Can You Drink Ensure If You Are Healthy?

November 12, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Harvard Health, most people can get all the nutrition they need from a healthy diet, raising the question: can you drink Ensure if you are healthy? For healthy individuals, supplements like Ensure are not a replacement for a balanced diet but may be useful in specific, temporary circumstances.

Quick Summary

This article explores the use of Ensure for healthy adults, detailing its potential benefits for filling nutritional gaps versus the drawbacks of potential side effects, added sugars, and cost. It provides a balanced perspective, contrasting the supplement's role for healthy individuals with those who are at nutritional risk, and emphasizes consultation with a healthcare professional.

Key Points

Not a substitute for a healthy diet: For most healthy adults, Ensure is not necessary and whole foods are a superior source of nutrients.
Potential for unnecessary calories and sugar: Standard Ensure shakes can be high in sugar, potentially leading to unwanted weight gain if used incorrectly.
May fill temporary nutritional gaps: The supplement can be useful for occasional, temporary use during periods of high stress, travel, or minor illness.
Can cause digestive issues: Some healthy individuals may experience side effects like bloating, gas, or diarrhea, especially when first starting to consume the shakes.
Better protein options available: For post-workout recovery, some protein-focused versions of Ensure might be considered, but other supplements or protein-rich foods often offer better macros.
Consult a professional: Always speak with a doctor or dietitian before adding any nutritional supplement to your regular diet, especially if you have health concerns or are on medication.
Consider the cost: Relying on Ensure for daily nutrition can be expensive compared to a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.

Understanding the Purpose of Ensure

Ensure is a brand of nutritional supplement shakes originally designed for individuals who have difficulty meeting their nutritional needs through food alone. This includes people recovering from illness or surgery, those with poor appetite, or elderly individuals at risk of malnutrition. The core purpose is to provide complete, balanced nutrition in an easily consumable form.

For a healthy adult who consumes a balanced diet, the primary question is whether this supplement offers any added value. While the shakes contain a wide range of vitamins, minerals, protein, and calories, most people without specific health concerns can obtain these nutrients from whole foods.

Potential Benefits for Healthy Individuals

While not essential, there are limited situations where a healthy person might find Ensure useful:

Filling Dietary Gaps: If you're having an unusually hectic week and know your food choices have been less than ideal, an occasional Ensure can help fill a potential nutritional gap for convenience.
Post-Workout Recovery: For active individuals, a high-protein version of Ensure can provide a quick source of protein and energy after a workout, supporting muscle health.
Emergency Nutrition: In situations where access to regular meals is limited, such as while traveling or during a minor illness that temporarily affects appetite, Ensure can be a convenient source of balanced nutrition.
Weight Gain: For healthy individuals who struggle to gain or maintain weight, Ensure's calorie-dense formulations can be used as a supplement between meals to increase overall calorie intake.

Drawbacks and Considerations for Healthy Adults

For healthy individuals, there are several important considerations to weigh before incorporating Ensure into a regular routine:

Unnecessary Calories and Sugar: Standard Ensure shakes can be high in sugar and calories, which can contribute to unwanted weight gain if added on top of a healthy diet instead of replacing an unhealthy snack. Many original formulas contain significant added sugar.
Nutrient Overload: Since Ensure provides a concentrated dose of vitamins and minerals, regularly adding it to an already nutritious diet could lead to consuming more than the daily recommended intake of certain nutrients.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects: Some people, even healthy ones, report gastrointestinal issues like gas, bloating, or diarrhea when they first start consuming Ensure. This can be due to ingredients like corn maltodextrin or the overall richness of the formula.
Risk of Relying on Supplements: Relying on nutritional shakes can shift focus away from the importance of a diverse diet rich in whole foods. Whole foods provide not only a broad spectrum of nutrients but also fiber and other beneficial compounds that shakes may lack.

Ensure vs. Whole Foods for Healthy Adults

For a healthy person, the most direct and beneficial way to get nutrients is through a balanced diet of whole foods. Here's a comparison:


Feature	Ensure Shakes	Whole Foods (Fruits, Vegetables, etc.)
Nutrient Absorption	Highly bioavailable but lacks the synergy of a whole food matrix.	Excellent, with nutrients working together for better absorption.
Fiber Content	Low to moderate, depending on the specific product line.	High in natural fiber, crucial for digestive health and satiety.
Satiety	Less filling than a solid meal with the same calorie count.	Offers greater satiety, helping with weight management.
Cost	Can be expensive, especially with long-term, daily use.	Generally more cost-effective for a full range of nutrition.
Ingredient Purity	Often contains corn syrup, vegetable oils, and artificial flavors.	Pure, natural ingredients without artificial additives.

How to Think About Using Ensure Wisely

If you are a healthy adult considering using Ensure, view it as a highly specific tool rather than a dietary staple. Don't use it to replace a whole food meal unless absolutely necessary. Instead, consider:

Using it as a pre- or post-workout snack if you need a quick boost.
Having it on hand for occasional use during travel or busy days when your diet might otherwise be subpar.
Choosing a product line like Ensure Max Protein, which offers a better protein-to-sugar ratio, if you are looking for supplemental protein.
Always discussing new nutritional supplements with a healthcare provider, particularly if you have any pre-existing health conditions or are on medication.

Conclusion

While Ensure is a valuable tool for those with specific nutritional needs, it is generally not necessary for healthy adults who maintain a balanced diet. The healthiest approach is always to prioritize whole foods for your daily nutrition. For most, a glass of milk and a balanced meal is a more nutritious and cost-effective option than a processed shake. If you have specific fitness goals or face temporary dietary challenges, Ensure can serve a limited, supplemental role, but it should not become a regular fixture in a healthy person's diet without professional guidance.

For more information on balanced diets, a great resource is the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's "Healthy Eating Plate" guide, which provides simple recommendations for building balanced meals [https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/].

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, if you drink Ensure every day in addition to your regular, healthy diet, you will likely gain weight. This is because standard Ensure shakes contain added calories and sugar. If you don't need the extra calories, your body will store them as fat.

Ensure Max Protein is designed with a higher protein content and lower sugar compared to other Ensure products. It could be used by active healthy people for a quick protein boost after a workout, but it should still be considered a supplement, not a replacement for balanced meals.

For some, initial use of Ensure can cause mild side effects like gastrointestinal upset, including gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Some formulas also contain high levels of Vitamin K, which can interfere with certain medications like blood thinners.

Ensure is designed as a supplement, not a meal replacement for a healthy adult. While it offers balanced nutrition, it is less satiating and lacks the fiber and other beneficial compounds found in a solid, whole-food meal.

For a healthy diet, the best alternative is whole foods. A balanced meal of lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is a more complete and beneficial source of nutrients than a processed shake.

Many Ensure products are formulated to be suitable for people with lactose intolerance. However, it is important to always check the specific product label, as formulas can vary.

A healthy person can drink Ensure occasionally and judiciously to address specific, temporary situations like a hectic schedule or post-workout recovery. However, it is not recommended for regular use as a dietary staple.