The Good: Generally nutritious, Delightful taste
The Bad: Comparatively expensive, Slight aftertaste
The Basics: Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake is a wonderful way to get a number of nutrients and feel filled up . . . so long as your wallet can handle it!
Having reviewed quite a few healthy beverages over the summer, it feels like a return to form to have a chance to evaluate the drinks my wife continues to get in for her low-carb diet. The first that I am finding I enjoy, too, is the Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake.
The Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake is a ready-to-drink beverage that comes in a cardboard container (like a juicebox), but with a screw-top cap. Locally, we’ve only found them in packs of four and given that they go on sale in the $5 range, this seems incredibly expensive to me, which reinforces my wife’s long-held belief that in the U.S. unhealthy food that will make one easily fat is dirt cheap, but people trying to better themselves and get their body healthy have to pay through the nose!
The Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake almost makes one want to!
Basics
Atkins Advantage is a health shake, a type of beverage designed primarily for people looking to lose weight. Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake comes in an 11 fl. oz. cardboard carton that fits easily in the hand. Each carton is filled with the opaque bright pink liquid that is the Strawberry Shake from Atkins Advantage.
The 11 fl. oz. carton is intended as a single serving, but it is hard to stop at just one!
Ease Of Preparation
Atkins Advantage is a liquid in the 11 fl. oz. carton, so preparation is as easy as opening a bottle. Shake the carton up and then open it. Atkins Advantage has a plastic cap that easily twists off and can be put back on in order to reseal it. It is important to note that this is supposed to be refrigerated after it is opened, so quality of the beverage may degrade if it is left out at room temperature or in summer heat after the carton is open. One needs to shake it up first, though!
Taste
Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake smells exactly like is claims to, like a strawberry milkshake! The scent is instantly evocative of a soda fountain or a family restaurant. The smell is actually surprisingly inviting.
The smell adequately foreshadows the taste of the Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake. The dominant flavor is strawberry, blended with creamy milk. The flavor is entirely familiar to anyone who likes milkshakes and it is very true to the familiar taste of strawberry ice cream and milk!
There is a slightly dry aftertaste with the Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake, like one usually gets after consuming an artificial sweetener. It is not enough to sink this drink, but it is noticeable.
Nutrition
As a health drink, Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake is designed to fill one up and do so without a lot of carbs. This particular carton represents a single serving, with its 160 calories, 80 of which are from fat! But, for people looking for a low-carb beverage, this fits the bill as it has only two grams of carbs, including one gram of dietary fiber. The 3 grams of saturated fat represent 15% of one’s RDA of that, though. On the plus side, one serving has only 200 mg of Sodium (8% RDA) and 15 mg Cholesterol (5% RDA). As well, the carton features 8% (270 mg) of one’s daily recommended Potassium. It is a significant source of nineteen vitamins and minerals! As part of the Atkins diet, it is predictably high in protein (15 grams or 30% of the RDA).
The Strawberry Shake, predictably, includes no fruit juice. Made primarily of water, dairy protein blend, and cream, the Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake turns into a chemistry equation near the end of the ingredients list. This drink does contain milk and is not marked as Kosher or Gluten Free and it does not have any other allergy warnings on it.
Storage/Clean-up
Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake comes in a cardboard carton and it keeps for a few months. The carton my wife purchased in the middle of November expired early on September 22, 2013, which surprised me given that it contains milk. Stored in a cool place, it ought to be fine at least until its expiration date.
This drink is a bright pink color, so if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes. Still, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.
Overall
Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shakes are good and when they are on sale, they are exceptionally easy to recommend. At full price, I say be sure you’re committed to the full diet first!
For other ready-to-drink beverages, please check out my reviews of:
Bolthouse Perfectly Protein Vanilla Chai Tea
Powerade Fruit Punch
The Simpsons Duff Energy Drink
6.5/10
For other beverage reviews, please check out my index page for an organized listing!
© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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