Is Ensure Really Good for Health? A Critical Review

December 19, 2025 •

3 min read

According to research, Ensure is the #1 doctor-recommended brand of liquid nutritional products for patients who need support. But for healthy individuals, is Ensure really good for health, or is it an unnecessary supplement for your diet?

Quick Summary

This article explores the truth about Ensure, examining its nutritional profile, discussing its role as a supplement for specific populations like the elderly or post-surgery patients, and comparing it to whole food sources.

Key Points

Intended for Specific Needs: Ensure is a valuable supplement for individuals with malnutrition, reduced appetite, or during recovery from illness or surgery.
Not for All Healthy Adults: For healthy people, Ensure is generally unnecessary and cannot fully replace the comprehensive benefits of a balanced diet based on whole foods.
Varying Sugar Levels: Consumers should be mindful of sugar content, as it varies significantly across the Ensure product line, with some formulas being particularly high in added sugars.
Processed vs. Whole Nutrients: Nutrients from whole foods offer greater diversity and bioavailability than the processed and fortified ingredients found in nutritional shakes.
Potential for Side Effects: Some individuals may experience digestive side effects such as gas, bloating, or diarrhea, especially when first introducing Ensure into their diet.
Professional Guidance is Recommended: A healthcare provider or dietitian should be consulted before using Ensure, especially for those with existing health conditions like diabetes or kidney issues.

What is Ensure and Who is It For?

Ensure is a brand of nutritional drinks and powders developed to provide supplemental nutrition, particularly for those who have difficulty meeting their needs through whole foods alone. Its initial purpose was to support patients recovering from illness, surgery, or those experiencing involuntary weight loss or malnutrition. Over the years, the product line has expanded significantly to address various dietary requirements, with different formulas offering varied levels of protein, calories, and sugar.

The Role of Ensure in Targeted Nutrition

For its intended audience, Ensure can be a valuable tool. Its formulas are often rich in calories and protein, which are crucial for elderly individuals with a decreased appetite, patients recovering from surgery, or those with medical conditions that increase nutritional demands.

Targeted Support: Different products, like Ensure Plus, are formulated with concentrated calories and protein to help patients gain or maintain a healthy weight. Ensure Surgery, for example, is designed with immunonutrients to support recovery.
Complete Nutrition: Many Ensure products provide a 'complete and balanced' nutritional profile, delivering a significant number of vitamins and minerals in one serving, which is beneficial for those with poor dietary intake.
Ease of Consumption: For individuals with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) or dental issues, a liquid nutritional supplement is an excellent way to ensure they receive essential nutrients without discomfort.

Potential Drawbacks and Risks for Healthy Individuals

While Ensure can be a lifeline for specific patients, its value for a healthy, active adult with no underlying nutritional issues is questionable. In fact, relying on Ensure could potentially introduce some health drawbacks.

High Sugar Content in Some Formulas

Many people are unaware of the significant sugar content in some standard Ensure products. While Ensure Max Protein offers only 1 gram of sugar, a bottle of Ensure Original contains a substantial amount of added sugar. Regular consumption of high-sugar drinks can contribute to weight gain and blood sugar spikes, especially for individuals not in a recovery or weight-gain scenario. For those with diabetes, an alternative like Abbott's Glucerna is recommended, as Ensure's formula can affect blood sugar levels.

Heavily Processed Ingredients

Ensure is a heavily processed food, a fact that stands in contrast to a diet of whole, natural foods. The ingredients lists often feature corn maltodextrin, sugar, and various vegetable oils. While providing energy, these processed components lack the comprehensive benefits found in whole foods. Nutrients from fresh fruits, vegetables, and other unprocessed sources are absorbed more efficiently and often work synergistically to support optimal health.

Common Side Effects

Some individuals, particularly during initial use, may experience gastrointestinal upset. Reported side effects include:

Bloating
Constipation
Diarrhea
Nausea

These side effects can sometimes subside with consistent consumption as the body adjusts, but they are worth monitoring. In rare cases, more severe symptoms like muscle cramps, shortness of breath, or changes in heart rate have been reported, warranting medical consultation.

Ensure vs. Whole Foods: A Comparison


Feature	Ensure Nutritional Shakes	Whole Food Diet
Nutrient Source	Processed, fortified ingredients.	Natural, unprocessed foods.
Nutrient Diversity	Standardized vitamins & minerals.	Wide range of micronutrients & phytochemicals.
Satiety	Less satisfying than chewing food.	Promotes a feeling of fullness.
Target User	Primarily for those with specific nutritional needs or deficiencies.	Suitable for the majority of the population.
Added Sugars	Varies widely by product; some have high sugar content.	Low or no added sugar; natural sugars from fruits.
Cost	Can be more expensive over time compared to whole foods.	Generally more cost-effective for meeting daily nutritional needs.
Fiber	Amount varies by formula; Max Protein has 4g.	Often naturally high in diverse dietary fiber.

The Bottom Line

While Ensure serves an important purpose for those with specific medical needs or nutritional deficiencies, it is not a magical cure-all for health. For the average, healthy adult who can eat a balanced diet, Ensure is an unnecessary, and sometimes suboptimal, source of nutrition compared to whole foods. The high sugar content in many formulas and the ultra-processed nature of the product are significant factors to consider.

Ultimately, the value of Ensure is highly context-dependent. Its use should be guided by individual health status and dietary requirements, and ideally, under the supervision of a healthcare professional or registered dietitian. A diet rich in whole foods remains the gold standard for maintaining optimal health and wellness.

For more information on the potential downsides of nutritional drinks, consider reading this article from Harvard Health: Harvard Health Ad Watch: Are nutritional drinks actually good for you?

Frequently Asked Questions

While Ensure can be consumed daily as a supplement, it is not universally necessary. Its safety depends on the individual's health status and needs. For healthy individuals, a balanced diet is a better source of daily nutrition.

Most healthy individuals can get all the nutrients they need from a balanced diet of whole foods. There is little evidence that Ensure provides additional health benefits for people without a specific nutritional problem.

The sugar content varies significantly by product. Some formulas, like Ensure Original, contain a high amount of added sugar, while others, such as Ensure Max Protein, contain only 1 gram of sugar.

Yes, some specific Ensure formulas, such as Ensure Plus, are designed to provide concentrated calories and protein to help patients gain or maintain a healthy weight, particularly those at risk of malnutrition.

Common side effects can include gastrointestinal upset, such as constipation, diarrhea, or bloating. These issues may subside over time as the body adjusts.

Real food offers a more diverse range of nutrients and phytochemicals that are often more bioavailable than the processed, fortified ingredients in Ensure. While Ensure is convenient, it cannot fully replace the benefits of a varied whole food diet.

Most Ensure products contain small amounts of lactose, but it is typically not a concern for those with lactose intolerance. Ensure also offers plant-based options that are lactose-free.