About
MRE Lite is a meal replacement product from Redcon1. Its name stems from the military’s initialism for “Meals Ready to Eat”.
Like the non-Lite version of MRE, MRE Lite is designed to give you “healthy food choices” and to “replenish your system when you need it most”. According to the Redcon1 website, MRE Lite offers the same taste and “source of whole foods” as the original product, but with fewer carbohydrates.
For easier digestion, MRE Lite does not contain any whey protein. Instead, the protein sources come from beef, salmon, egg and chicken, as well as from brown rice, peas and MCT oil.
In total, the product provides 24g of protein, 2g of sugar and 134 calories.
Zsteinf –
Meal replacement? Maybe
—-Quick Summary—-
This is a wonderful tasting product loaded with many types of protein. This is a low-calorie and carb protein powder. Since it is low in carbs, I would not say that it is the best meal replacement but better if used as a small meal replacement.
—-Introduction—-
I wanted to give a big thanks to Redcon1 for letting me try your MRE Lite. I need something to help me lose weight and a good meal replacement was a try. It has different protein sources so it is a great product. I just don’t know how it would do for everybody as a meal replacement.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
Calories 134 Total fat 2 g Calories from fat 18 Trans fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg Potassium 125 mg Total carbs 4 g Sugar 2 g Protein 24 g This contains many ingredients that I don’t typically find in my protein powders. It contains beef protein isolates, salmon protein, chicken protein, egg albumin, brown rice protein, pea protein, coconut water, and MCT oil. I regularly use a whey isolate and this is a good break from that. Beef Protein Isolate (sourced directly from the cow) is a natural high amount of amino acids (alanine, arginine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and is a comparable whey protein but beef protein cuts out saturated fats and cholesterol. Salmon protein is similar to any other fish and shellfish. It is a high amount of protein that is loaded with vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals. Chicken protein isolate provides the pure protein in a chicken. Chicken is used in diet plans due to the protein amount and flavour, so it is a great idea to try chicken in an easier way than just cooking chicken. Egg albumin is the outside part of the egg which is the white part and the yoke removed. Brown rice has protein and some amino acids and is high in natural vitamins. I enjoy rice, but I am not a big fan of the brown rice and I usually go with a healthy white rice. This protein blend does not taste like rice. Pea protein is used as a substitute for dairy-like products. Pea protein helps with heart and kidneys. Coconut water has benefits of hydration and electrolytes. MCT is medium chain triglycerides that can help add weight to the body and hopefully increase muscle mass. The MRE lite has a wonderful amount of ingredients that are beneficial to the normal whey protein powder. Since this product is substituting natural foods you may eat on a healthy diet, makes it a great replacement meal. I give this a very high rating.
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
I was able to get this in banana nut bread flavouring which was fantastic. It is one of the best flavours I have ever had. Mixability was never an issue. I used the almond milk to get more taste of a banana nut bread. There was never a problem with mixability if it was water or almond milk. Dosing was dependent on weight. If you were under 200 pounds it recommended 1 scoop. If you were over 200 pounds it recommended 2 scoops. I am right on the 200 weight line, so I stayed with the 1 scoop. It recommended mixing it with 4-6 ounces. I tried my normal 8 ounces and I had no issue but the 4 ounces was great because it gave it the texture you might say is similar to eating banana nut bread. The taste, mixability, and dosing were no issues, so I give this a high rating.
—-Effectiveness—-
This area is something that I struggled with as a full meal replacement. I tried it out first for 2 days as a meal replacement for lunch and did not have success with it because I continued to be hungry. I then tried it for 2 days as a dinner replacement and had the same problem. What I found most effective for me was as a breakfast substitute. I would have one scoop before a workout in the morning for breakfast and I had the most success with that. I also tried it at night right before bed and that was effective as well. I don’t know if I would call this a meal replacement for my normal meals in the middle and end of the day. For me, it was good for breakfast in the morning because I usually have a small breakfast with 2 eggs and 2 slices of turkey bacon. The MRE lite was a good fill in for breakfast. I also found it beneficial as a night snack right before bed to keep me full and away from bad snacks. Since the calories and the sugar are low, it was a great way for me to cut carbs and sugar that I might get from bad breakfast meals or snacks. It was not a problem to work this product in with a healthy natural diet, so I give it a high effectiveness rating. I also had a good recovery from workouts in the morning and felt it did what my protein shakes were doing.
—-Value—-
I was able to find this easily online for $30 to $50 for 30 servings which are $1 per day (at the price of $30 for a tube). If you’re using this as a meal replacement, this is a great value. Most of my meals I have for breakfast (when I am not eating at home) is around $5 to $10 (depending on where you go) so for a $1 meal replacement, this is a very high rating. If you are using it as a protein shake, it is still a high rating as it has 24 g of protein at a price of $1 per day. I give it a high rating.
—-Side Effects—-
No side effects
—-Conclusion—-
Overall, I give it a great rating. I didn’t have effectiveness as a lunch or dinner meal replacement but it did fulfill for the morning meal. The ingredients are great with high amounts of protein and low amounts of carbs and calories. The product was effective for what I wanted. The price is good if you can get it at the $30 price. I had no side effects. So, overall, this is a fantastic product but maybe not what I would use as a lunch or dinner replacement.
workoutguru –
Giving you those real whole foods from animal proteins but on a liter side.
—-Quick Summary—-
This is a meal replacement type product. RedCon1 has two version of this. This is the MRE Lite which is basically the same as their regular MRE product but this has less calories, carbs, and some other stuff in it. This is gear more towards those people who want to watch their macro intake a little better and not consume higher amounts of calories, carbs and other stuff like their regular MRE has in it. There is no whey protein used in this just whole foods.
—-Introduction—-
First off I want to thank RedCon1 for letting us troopers have the chance to give this product a try. After trying their regular MRE product and really liking that a lot I knew this would be worth giving a try also. For me either of these two products I am just fine with using and found them both to be really good. Since it is hard for me to get that extra meal in me this is great to have and makes it a lot easier to do.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
Each scoop will be 29g and will provide you with the following Calories – 134 Calories from Fat – 18 Total Fat – 2 Grams Saturated Fat – <1 Gram Trans Fat – 0 Grams Cholesterol – 0 mg Sodium – 85 mg Potassium – 125 mg Total Carbohydrate – 4 Grams Dietary Fiber – 1 Gram Sugar – 2 Grams Protein – 24 Grams All of the proteins they put in here comes from whole foods and use no whey proteins mean nothing comes from dairy. Also this is Lactose Free and Keto friendly if that is something your looking for. For fillers they use natural and artificial flavors, cellulose gum, ground cinnamon, salt, sucralose and ace-K.
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
I had the oatmeal chocolate chip. This I thought was decent. With the protein coming from whole foods instead of whey protein I was a little unsure how this would taste but I think they did a really good job at masking the taste. It did seem like the oats part kind of over powdered the chocolate chip part a little more so I thought. It was still good and enjoyed it. This did remind me of eating an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Had no real issues with this mixing. You do get some small pieces of chocolate chip in this which was kind of nice. You can pretty much take this anytime you want if you need that extra meal or want a nice little snack. I would normally take this in the mornings on my way to work. I would do just one scoop each time.
—-Effectiveness—-
This will be your meal replace product but on the liter side. Meaning less calories, carbs, and some other stuff they put in here. If your someone trying to watch your macro intake but still want that extra meal this is great for that. I would take this in the mornings on my way to work. I figured this was my best time to take since I need that food in me to help fuel me up more and get me going and do feel it did help me some. After I would take this I did feel a bit more full for about an hour or so after taking it. What I really like is that everything they use in this is from whole foods and use no whey protein meaning none of the proteins come from dairy. I was not real sure how this would taste considering what is in here but they did a really good job at masking the taste. I am also trying to add some more size and weight but want it to be more lean type muscle mass (since it is summer time) I put on and not give me a lot of bloating with it. With this being more on the liter side I feel it really helped with doing that and did not notice a lot in the way of bloating in my stomach. I feel with this it helped me on some of my recovery so I was not as sore like. Over all I seemed to feel a lot better when I would workout later on in the afternoon after using this in the mornings. Also I thought this was really good on my stomach and digests really well into my system. I never felt that bit of heaviness in my stomach where this was just sitting there waiting to digest. What I do really like is how easy this is to take so you can get that extra meal like into your system instead of having to try and eat that extra meal. For what this product is suppose to do I think it works really well in all of these areas. If I had my choice I would rather go with their regular MRE instead but this still has a good purpose as to why something would use this over their regular MRE.
—-Value—-
The cheapest I could find this was on amazon.com and they want $39.99 for 30 servings. I don't think that is to bad a price considering what all they have in this. If you were to buy everything separate it would cost you a lot more.
—-Side Effects—-
Nothing I noticed.
—-Conclusion—-
Overall I thought this was another great meal replacement type product. I think redcon1 did a really good job coming up with this product. This is a great way to get your proteins intake if you can't consume whey or are looking for another alternative to increase your protein intake and/or have an easy meal replacement option to grab when in a hurry. If your trying to watch your macro intake this will be a great choice to go with because this will really help you. For taste wise you will really enjoy this a lot. It would be nice to see a larger size tub in the near future so it will last you a bit longer. Price wise is not to bad but you will need to look around because I have noticed pricing for this really varies a lot. This I feel is just another great way and very easy way to consume if your looking for that extra meal or want something top help curb your sweet tooth and use it as a nice little snack. Again I want to thank Redcon1 for making this product and letting me have the chance to try it.
Xcmiler –
Redcon1 MRE Lite Is an Effective Whole Food Protein Product but Make Sure You Find the Right Flavor
—-Introduction—-
I previously reviewed Redcon1 MRE regular version and quite liked it. When I heard they were doing a lite version I wanted to try it. Especially since it is easier to fit into my macros as I prefer to eat my carbs rather than drink them. So, when it came up on the Trooper Program I claimed it and requested Pecan Pie flavor as that is my favorite dessert. Here is the review.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
MRE Lite comes in a 30 serving container with each serving being about 29g. Each scoop contains 134 calories, 2g of fat, 4g of carbohydrates, and 24g of protein. The ingredient profile begins with protein sources which are beef protein isolate (bovine), salmon protein (fish), chicken protein, egg albumin (egg),brown rice protein, and pea protein. There are quite a few protein sources within this product. Redcon1 also claims that these are all real whole food sources. This product also contains coconut water and MCT Oil. It is sweetened with natural and artificial sweeteners and uses sucralose and acesulfame-k. Overall, it is very similar to the regular MRE but excludes the carbohydrate sources and has slightly less fat. I kind of prefer this version of MRE as I found it easier to fit into my macros (and I prefer to eat my carbs rather than drink them).
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
MRE Lite comes in a variety of flavors that you don’t normally see in protein powders. I received the pecan pie flavor as that is one of my favorite deserts. When I first smelled this powder I got a slight cinnamon smell followed by an odd artificial smell. I can’t really place it but it smelled out of character for a pecan pie flavor. When mixed the cinnamon flavor becomes muted and you get this kind of nutty type smell. More close to pecans and almonds than peanuts. When you first drink it you have this cinnamon taste followed by a kind of bread type taste. This is followed by a somewhat odd aftertaste that is similar to what I smelled with the dry powder. I can’t really place it but it does impact the flavor for me. I will note that this powder does have a thicker consistency, which I really liked. In terms of the overall flavor, I will be honest I did not really like it. I think the redeeming factor was the thickness, which I felt kept me sated longer. In terms of mixability, it mixed well with water in a shaker bottle with the mixing ball. I have done this with skim milk and I noticed it did not mix as well. As far as dosing goes, I dosed this to fill my protein macro goals so it depended on the day.
—-Effectiveness—-
Over the course of the container of MRE Lite my recovery and muscle building remained the same and consistently increased. I don’t think this product went above and beyond in terms of recovery and muscle building. At the end of the day, this is a food supplement product and marketed as a whole food meal replacement. So, I only expect that my performance will not dip and continue to improve and it did with this product. So, to me in terms of muscle building and recovery this was as effective as other quality protein products I have tried. In terms of fullness, I felt it was above average due to the thickness, which I liked However, there is one major issue I had with this product and it came down to the flavor and me actually want to drink it. Even with pecan pie being my favorite dessert I never really wanted to drink this product. This can be a major issue especially if you have a supplement that is hard to take. Maybe, another flavor would have been better. I will say that I did enjoy the flavor of the regular MRE product I reviewed a while back. At the end of the day, this was an effective product but the pecan pie flavoring could use some work.
—-Value—-
Redcon1 MRE Lite retails for $44.99 from Redcon1 making it about $1.49 per serving. Now, Redcon1 frequently has sales and at any one time there usually is at least a 25% coupon available. So, with a coupon like that you are looking at $33.75 per tub and $1.12 per serving. This is a very unique product and I think with a coupon it is competitively priced. Furthermore, it is hard to find a low carb meal replacement that is animal based with no whey protein. I think value comes down to whether this particular formula appeals to you. I will note that I would not purchase it without a promo code. In addition, Redcon1 charges a $9.99 flat rate shipping so keep that in mind.
—-Side Effects—-
I had no side effects while taking this product.
—-Conclusion—-
Redcon1 MRE Lite is an effective whole food protein product but make sure you find the right flavor. I do think this is worth a try but really read the reviews on the various flavors before purchasing. In addition, if you order direct I would recommend using a coupon code. Thank you to Redcon1 for sending out the product. -Xcmiler
zbikowski88 –
A great whole food/animal protein alternative to whey protein
—-Introduction—-
Big thanks to Redcon1 for giving me the opportunity to review MRE Lite. Too be honest I haven’t used many Meal Replacement powders in fact I can count that number on one hand. Being a stay at home dad with a 15 month old & working through out the day I didn’t have much time to make meals. This is why I decided to claim MRE Lite as it would be a very easy Meal Replacement only taking a few seconds to shake and sip on.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
The ingredient profile is quite different from your average of the mill protein powders. Yes, the profile may look similar however when looking at individual ingredients its quite different. The first six ingredients feature different protein sources from (beef, salmon, chicken, egg, brown rice, pea) – as you can tell there is no mention of whey. By using these type of protein sources the carbohydrate content is very low in fact its 4g total per serving (2g from sugar). Next two ingredients listed after those sources of protein are coconut water & MCT Oil. MCT Oil is added for the benefit of a healthy saturated fat as most of the fat from the protein sources is obsolete. Base Profile looks like this: 134 calories 24 grams of protein 4 grams of carbs (only 2g sugar) 2 grams of fat Compared to MRE: Close to 400 calorie difference Over 70g difference in Carbohydrates
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
Taste – For this review I received the Banana Nut Bread flavor which is one of five current flavors. Too be honest I would’ve never have chosen this flavor if I got to choose. Good thing I didn’t choose, too be honest this was a top 3 flavor for me. This reminded me a lot of banana nut bread in a liquid version when I drank it. I looked forward to drinking this every time. Overall I’d give this flavor a 9.5/10. Mixability – No issues what-so-ever in regards to mixability: There was no clumping, settlement or foaming. Dosing – I used this as a meal replacement between breakfast & lunch mixing 1 scoop with 5 oz of water. During the review I only used water and 1 scoop. I’m on the cusp of the suggest usage for people over 200lbs (2 scoops) however to prolong the use I stuck to one scoop.
—-Effectiveness—-
In regards to effectiveness I found MRE Lite to be solid all around. Now if you’re looking to really bulk up then the MRE non-lite version would be for you. However if you’re watching your macros closely then this is perfect for you. I’m on a lean bulk so this was right up my ally as I was paying attention to my macro counts. I like the fact that these sources of protein are non-dairy, once in a while I get an upset stomach or bloating using whey protein powders. Now on to what really made this effective for me – it kept me full between breakfast & lunch without having extra food cravings. The clean profile allowed me to use extra macros with my main meals which is a plus. I felt MRE Lite helped increase my recovery times between workouts as I train twice a day (morning & evening).
—-Value—-
Most online retailers are selling MRE Lite between $35-45 for a 30 serving tub. The cheapest value was found on IllPumpYouUp.com for around $35 or $1.17 per serving. As noted this is quite different from a regular protein powder, this is derived from animal sources with no use of whey. I find the price to be pretty good compared to other meal replacement powders with high calories/carbs/fat. This is especially good for those who are on a keto diet, lean gaining or looking to lose weight.
—-Side Effects—-
None
—-Conclusion—-
Overall Redcon1 knocked it out of the park with MRE Lite. I like how they came up with two different Meal Replacement powders for two very different reasons. With the rage Keto dieting is getting lately this is a great alternative to prepping extra meals. In my case it saved me a lot of time during the day as my son & job kept me busy. The taste was incredible (banana nut bread) – I don’t like eating bananas in general but this was something I looked forward to everyday. Once again I want to thank Redcon1 for participating in the SR TROOP Program.
Stevenz –
Great Tasting “Lite” Version of MRE with Good Macros
—-Quick Summary—-
This product is a whole food meal replacement product used to increase protein intake without any dairy.
—-Introduction—-
This protein powder really interested me due to it being a “whole food” product. RedCon1 based this protein with beef, chicken, salmon, egg, rice, and pea protein instead of the usual dairy derived. This interested me due to me being lactose intolerant. Usually I use a whey product and deal with the stomach issues but this offered me something different.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
The full ingredient profile will be posted down below in the pictures. This product contains several different protein sources including beef, salmon, chicken, egg, rice, and pea. Other ingredients include MCT oil and coconut water. MCT oil is a fatty acid (Medium Chain Triglyceride) that is contained in coconuts. MCT oil is a unique molecule because it does not act like most fats. MCT oil is quickly absorbed by the stomach and transported into the liver so it can be immediately used for energy. Due to this it is not likely to be directly stored as fat and can be a great tool in weight loss. It also has a slough of other health benefits including better cognitive function, lowering blood sugar, and lowering cholesterol. [u]The macros on this product are:[\u] 24 grams protein 4 grams carbohydrates (2g sugar, 1g fiber) 2 grams fat (<1g Saturated)
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
The taste and mixability on this product were the best I've had so far. I had the blueberry cobbler flavor and it was very true to this. This flavor tasted like your grandmas blueberry pie. The mixability is good on this also. With a shaker bottle and whisk it will shake and not have any clumps. If you use the recommended amount of water, 4-6 fl oz, it will be the consistency of a milkshake. The only complaint that I would have is that sometimes it can be overpoweringly sweet. This may be due to it being a desert flavor but some days after a workout that sweetness is almost too much. I dosed this product with 1 serving, which is 29 grams, post workout. The container says you can use it up to 3 times per day to increase protein intake.
—-Effectiveness—-
The effectiveness of this product is good. I did not notice any exceedingly better or worse recovery while taking this versus other protein powders. I use protein powders as a true supplement post workout to my diet so i try to keep my protein intake high through food also. Due to this i do not have a drastic change in recovery between different protein powders that ive tried. With this being said my recovery while on this was still very good. I truly felt i could push myself and come back the next day all over again. MRE Lite did have a good filling effect on me. I usually workout in the morning after breakfast so i will have this shake after i workout and then i dont eat until lunch. It did keep me full during this time and there were many times i ate lunch because i know i needed to and not because i was hungry. This is a positive for me and may be definitely useful for people looking to restrict calories on a cut. This product is designed for people that want the profile of protein behind the original MRE but without all of the carbs and fat. It would be perfect for people on a lean bulk or looking to cut some body fat. The macros on it are good and should be easy for most people to fit into a dietary plan.
—-Value—-
The value with this product is tricky. It is 44.99 for 30 servings through Redcon1 but they are constantly running deals of around 20% or more. This puts the price at $36 or 1.20/serving. Every once in a while deals go around 50% or BOGO. This is defiantly worth the money when sales are going on but I would be hesitant at full price. The value is also in the fact that it is a truly unique product. There are not many dairy free, whole food protein powders like this on the market.