Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Life - The Ultimate Meal, 1200 g powder

5 star:		(94)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I started taking this product when I was pregnant and extremely health conscious. It is the best meal replacement out there, and from the very beginning I could feel the difference in my health. Of course, the taste is far from delicious, but after my initial reaction (gag) I now like it, even crave it in the mornings. (I had to make myself like V8 to, and this is healthier.) The price is a little steep at $55, but it is much better on Amazon then if you bought it form the store ($70+ tax) and it is worth every penny of it. It is full of vitamins, healthy grains and vegan protein. It will fill you up (unlike other green drinks) so you eat less. While it does not claim to be a weight loss product, it actually helped me lose 20 pounds by helping me stop my cravings. Try it, you will not regret it!

I'm 51 years old and travel a lot in my job, which is hard on my body. For the past four months, I've been using Ultimate Meal daily when at home (it's my breakfast), and sometimes twice daily. Usually by this time of year I am burned out from all the travel, but not this year. I feel healthier than in a long time.

I've tried a lot of products, and I consider this one to be far the best. In fact, I've pretty much stopped taking any other supplements --- I just don't feel they're needed anymore. True, it's expensive, but I save money by not buying other supplements. A few bucks a day isn't much, relative to what I spend on other things. As far as the taste, I like it just fine. Some compare it to pea soup, but that's not totally accurate; I don't like pea soup but I like Ultimate Meal.

I was turned on to this product by a friend who is a health fanatic and has literally researched and tried everything, at any price. He finally settled on Ultimate Meal as his only supplement and he's been using it for about two years now. For what it's worth, he told me that on many days he eats nothing but Ultimate Meal shakes because it gives him all the nutrition he needs. And he looks and feels great.

As of this writing, the shipping is free if you order two cans, and there's no sales tax, so that helps defray some of the cost. I notice that there has been a recent price increase, though. Oh well!

It's handiest when used with bags of frozen fruits, like blueberries. Adding blueberries, bananna and maybe a splash
of pomegrante juice will reduce the extremely green color if
that tends to put you off eating it. Without the bananna it's
somewhat gritty but you can throw in some yogurt with mostly the same results if you don't like or get tired of the bananna.

This is the fastest healthiest meal I've found. Also check out their birch sugar sweetner, expensive but very good stuff.

Also, you need an easy to use and clean blender, electric hand mixers work.

I know I shouldn't write a review after giving something just one try, but sometimes a beginner's point of view is valuable...

I followed the directions to the letter (banana, apple, 10 oz water, 1/3 cup powder, blend) at 7:37am this morning. It says to drink it in 5 to 15 minutes. It's 9:38am now and I've still got 19% of it to go. So, maybe that's why it holds you for 3-4 hours... because you're still drinking it.

Anyway, let's just say it's a challenge to get down. It's VERY green and frothy and yes, I "chewed each mouthful". It started out surprisingly sweet (and not in a good way. what is that? stevia?) Apart from whole fruit, I don't eat sweets, so it was kind of sickeningly sweet and very grassy (what is that? the spirulina?)

I've enjoyed wheatgrass in the past, but that was 1 oz at a time, which was a million times easier than this. Oh, and speaking of ounces... let's get real. You add 10 oz of water, yes, but that's to 1/3 cup of powder (that's another 2.5 oz) and a banana and apple (easily another 8 oz), so you'd better use a LARGE glass and have a LARGE appetite, because 20 oz of room temperature sicky sweet grass froth is a lot to take in.

So I guess the goal is to drink 4 oz per minute... Who drinks that fast? (besides my neighbor on a Friday night.) I've got to get my sip and chew speed up (and yes, I admit I gagged and felt green for the first 30 minutes. and not 'green' in a good way.)

And then it says to drink 16 oz of water an hour afterward... so, of course you're not hungry! You can't possibly feel hunger with 36 oz of plant sludge sloshing around in your belly. Bloated and nauseous, yes; hungry, no.

All that said, I'm hard-core... I bought the giant-sized can. I will force myself to try try try again. But to be honest, right now I'm thinking: eat the apple as a snack, eat the banana as a snack, and do what that other reviewer said: add the powder to some soup and call it lunch.

So now the question is: can I stomach sweet grassy frothy soup? As I work on this morning's drink while I type this, another chewed sip suggests not.

It's 10:01am.

I really don't understand all the people who have said this product tastes bad or that they gag, etc. To be honest, I was apprehensive to even taste it after reading some of these reviews. However, I made it according to the directions with an organic banana and half of an organic unwaxed Fuji apple and it tastes good, like a fruit smoothie with a few (raw) veggies in it. I have a hunch that some of the people who didn't like the taste weren't adding the fruit. Also, if you've become used to all the sickeningly sweet, artificially flavored, dairy-based "protein shakes" out there, then a natural product like the Ultimate Meal probably won't agree with you. Many people have almost ruined their sense of taste by the use of white sugar and corn syrup, salt, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavorings and colorings, artificial flavor "enhancers" such as monosodium glutomate and cooked food to the extent that natural raw foods don't appeal to them any more. I'm impressed with this product because it is made from all-natural high-quality ingredients with no additives.

I think some of the people that have not noticed the improvement in their state of health or well-being are likely still eating dairy, meat or even if not, probably cooking the food they eat for their other meal(s). Much of the benefit of the Ultimate Meal is that it is vegan and raw. Also, the person who had problems with gas should be aware that, as indicated on the Ultimate Life website, you may go through a period of detox for one or two weeks, which can include gas, diarrhea, etc. This is nothing to be alarmed about, although it can be unpleasant. It is an indication that you are eliminating toxins that have been stored in your body and when these symptoms pass, you will feel much better than before.

Finally, as to the matter of cost, I defy anyone to put together a meal using natural unadulterated raw products with as much nutritional value as the Ultimate Meal for less money. If you look at it this way, it's CHEAP! The trap is to compare it to other liquid meals which fall far short in terms of quality. And if compared to the cost of a meal in a restaurant, even a fast-food restaurant, it's much less expensive and much better for you as well. Add to that the fact that you don't have to use expensive supplements and it is truly a bargain.

I have used the ultimate meal to quarantee nutritional density while on a low calorie diet. In my case, the results were as planned, but the real story is a friend who asked me how I'd lost the weight. Using U.M., my friend went from 537lbs to 189lbs, in less than two years!

I am a fitness competitor and have been eating The Ultimate Meal two times a day for the past 8 months. Sure I've missed a day or two here and there when traveling or just on vacation but generally I go through 2 cans of The Ultimate Meal per month.

What I like about The Ultimate Meal is that it contains the things I need that I normally have a difficult time getting from traditional whole foods. For example: I try to eat about 25 grams of protein and about a half cup of veggies six times per day. I also try to get in three 1/4 cup starch servings, three 1/3 cup fruit servings, and a couple tablespoons of good fats every day. Previously when I would compete I had a really hard time eating veggies in the morning because well - I don't want veggies in the morning. Or I didn't have enough time to sit down to eat a half bowl of oatmeal along with my other food. With The Ultimate Meal I can easily get everything I need into a drinkable serving. Finally, I am terrible about getting variety in my diet and with The Ultimate Meal I know I am getting complete nutrition. With whole foods I tend to eat the same things over and over which can and has caused some nutritional deficiencies for me.

My skin? It looks amazing and until I started eating clean (no GMO, no industrial meat, no chemical salts, no chemical preservatives) I had acne. Yes even at age 35 I still had acne but I don't anymore. Dieting? Yes I have lost fat but I don't feel like I have to try anymore. I don't have cravings because I am getting the nutrition that I need when previously I wasn't getting enough nutrition and would have a tough time with portion control. My hair grows faster now. So do my nails. My energy is great. My brain is alert; I get more work done in less time. I just feel so damned good when I eat this way that I never want to stop.

Caveats? Well if you only ate the Ultimate Meal and nothing else you would be healthy but you would probably go crazy from not chewing solid food. So don't just go cold turkey on real food. While I haven't tried that myself I just don't think I could recommend it. Life is about balance (my opinion). Also when you eat clean, whether with Ultimate Meal or just regular whole foods, your body will detox and those symptoms can be unpleasant. For the first few months of eating clean (this was before I tried Ultimate Meal) I had terrible stomach problems and my skin got worse before it got better. But now I'm over that hump and so much happier. It was worth it. Also for some people the idea of spending upwards of $50 for 30 meals before adding any ingredients is crazy.

My recipe (this is for 122#, 5'5" 36 year old highly active woman, your needs may vary). I eat 6 meals a day, two of which are The Ultimate Meal.
scant 1/3 cup of Ultimate Meal powder
scant 1/4 cup of dry rolled oats (non GMO please)
1/2 cup frozen fruit, I like everything except blackberries, they have too many seeds.
1/2 scoop protein powder, I use casein unless it is pre-workout then I use whey. If you need flavor, go ahead and use a flavored powder.
I add cold almond or coconut milk and blend while continuing to add liquid until the blender is running smoothly. If it seizes you need more liquid.
Then I add about 1 Tablespoon of healthy fat - usually coconut oil or Udos, sometimes flax oil.

I know that room temperature liquid and fruits are recommended but I do not find them to be as palatable, especially in the hot summer.

Blend for a LONG TIME. This helps to emulsify the drink so that it isn't gritty. Usually the only grit I notice is the oatmeal and I kind of like that sensation. If you don't like that, use cooked oatmeal.

Pour into a glass. RINSE THE BLENDER IMMEDIATELY. Then drink the shake. Enjoy.

I have tried literally everything from HGH spray to products advertised on television to weird exercise contraptions to try & feel better. I read about this Ultimate Meal on the Internet & decided to try it once. I've only been taking it for a week, and it's incredible how much better I feel. I have more energy. I'm waking up 45 minutes to an hour earlier each morning feeling refreshed & energetic (which is totally unlike me). If I exercise during the day before I drink it, I feel like I'm on a natural high for the rest of the afternoon. People are right about the look & taste--you have to give it about a week. When I first mixed it, I thought, "Gag--I can't drink that." But I started out mixing it with orange juice & throwing in a banana & blueberries, and it was okay. Now, I just mix it with Spring water & use a banana, and I'm completely used to it after a week. I don't even need all the extra stuff. I would drink something that tasted a lot worse than this for the way it makes me feel. It's really great.

This stuff is great and great for you! I'm a triathlete, and this makes a great nutritional supplement. They give a suggested recipe on the container, but I find it tastes much better with a combination of banana, avacado, and either a peach, some cantalope, or other fruit, and soy milk. The avacado makes for a thicker and creamier smoothie, and adds a great deal to the flavor. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with The Ultimate Meal!

I tried this product when the smoothie mix I used to get was discontinued. I had thought this might be a possible substitute. As some others have mentioned, tasting this initially caused a gag reflex in me (for me it is the spirulina). I did eventually get it down but immediately swore it off. What I noticed however is that I had absolutely no appetite for the rest of the day until dinner time and felt alive and alert and was the kind of person I like to be at work. For the first time I had no inclination to snack all day long or stuff myself at lunch and then feel miserable afterward.

So, I have been taking the full daily serving each morning and have grown to really like it, or at least the results. I still can't get it down easily but I discovered that rather than trying to mask the "green" flavor it is much better for me to mix it with water in a simple shaker (no blender needed) and then slam it down. If you isolate the edges of your tongue with your palate and teeth making a tunnel it is not tasted. I follow with a half glass water chaser and then the prescribed fruit is just eaten normally and leisurely which reestablishes the pleasure connection to the meal. The prescription to chew the product is nonsense anyway. The contribution of starch digesting enzymes in the saliva is insignificant, expecially considering the dilute mixed reconstituted mixture.

I am mildly diabetic and I am also very happy with the stable blood sugar levels and gradual weight loss that has been going on as a side effect. I expect to cut way back on my meds after next HbA1c test.

Anyway, this is just my experience. It is worth trying this product in my opinion. Maybe start with the small can.