Does it seem like everything is becoming vegan? Because it really does seem to be taking over the market these days. While the unsubstantiated fear of disappearing meat grips the carnivores amongst you, we know that a little green never hurt anyone. If you're already embarking on Meatless Mondays or keeping up small lifestyle changes, you'll be glad to know that meal replacement shakes have joined the game.
Especially if your motivations are for health or performance, you should know that these 100 percent natural and vegan shakes underwent consultation with three nutritionists, 40 suppliers and 80 different formulations to arrive at where it is currently. Though, food tech startup Sustenance isn't exactly new. Founded almost four years ago, the brand recently released a plant-based range and invested in sustainable packaging.
Oh, and did we mention it's based in Singapore?
You know how it works for the local F&B industry; if the culling of the pandemic did not shutter it, it's quality. In fact, the company boasts a revenue jump of over 600 percent. The unfiltered product reviews check out, and its instant meal concept makes sense for a time-strained yet health-conscious population like ours.
“Sustenance is the closest you can get to a home-cooked meal,” says co-founder Gautam Param. “We want to help people take back control of their health with a convenient and nutritious meal stored neatly in a pack.” Produce like brown rice, chia seeds and açai berries are freeze dried, milled into fine powder and manufactured with minimal processing without additives, preservatives or chemicals.
The reason why Param decided to venture on their own was precisely that none of the existing meal replacement options were fit for long-term use; they either contained synthetic vitamins, were loaded with highly processed refined sugar and oils, or simply lacked sufficient amounts of key nutrients and dietary fibre.
We've tried them.
If you're familiar with protein shakes, these guys taste a lot better. With three different flavours to choose from (three variations of the Original, which bears a primarily oat element, Extra-Rich Cacao and Acai Burst, which is strangely green), the essentials are easy to drink. They aren't immune to the bumpy texture ascribed to most shakes, but we suppose it means you are getting your whole foods in their purest and effective form. They're sufficiently filling, though a personal recommendation would be to replace the smallest of your daily meals.
Sustenance is available online.
