all circumstances, it can work as an effective method to address the gap in nutrition by supplementing regular diets with an additional mid meal snack. In addition to the minerals and vitamins, Ensure products also contain the required amount of carbohydrates that are necessary give users the required energy levels.
In what form are carbohydrates available in Ensure?
Ensure products contain corn maltodextrin, which is a sweetener ingredient in the health drink. Considered safe, the carbohydrate is essentially on form of sugar, and therefore it is necessary for individuals on weight loss programs to choose an Ensure product that contains the lowest level of this ingredient. Consuming more than the required levels and without any form of physical activity may actually cause an increase in weight.
Ingredients in Ensure that are noteworthy
In addition to the above, Ensure products also contain water, which is required for hydration in the formulation. Water helps in combining the various ingredients that constitute Ensure. One of the contributing factors to weight loss is water, and Ensure products contain water which in turn help individuals achieve weight loss, when combined with other actions or diets for weight loss.
How much of sugar content does each serving of Ensure deliver?
The flavoring agent in most health products are typically sugar based, and this makes it necessary for all individuals to check the product labels and ingredients for sugar levels. Different products in Ensure health drinks may have varying sugar levels, and the right one needs to be chosen accordingly.
Sugar could be as much as 5 teaspoons in 08 ounce of Ensure health drink. As a result of this high level of sugar, individuals may end up gaining weight, if suitable measures are not put in place to counter the effects of the sugar. This is precisely why Ensure products are chosen from different categories, as per the actual needs of users – no Ensure product is suitable for all users.
Other ingredients that need to be checked
Apart from sugar, Sodium is another ingredient in Ensure health drinks. Individuals on other medications or diets or supplements that are intended to increase sodium levels are to monitor sodium levels to prevent a spike beyond the desired or safe levels. It is important to maintain the amount of sodium that can be safely taken every day, and it is therefore necessary to be aware of the combined intake levels.
Which ingredient in Ensure drink gives it antioxidant properties?
Canola oil is one among the many ingredients of Ensure drink, and it is responsible for delivering the anti-oxidant properties. Energy and fatty acid from canola oil and corn are part of the important ingredients that give the drink the energy and fatty acids. The alpha-linoleic acid is a proven antioxidant, and it is known to help users maintain good heart health. A healthy heart is essential for overall health, and this is one of the standout reasons for the popularity of ensure.
Number of calories in Ensure drink
The number of calories in Ensure drinks differ from product to product, and this could range between 150 to 350 calories in most shakes. Every serving bottle of Ensure drink delivers carbohydrates which could be between 31 to 52 gms, depending on the drink. The recommended daily average intake of carbohydrates is 300 gms for adults; and it is essential to keep a track of carbs from other dietary intake. Excessive carb intake may lead to an unhealthy condition. Individuals are more likely to be on multiple supplements or health food products to supplant regular diet, and this may sometimes result in excessive intake, which needs to be curbed.
The protein content in each serving bottle is an average of 10 gms, and this again help to meet the shortfall, if any. For instance, the recommended intake of protein for most individuals is 1 gm for every kilo of body weight. For the purpose of calculations, adults with an average weight of 70 kilos will therefore receive around 15% of the recommended daily intake of proteins from a single serving bottle of Ensure drink. This could help meet shortfall, and is one of the reasons for its use by athletes and sportspersons requiring additional protein intake.
Specific uses of Ensure drink
Individuals looking to lose or gain weight, athletes, sportspersons find Ensure products suitable and safe for meeting additional nutritional needs. As a gluten free product, it can be safely used by patients who are lactose intolerant. As a result of the superior nutritional profile, Ensure products deliver most recommended vitamins and minerals as per the RDA.
What kind of ensure drink side effects may be experienced?
Ensure drink like most products may trigger undesirable effects in individuals. Some users may not experience any effects whatsoever, while others may experience mild/moderate or possible adverse effects. The effects may also differ from person to person, depending on various factors.
Most health drinks or supplements come with the possibility of common effects – constipation, bloating and flatulence. Other possible effects include nausea, and this mostly occurs when the user is initially takes the product. These effects are known to resolve naturally without the need for any medication or treatment, as the body recoups to adjust with the increased nutrient intake.
Adverse effects include an impact on heart beat rate, muscle cramps, and possible shortness of breath. Patients are known to sometimes vomit after consuming the drink, while others may end up with bouts of diarrhea.
Barring shortness of breath, most of the abovementioned effects are mild in nature and may not require treatment in most instances. A weak pulse, or episodes of seizure also require urgent treatment at a healthcare facility. This is necessary to prevent the condition from turning serious. Mood swings have also been reported, albeit by only a small section of users. This could have a result on mental health and the manner in which the user interacts socially.
What kind of drug interactions are likely as a result of Ensure?
Ensure drink does not trigger any interaction with other products; though it is necessary to monitor sugar intake to prevent a spike in sugar levels. Similarly, medical advice is necessary for individuals on medications for regulating blood glucose levels.
Education: Master’s in Nursing (MSN) from Johns Hopkins University. Experience: 7 years writing for online health portals and nursing journals, specializing in patient education and chronic illness management.
