Ask Me Anything: Your Questions About BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake, Answered

By: Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD

Getting enough calories and nutrition is not always as simple as eating three balanced meals a day. During certain periods, such as illness, recovery, reduced appetite or increased nutrient needs, some people may find it challenging to get enough calories and protein through food alone.

That’s where high-calorie nutritional shakes can offer a convenient choice to increase calorie and nutrient intake.

In a recent Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA), Aimee Henrikson, MPH, RDN, answered common questions about high-calorie nutrition and BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shakes. From how much protein your body can use to how many shakes someone might drink in a day, she addressed some of the practical questions people have when trying to increase their intake.

Key takeaways

• BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake provides 530 calories and 22 grams of protein per 8 fl oz serving and may help support weight gain and muscle building goals.*
• The right length of time to use a high-calorie nutritional shake will depend on your individual nutrition needs, health status, and goals.
• There is no strict amount of protein that the body is unable to use at one meal. It is more important to look at daily protein intake rather than trying to hit a single “perfect” amount at each meal.
• BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake contains a combination of carbohydrates, fats, milk and soy proteins, vitamins, and minerals designed to provide concentrated nutrition in a relatively small volume.
• Because nutrition needs vary from person to person, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about whether BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake is right for you to meet your goals and needs.

Below are answers to some of the most common questions from the AMA.

Will BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake actually help me gain or maintain weight?

BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake is specifically designed to help support weight gain or maintenance goals by providing 530 calories and 22g of protein in each 8 fl oz serving. It’s a convenient way to add calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals—especially when it’s hard to get enough from food alone. Work with your healthcare provider, as they can help you determine if BOOST® Very High Calorie Shake is right for you.

How many BOOST® Very High Calorie Shakes can or should I drink in a day?

BOOST® Very High Calorie can be incorporated into your daily routine to help meet your calorie and nutrition needs. How many you should have depends on your individual goals and needs, but a general recommendation is up to 2 bottles per day for adults. Work with your healthcare provider, as they can help you determine what’s right for you. It is important to understand that this product is recommended as a supplement to the diet and should not be used to replace meals or as a sole source of nutrition.

What ingredients does your product include?

BOOST® Very High Calorie includes a blend of ingredients designed to provide calories, protein, and essential nutrients in an 8 fl oz serving. Some of the main ingredients you’ll see on the label are water, glucose syrup, canola oil, milk protein (like casein), and soy protein. It also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals to help support overall nutrition.

Because it’s designed for people who have challenges getting enough calories through food alone, the formula focuses on delivering more nutritional energy, protein, and micronutrients in a ready-to-drink format.

Please refer to the full nutrient profile, ingredients, and allergen details on Boost.com or on the product label.

Is this meant for short-term recovery or long-term daily use?

BOOST® Very High Calorie Nutritional Shake can be used as part of your daily routine to help meet your ongoing calorie and nutrition needs. Whether it’s used short-term or longer-term depends on your individual goals and circumstances. Work with your healthcare provider to determine what’s right for you.

How much protein per meal can a person actually use? Is it true that excess protein is converted to glucose?

On the protein per meal question, it’s actually a lot more flexible than people think. There isn’t a hard cutoff where your body just stops using protein after a certain number of grams. Your body can absorb and use it over time, so it’s less about hitting a “perfect” number in one sitting and more about getting enough across the whole day. 

For most people, having protein during meals and snacks is a pretty easy, practical way to think about it. And during times like recovery or illness, your protein needs can actually go up since your body is working harder behind the scenes.

To answer your second question on glucose, yes, your body can convert protein into glucose through a normal process called gluconeogenesis. It primarily occurs when your body needs to maintain a steady energy supply, such as fasting or eating a low-carb diet.

Overall, it’s much more helpful to focus on your overall nutrition and protein intake than to worry about protein being converted into glucose!

Meeting your nutrition needs when eating enough is difficult

Calories and protein are essential for providing energy and supporting important functions throughout the body. However, there are many circumstances in which eating enough can become challenging. Appetite may decrease during illness or recovery, or these circumstances may increase calorie and protein requirements that are hard to meet with food alone.

In these situations, nutritional shakes can provide a convenient way to add extra calories, protein, and other nutrients in a liquid form. A higher-calorie product may be particularly useful for someone who becomes full quickly or struggles to eat enough food throughout the day.

That doesn’t mean there is one nutritional strategy that works for everyone. The amount of nutritional energy, protein, and other nutrients a person needs can vary based on factors such as age, health status, activity level, body size, and medical conditions.

If you’re concerned that you or someone you care for is not eating enough, losing weight unintentionally, or having difficulty meeting nutrition needs, talk with a healthcare provider. They can help identify the cause and determine whether changes to food intake, nutritional shakes or supplements, or other interventions may be appropriate.

Learn more about BOOST® Very High Calorie’s nutrition profile, ingredients, flavors, and whether it may fit your nutrition needs.

*When combined with resistance exercise