High-calorie drinkable foods: comparison, nutritional values and tips
300 kcal in 200 ml - or 400 kcal with 36 g protein and 26 vitamins in 400 ml. The nutritional value table makes all the difference. Whether after an operation, in the event of a loss of appetite in old age or between two meetings: high-calorie drinkable food can fill the gap when regular meals are no longer available. However, not every product is suitable for every situation - medical drinkable food and full-fledged drinkable meals pursue completely different goals and provide significantly different nutrient profiles. Here you will find a specific comparison of nutritional values, a breakdown by target group and tips that really help when choosing a product.
What is high-calorie drinkable food?
High-calorie drinkable food is an energy-rich liquid food with an energy density of at least 1.2 kcal per millilitre - significantly more than normal drinks or protein shakes. It provides protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in concentrated form and is used when solid food alone no longer meets energy and nutrient requirements.
According to the DGEM, 20 to 30 per cent of all hospital patients in Germany are affected by malnutrition. At the same time, surveys show that only a fraction of the affected residents in care homes actually receive nutritional supplements. There is a wide range of products on offer - but the categories differ fundamentally.
Medical nutritional drinks - also known as balanced diets - are part of enteral nutrition and are foods for special medical purposes. Available from pharmacies under medical supervision. Fresubin (Fresenius Kabi) and Fortimel (Nutricia) are the best-known brands in Germany.
The second category: complete drinkable meals. They are available over the counter, replace a complete meal and are aimed at healthy adults - whether in the office, on the go or after sport. The Saturo drinkable meal provides 400 kcal, 36 g protein and 26 vitamins and minerals per bottle. No doctor's prescription required.
The energy density is the key distinguishing feature within the category: normal-calorie products provide around 1 kcal/ml, high-calorie variants between 1.2 and 2.4 kcal/ml. A 200 ml bottle of Fresubin Energy therefore contains 300 kcal at 1.5 kcal/ml. You can find out more about the different forms of liquid nutrition and their areas of application in the linked article.
Medical drinkable nutrition and drinkable meal - not the same thing
Not every high-calorie drink is a medical product. And not every medicinal drinkable food is automatically the right choice for your everyday life. The difference lies in the regulation, target group and nutrient profile - and it has specific consequences for your choice of product.
Medical nutritional drinks fall under the EU Regulation on foods for special medical purposes (balanced diets). Doctors prescribe them in cases of diagnosed malnutrition and health insurance companies often cover the costs. The nutrient profile is tailored to the clinical purpose. Often, medical nutritional drinks contain little fibre and a moderate protein content - because many patients suffer from digestive problems or swallowing disorders (dysphagia).
Wholefood drinking meals set other priorities: high protein content for satiety and muscle maintenance, fibre for digestion, a complete micronutrient profile. Available over the counter, without a prescription, as a meal replacement in everyday life.
Many people equate the two categories - a mistake that unnecessarily complicates product selection.
The right question is not "Which nutritional drink is the best?", but: "Do you need a medical product or a complete meal?"
Who is high-calorie nutritional supplements suitable for?
Studies show that up to 30 per cent of hospital patients are malnourished or at increased risk of malnutrition. However, there are also situations outside of hospital where the body needs more energy and nutrients than is provided by regular meals. Different products are suitable depending on the cause.
This article is for general information and does not replace medical advice. If your symptoms persist, please consult your doctor.
In case of malnutrition and weight loss
If the body takes in less energy than it uses over a period of weeks, it is not only fat reserves that shrink. Muscle mass, immune function and cognitive performance also suffer. Malnutrition weakens the immune system, leads to a loss of muscle mass and prolongs recovery time. Chronic illnesses, cancer therapies, psychological stress or chewing and swallowing problems - the causes of malnutrition are many and varied.
High-calorie nutritional drinks provide a lot of energy in a small volume: 300 to 600 kcal per serving, depending on the product. For patients with illness-related malnutrition, doctors prescribe balanced products such as Fresubin or Fortimel. Those who want to start to lose weight on their own - for example after a longer period of illness - can also start with over-the-counter drinkable meals.
Seniors with increased nutrient requirements
With increasing age, the appetite often decreases, while the need for protein increases. Sarcopenia - the age-related loss of muscle mass - affects a significant proportion of people over the age of 60. The ESPEN Expert Group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kilogramme of body weight per day for healthy older adults - and even 1.2 to 1.5 g for older people with acute or chronic illnesses. For a person weighing 70 kg, this is 84 to 105 g of protein per day - an amount that many seniors can hardly achieve through regular meals.
Those who suffer from difficulty swallowing need products with adapted viscosity or low osmolarity - in this case, medical nutrition under medical supervision is the right choice. For seniors without swallowing problems who simply eat too little, a protein-rich drinkable meal can close the nutritional gap.
Proteins contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass - a decisive factor, especially in old age.
After surgery and during convalescence
After surgery, the body needs more energy for wound healing and regeneration. Painkillers also dampen the appetite, and nausea after anaesthesia makes eating even more difficult. No cooking, no preparation, but still a complete nutrient profile - this is exactly what nutritional drinks provide during this phase.
Medical nutritional drinks are usually used during convalescence. For recovery at home, when the acute phase is over, a wholesome drinkable meal can make the transition to normal nutrition easier.
When meals are omitted in everyday life
Not everyone who eats too little is ill. Shift work, exam periods, business trips, a full diary. There are plenty of reasons for skipping a meal - and dinner then becomes a compensation: too much, too quickly, too late.
A drinking meal is not a medical measure in this situation, but a practical decision.
400 kcal, 36 g protein, 26 vitamins and minerals. Ready to drink. Without preparation. Anyone who regularly skips meals in everyday life and overeats in the evening will find an alternative here that replaces a full meal in less than two minutes.
What you should look out for when choosing
The calorie count alone says little about the quality of a nutritional drink. Three factors determine whether a product actually meets your needs: Nutrient density, protein quality and the composition beyond the pure macronutrients.
Nutrient density instead of empty calories
Nutrient density describes how many micronutrients are in a product per calorie. A high-calorie drink, which consists mainly of sugar and fat, provides energy - but hardly any vitamins, minerals or trace elements. Bioavailability also plays a role: not everything on the packet reaches your cells.
When making a comparison, ask yourself: does a single portion cover at least 33% of the daily requirement of all 26 essential vitamins and minerals? If not, you're essentially drinking expensive calories with no lasting benefit.
How high should the protein content be?
Protein shows the biggest differences in high-calorie drinkable foods. Medical nutritional drinks typically provide 5 to 18 g of protein per serving - sufficient for patients with impaired digestion, but not so much for everyone else. Protein quality can be assessed using the PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score), which measures how complete the amino acid profile is and how well the body can utilise the protein. Soya protein achieves the maximum value of 1.0. All essential amino acids, optimal digestibility.
Saturo provides 36 g of protein per bottle - from soya beans and field beans, both plant sources with a high PDCAAS. For the same amount of protein, you would need more than three bottles of Fresubin Energy.
Sugar, fibre and tolerability
Many high-calorie drinkable foods contain added sugar. It increases the calorie content, improves the flavour and makes the product more attractive to people with a reduced appetite. This can be useful for patients. For healthy people, it means quick energy without lasting benefits and possible blood sugar spikes.
Fibre, on the other hand, promotes satiety and supports your gut microbiome. Inulin from the chicory root is a prebiotic fibre - it serves as food for the beneficial intestinal bacteria. Medical nutritional drinks often deliberately omit it because patients with sensitive digestive tracts find it difficult to tolerate. For healthy people, however, fibre is an advantage, not a disadvantage. You can find out more about the connection between nutrition and gut health in the linked article.
Saturo drinkable meal: 36 g protein and 26 vitamins per bottle
If you don't have a medical indication but are still looking for a nutrient-rich, ready-to-drink meal, you will quickly reach the limits of medical drinkable food. Too little protein, too much sugar, not designed for everyday use. The Saturo drinkable meal was developed for precisely this gap - as a complete meal in a bottle, not as a medical product.
Nutritional value
Per bottle
Calories
400 kcal
Protein
36 g
Vitamins & minerals
26
Fibre
7.7 g
Added sugar
0 g
36 g of vegetable protein per bottle - the equivalent of about five large eggs. The protein sources soya bean and field bean provide all essential amino acids with a PDCAAS of 1.0. Iron, vitamin B12, vitamin C and seven other nutrients in Saturo contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Magnesium, niacin and six other vitamins contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
What else sets Saturo apart:
- 100% vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free
- No added sugar - only 1.0 to 1.5 g of naturally occurring sugar per bottle
- Six flavours: Cocoa (bestseller), Vanilla, Strawberry, Banana, Cappuccino and Natural
- €4.39 per full 400-kcal meal (€1.10/100 ml)
- Over 5 million meals sold - and feedback from our community confirms it: A drinkable meal doesn't have to taste like a compromise
- Made in Germany, developed in Austria. Owner-managed and independent.
