Curious about Ensure nutrition facts?
It's pretty scary what the most vulnerable people among us, those who are sick, are given for “food”…
The other day we had to try some new pain meds to help Mom (read about her diagnosis here: It’s Not Benign (and I’ve Already Had a Run-in With the Cancer Doc), and when we finally found what worked to take away her pain, the nausea started. All of that followed a few weeks of a low appetite. (Thank you for your continued prayers!) We knew we needed to get extra nutrition and liquids into her, and of course the first thing the doctor's office recommended was Ensure. I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be thrilled with the Ensure nutrition facts…
Check out the Ensure ingredient label pictured above — here's a better view of it:
Ingredients: Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar (sucrose), Milk Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil, Soy Protein Isolate, Corn Oil, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali); Less than 0.5% of: Potassium Citrate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Soy Lecithin, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Salt (Sodium Chloride), Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Carrageenan, Ferric Phosphate, dl-Alpha Tocoheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palminate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone, Cyanocobalamin and Vitamin D3.
Contains milk and soy ingredients.
Are you in shock, too?
- Right off the bat is corn maltodextrin, nothing more than a low-cost starchy super-processed food additive made from GMO corn with NO nutritional value at all!!! (Source)
- Artificial flavors — ACK! Read more here: The Dark Disgusting Secrets of the Flavormakers and this one: Don't Wait Until Someone in Your Family Has Cancer – THIS is Why I'm a Freak.
- Corn and Canola oil?!!! Two more highly processed GMO “foods”, and the worst oils out there! Read more about good and bad fats here.
- Next on my worst of the worst list is the lovely soy protein isolate. Another highly processed ingredient, so processed in fact that there isn't much, if any, nutrition left after processing. It is well-known that soy messes with our hormones, is this what we want to do to those who are already sick?? (Source) See Sarah's post with 170 scientific reasons to confirm that soy is dangerous. One more: Is Edamame Good for You?
Anything else jump out at you?
Thankfully when I asked the doc's office if I could make her my own protein/calorie drink they said, “Sure!” (I was going to anyway, but this made it easier to convince Mom to drink mine instead.) So when I went back up North to take care of her, I took my beloved Bosch blender and all of the stuff I needed to make my superfood smoothies. I omitted the coconut, since she doesn't like it, and used all the fruits she loves. I felt MUCH better about giving her this, obviously, but the problem is, she probably won't have the energy to make it herself, and it only keeps so long in the fridge — so I'll just make sure she stays stocked up. At least she hasn't had any of the nasty stuff so far and I hope it stays that way.
Over the years they've somewhat cleaned up the mainstream baby formula out there (although breastmilk or THIS formula faaaar surpasses anything at the grocery store), why in the world haven't they come up with a better alternative to the Ensure crap that is given to most people who are sick, even in hospitals?!!!!
I just don't get it… 🙁
Related:
- Find my superfood smoothie recipe here
- Sadly, my Mom passed away a few weeks after I wrote this post. 🙁
- When she was sick and not much sounded good to her, I made her this superfood oatmeal a lot.
WHD MD says
This post caught my eye. I think you’re doing a great job educating the masses.
I’m a doctor(MD) and I’ve self-trained in nutrition and the latest research in holistic therapies and many doctors and specialists are starting to do the same. The reason most docs have no idea about nutrition is that it’s not emphasized or taught in medical training at all. That needs to change. Any nutrition-related question is often outsourced to nutritionists who again…if they follow the “standard recommendations” will also happily recommend Ensure and glow-in-the-dark Jello to our sickest patients in the hospital.
There is a paradigm shift coming. Many doctors including myself are fighting the system and educating people and reversing disease but it takes a long time before the entire system changes. Please support holistic physicians who are trying to fix the system and please demand that the FDA not allow toxins in our food and allow BigAgro companies to get away with cheap ingredients that harm us just so they can make a profit and demand that your insurance companies support and pay for the services of holistic physicians who are preventing and reversing disease. It’s ironic that they will pay for a $10,000 chemo drug but not $300 for a holistic doctor visit.
Just remember to direct your anger at the source of this mess( BigPharma, BigAgro, Political lobbying, Insurance companies)…not at the usually overworked doctors who are just doing their best with the limited time, knowledge and tools they are given. In time, more of them will see that there’s a better way to care for patients outside of this broken system.
*I’m actually doing a workshop on how to read labels and avoid toxins in food this weekend!
Keep up the good work Kelly!
KitchenKop says
Wow, was that ever a refreshing comment to read!!!!!! Yes, I often tell people that the vast majority of docs are big-hearted people who truly care about their patients and just were not taught about nutrition. I’m happy to hear that you see things beginning to change!
Take care,
Kelly
Kelly Hornbuckle via Facebook says
They are “Ensuring” you will definitely get a toxic load of chemicals. Yummy! What a bunch of idiots! Why on earth would they think any of this could be good for you.
Renee Momvocate via Facebook says
Laura, ive long abandoned any mainstream degreed pharma trained drone. Read up b4 u cast your judgement. Perhaps its you living in your fluoride haze?
Ruth Apter via Facebook says
GMO heaven
Gail Begin via Facebook says
I got mad when they tried to send my mom home with the junk from the hospital after bypass surgery.
Shelby Multanen via Facebook says
Many/most doctors are far behind the curve when it comes to nutritional training. And we are learning SO much every day about things that SHOULD NOT go into our body. You do not need a formal education to recognize the ingredients in Ensure as unhealthy and dangerous especially to someone already weak from illness.https://blog.wellnesstips.ca/blog/?p=180
Laura Generou via Facebook says
So how many of you are masters educated nutritionists? If not speak with them before you scare parents into not following doctors’ please…Just saying…
Mary Agnes Ledbetter via Facebook says
A friend who was going through breast cancer only drank these. I feel so bad now that I actually bought this garbage for her, thinking I was helping. She died unfortunately.
Nancy Jacques Barratt via Facebook says
disgusting….also formulas for young children (not baby formulas that are soy junk) but formulas for sick children…first ingredient is corn syrup solids!
Karl says
I watched my father-in-law drink Ensure (Dr’s orders, of course) and some similar drink. He is gone now, but I always wondered how it tasted, so bought some and tried it. Yikes! The thick oily sugar content alone can make you feel queasy very quickly. It did me.
I thought things were changing, but apparently, our good doctors are still not given much nutritional schooling. How did that happen? What could possibly have more health consequences than the foods we eat??
KitchenKop says
I know, pretty sad and scary at the same time, isn’t it?
Jeanmarie says
My Mom has been given Nestle’s “Boost” product since she’s been in the hospital for the past month. It has a similar label, corn syrup and canola oil being the main ingredients, yuck, and I’m pretty sure soy protein. I can’t bear to look at the label. Even she was calling it “too sweet and nasty” and the hospital dietician is now making her something like Carnation Instant Breakfast. Not great, but slightly less nasty to eat. I’m away from my home and own kitchen to be here, and it just hasn’t been feasible for me to cook much for Mom since she has a feeding tube in and everything hurts to eat. I did get her to drink a little bit of my whey protein shakes (with banana and good egg yolks and MCT oil, sometimes with goats milk), but she just wouldn’t drink much of it and she eats little solid food. It is hard, but getting anything into her is helping her get home sooner, and I may be moving in and taking over the cooking for at least awhile. This is so hard. And my dad, who is here also and has diabetes, has no restrictions because he’s on Metformin. So people bring him boxes of chocolates and the hospital doesn’t care. He’s actually self-regulated very well, only having 1-2 pieces a day, it’s just such a contradiction that they rely on drugs instead of real food to control his diabetes. Grrrrr.
Beth says
Jeanmarie,
If the hospital dietician is open to changing it to the instant breakfast, maybe she would be open to a different brand of that style of drink. I found some decent ones at a health food store but I can’t remember the name, sorry. After looking at a bunch of commercial protein powders I settled on Jarrows unflavored whey protein drink for my daughter to make in fresh milk now that she’s on her own. I also survived on it after getting 2 teeth pulled Friday (ugh!!). It might be something the dietician would be comfortable using since it’s ‘packaged’, maybe?
I admire your acts of love that you are giving your parents right now!
Sheri Puckette via Facebook says
Yay, way to love your mom and support her through her illness! The smoothies taste better too I’ll bet. My grandma had to drink Ensure and hated it. She liked homemade high calorie stuff better.
Jen says
Here are a few alternative recipes I came across:
https://scdlifestyle.com/2013/04/5-real-food-weight-gain-shakes-paleo-scd/
https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/diy-meal-replacement-shakes-pediasure/
Karen Marie Cox via Facebook says
I used to drink Ensure thinking it was healthy. Now I know better!
Sarah Heltsley says
My daughter is tube fed but I wanted to tell you that there IS a family run commercial product that is AMAZING! Functional Formularies has Liquid Hope…. It’s a plant based formula that is completely organic and GMO free…..yes I put this in a tube but you know what? It tastes like pea soup and is the ONLY formula that my child gains weight on……..PLEASE check them out. This what they are on a mission to do… Get the word out about these unsafe formulas!
Sarah Heltsley via Facebook says
Pediasure and Ensure are nothing but sugar water……We switched our daughter who is tube fed from Pediasure to Functional Formularies Liquid Hope…. It’s completely organic and GMO free! She made so many improvements on it…. It’s the only commercial formula like this. https://functionalformularies.com/#sthash.n0PiBu3n.dpbs
Kathleen Irene via Facebook says
Reminds me of the PediaSure commercials. Gross! Here is their website to look at their ingredients. https://pediasure.com/kid-nutrition-products/kids-nutritional-drink#nutritional-information
Darlene Faircloth via Facebook says
unbelievable
Tom Methans via Facebook says
It’s gross. We feed newborns with the same chemical shakes we give seniors.
Susan Fabrican via Facebook says
Me too, Kelly. Instead I used UltraInflamX by Metagenics. Way more expensive but such high quality! http://Www.metagenics.com
Daedra Surowiec via Facebook says
My grandma believes that her physician knows everything under the sun. She drinks this crap daily just because he says she should. There’s no changing the mind of a 89 year old, I’m just thankful that I know better!
Betty says
I know what you are talking about. If it’s not the doctor, it’s my sister. She drinks this stuff!!! So, when my mom goes in the hospital the second week of July, I’m sure I’m going to have a battle on my hands when she comes home. Nothing I have to say is valid, even though I’ve done so much research on all the artificial “foods” out there. This makes me really sad.
Gail Begin via Facebook says
Oh geez, don’t get me started. When my mom left the hospital after bypass surgery they sent her home with a ton of this. I threw it right into the trash, didn’t even leave it there for someone else.
Andi says
Can you freeze the smoothies in single portions? Then all she’d have to do is let it thaw, give it a stir, and drink.
KitchenKop says
That’s a great idea, I’ll try it!!!
Kelly
Ginger says
I was going to suggest this too. I did it when I was really busy and having trouble fitting breakfast in to my crazy mornings. I made a bunch over the weekend, and each night before bed I would move one from the freezer to the fridge.
Julie says
You could even just thaw them enough to get them out of the container, then dump them in the blender for a minute for a refreshing milkshake.
Kathy says
My daughter has a g-tube or feeding tube and after I read the 56% corn syrup on the label of her can of “nutrition” I started looking for something better. There is a growing number of people who are making their child’s food with real food much like you did for your mom.
Sarah says
Dear Kelly,
I hope you mom’s pain continues to be under control. I was wondering if she might be able to eat/enjoy Cheeseslave’s recipe for raw eggnog? 2 cups of raw whole milk, 2 cups of cream, 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey, 8 raw egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and freshly grated nutmeg (if possible). She also mentioned that this could be made up into ice cream therefore it would keep fine in the freezer between visits. At the least it could go down easily.
The whole ensure being called food has bugged me for a long time. It seems a bit ironic/terrible that those who are the most vulnerable (the sick person and family members) need the best nutrition for dealing with such circumstances and they will have the least amount of energy for doing those tasks. I wish there were better “convenience” options available at much more affordable prices.
My only other thing I can think of is to have soups ready to go in the freezer so that she can have quick and easy preparation of meals. But then you know that already.
KitchenKop says
That’s a great reminder, I actually have an egg nog recipe here on my site, too! Mom is picky about some things though, so I have to tread lightly.
Kel
rob says
I think it is because of profit margin, have to keep food cost to 25% of retail price so can’t afford much quality.
I have to keep my 85 year old mom’s weight up she has the Alz, doctor gives me hard time if she drops weight so I buy her Boost Plus, she gains back weight, then doctor gives me hard time because blood sugar slightly elevated, can’t win.
Betty says
The thing that gets me is the message that television is sending to kids and parents. If you won’t eat the nutrious food I put in front of you (like fruits and veggies), I should give you a nice bottle of pediasure so you won’t have to eat those nasty foods. All I can think is how off base this thought process is. I’ve not checked the ingredients, but I’m sure sugar is in there in some way.
Beth says
I just heard about the “Morphine Bomb” at a Young Living essential oils class today:
5 drops each of frankincense, copiaba, and Balsam Fir. If she’s open to trying natural relief for pain it may be something to research. I plan on trying it for my pain… If it works I may make a mixture to have handy.