How to Find the Best Paleo Meal Replacement Shake

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best paleo meal replacement shake.

Discover how to supplement the paleo diet.

Last Updated
Jul 21, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Jack, CNC

Jack is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Nutrition Coach.

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before making changes to your diet.

Paleo Meal Replacements

Are Meal Replacement Shakes Paleo?

The paleo diet is all about eating like our ancestors ate 10,000 years ago – during the Paleolithic era.

In a nutshell, it stresses eating whole foods over processed ones.

Paleo-friendly foods include meat, fish, eggs, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

It follows that if you insist on avoiding processed foods altogether, then meal replacement shakes are not an option.

But if you are willing to compromise somewhat on what constitutes “processed food,” then there are a few paleo meal replacements to choose from.

That said, finding a meal replacement compatible with the paleo diet is still hard for several reasons.

For starters, most meal replacements contain either whey, soy, or pea protein, none of which are paleo.

Whey protein comes from milk, and soy and pea protein come from legumes.

Milk and legumes are not allowed on the paleo diet.

Another real reason why most meal replacements are not technically paleo is that they contain ultra-processed protein concentrates and/or isolates.

The average protein concentrates/isolate undergoes some combination of the following:

centrifugation, ultrafiltration, alkaline extraction, acid precipitation, pH fluctuation, enzymatic hydrolysis, ion exchange

It goes without saying that protein concentrates/isolates were absolutely not on the menu during the Paleolithic era.

A third reason why most meal replacements are not compatible with the paleo diet is they contain added ingredients like emulsifiers, thickeners, and flavors.

Food additives like these, including natural flavors and natural sweeteners like stevia, are not paleo.

What Is the Best Paleo Meal Replacement Shake?

Most meal replacements are NOT paleo because they contain one or more of the following: whey, soy, peas, protein concentrates and/or isolates, and food additives like emulsifiers and thickeners.

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in meal replacements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

In fact, it turns out that 99% of meal replacements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients, which is why we created Drink Wholesome.

Drink Wholesome makes the best paleo meal replacement powder from a short list of simple ingredients.

Our Ingredients

egg whites

coconut

vanilla

monk fruit

NOT Our Ingredients

• acacia gum

• acesulfame potassium

• artificial flavors

• carrageenan

• erythritol

• guar gum

• inulin

• maltodextrin

• 'natural' flavors

• silica

• soy lecithin

• sucralose

• xanthan gum

• xylitol

Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like almonds, which are not only paleo, but also easier to digest and absorb.

It follows that our customers experience fewer digestive issues with our Meal Replacement Powder than with any other type of protein shake or powder.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Editorial Guidelines

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This article was written by a Certified Nutrition Coach and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.