Ensure vs Boost – Which Nutritional Shake is Better?

Protein shakes are a useful tool for caregiving, providing an easy way to increase nutrient intake, particularly for seniors who refuse to eat. While there are countless brands out there, Ensure and Boost are some of the most popular.

It’s easy to see why too, as both brands have a large product range, are easy to find, and can be fairly inexpensive. But, which is better? To answer that, we need to compare Ensure vs Boost. That includes looking at the individual products from both brands and how they differ.

The Lowdown on Ensure vs Boost

Ensure and Boost offer similar products, making our comparison a little tricky. Ultimately, the best choice comes down to finding a product that matches the senior’s needs, regardless of the brand.

Here are the best products for specific needs.

• High protein, low sugar shakes: Boost Max Nutritional Shake, Boost Control Max, and Ensure Max Protein all offer 30 grams of protein and just 1 gram of sugar.
• For picky seniors: Ensure Original and Boost Original are both relatively high in sugar and taste good, making them popular among users.
• For weight gain: Boost Very High Calorie Nutritional Drink stands out there, at 530 calories per serving. Boost Plus, Ensure Plus, and Ensure COMPLETE are also contenders.
• For diabetics: Boost offers two Glucose Control shakes. Ensure doesn’t specifically target diabetics, but Ensure Max Protein would be suitable.
• For surgery: Ensure Pre-Surgery Clear Carbohydrate Drink and Ensure Surgery Immunonutrition Shake are designed for people undergoing surgery.
• Clear drinks. Ensure Clear, Ensure Pre-Surgery Clear, Boost Soothe, and Boost Breeze are all clear drinks, with varying levels of protein.

To learn more about Ensure vs Boost, read on to see our detailed breakdown of each brand and the products on offer. We’ve also included links to the shakes on Amazon, so you can easily pick up your favorites.

For both brands, we’re highlighting the products and nutritional details featured on their site. You may occasionally find other products or slight variations in nutritional details, simply because both brands regularly tweak or discontinue some products.

What Boost Offers

Boost currently offers 14 different products, each with its own emphasis. These can be ordered from the Boost site directly, from Amazon, or found in many physical stores.

The table below compares the products based on calories, protein, sugar, fat, and when they’re useful.

	Calories	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)	Fat (g)	Useful For
Boost Original Nutritional Drink	240	10	15	6	Picky seniors
Boost High Protein Nutritional Drink	250	20	11	6	Weight loss, meal replacement
Boost Plus Nutritional Drink	360	14	18	14	Weight gain
Boost Very High Calorie Nutritional Drink	530	22	13	26	Weight gain
Boost Max Nutritional Shake	160	30	1	2	Weight loss, meal replacement
Boost Glucose Control Nutritional Drink	190	16	4	7	Diabetics
Boost Glucose Control Max 30g Protein Nutritional Drink	160	30	1	2	Diabetics
Boost Women Nutritional Drink	180	15	4	7	Women
Boost Breeze Nutritional Drink	250	9	34	0	Anyone who doesn’t like milky drinks
Boost Soothe Nutritional Drink	300	10	15	0	Anyone who doesn’t like milky drinks
Boost Original Nutritional Powder	220	10	8	5	Picky seniors

Boost Original Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Rich Chocolate, Very Vanilla, Creamy Strawberry, Peaches and Creme
• Calories: 240
• Protein: 10 grams
• Sugar: 15 grams
• Fat: 6 grams

This is Boost’s original drink and it receives many positive reviews. The best feature is the flavor, as the shake really does taste delicious, making it helpful for picky seniors.

However, the balance of protein to sugar means this isn’t an especially healthy shake. It’s only really worth it if the senior refuses to drink any of the healthier options.  

Boost High Protein Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Rich Chocolate, Cinnabon, Very Vanilla, Creamy Strawberry
• Calories: 250
• Protein: 20 grams
• Sugar: 11 grams
• Fat: 6 grams

This version decreases the sugar slightly and raises the protein, making it a healthier drink all around. Reviews are still positive, with many people loving the flavor. You may occasionally find versions with added fiber as well.

Boost Plus Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Rich Chocolate, Very Vanilla, Creamy Strawberry
• Calories: 360
• Protein: 14 grams
• Sugar: 18 grams
• Fat: 14 grams

With 14 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat, this shake is fairly filling. It’s also high in calories, as it’s designed to help with weight maintenance or weight gain. This could be used as a meal replacement shake or consumed as a snack between meals.

The sugar content means this tastes pretty good, which should help to get the senior to drink the shake. However, this won’t be suitable for everyone, as sugar contributes to inflammation and raises the risk of health issues.

Boost Very High Calorie Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Chocolate, Very Vanilla, Creamy Strawberry
• Calories: 530
• Protein: 22 grams
• Sugar: 13 grams
• Fat: 26 grams

This shake follows the weight gain theme, with more than 500 calories in a single serving. There are also 22 grams of protein and 26 grams of fat, making this a very filling option.

The protein and fat make this shake thicker than normal, which is why Boost recommends serving it over ice and sipping the shake slowly. This is one to experiment with, as some seniors may struggle with the texture or simply not enjoy it.

Boost Max Nutritional Shake

• Flavors: Chocolate, Very Vanilla
• Calories: 160
• Protein: 30 grams
• Sugar: 1 gram
• Fat: 2 grams

This shake takes a different approach, as the sugar and fat have been cut right down. Artificial sweeteners are used instead of sugar for sweetness. Opinions vary about whether such sweeteners are better than sugar or not. But, you need some type of sweetener to give the shake a decent flavor.

While many people drink the shake regularly, reviews about the flavor are more mixed than the previous shakes. Some reviewers mention that the shake has a chalky taste, making it difficult to enjoy.  

Boost Glucose Control Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Rich Chocolate, Very Vanilla, Creamy Strawberry
• Calories: 190
• Protein: 16 grams
• Sugar: 4 grams
• Fat: 7 grams

This shake was designed for people with diabetes and is meant to help with blood sugar control. However, the shake simply produces a lower blood sugar response than regular nutritional shakes, so it may not be suitable for all diabetics.

Boost Glucose Control Max 30g Protein Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Rich Chocolate, Very Vanilla
• Calories: 160 grams
• Protein: 30 grams
• Sugar: 1 gram
• Fat: 2 grams

This shake was designed for diabetics as well. It’s lower in sugar and higher in protein than the previous example, making it a more powerful choice.

That said, it’s not clear how this shake differs from the regular Boost Max Nutritional Drink, as the two products have similar nutritional profiles.

Boost Women Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Rich Chocolate, Very Vanilla
• Calories: 180
• Protein: 15 grams
• Sugar: 4 grams
• Fat: 7 grams

This protein drink focuses on calcium, potassium, magnesium, choline, vitamin D, vitamin E, iodine, and selenium, in addition to the other nutrients. Boost claims that women are typically short on this collection of nutrients, making the shakes particularly good for women’s health.

There was a male version of this shake as well, but this seems to have been discontinued. Still, the female shake isn’t limited to women. Men could easily drink it as well.

Boost Breeze Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Wild Berry, Orange, Variety Pack
• Calories: 250
• Protein: 9 grams
• Sugar: 34 grams
• Fat: 0 grams

This clear drink is more like juice than a protein shake, yet still has many of the same benefits. Notably, there are plenty of vitamins and minerals present, plus 9 grams of protein per serving.

One catch is the sugar content. 34 grams of sugar is concerning, especially for an 8 fl. oz drink.

Also – the protein here still comes from whey powder, so the drink isn’t even vegan-friendly.

Boost Soothe Nutritional Drink

• Flavors: Hint of Strawberry-Kiwi
• Calories: 300
• Protein: 10 grams
• Sugar: 15 grams
• Fat: 0 grams

Boost Soothe follows a similar idea to Boost Breeze. There’s less sugar here and the drink is designed to also be cooling, perfect for people with pain in their mouth. Boost mentions that the feature is very relevant to people undergoing cancer treatment. It would be helpful for some seniors as well.

The nutrient profile also avoids vitamins and minerals with a metallic aftertaste, giving the drink a surprisingly good flavor.

Boost Original Nutritional Powder

• Flavors: Very Vanilla
• Calories: 220
• Protein: 10 grams
• Sugar: 8 grams
• Fat: 5 grams

Finally, we have Boost Nutritional Powder, which can be mixed with water to give you a protein shake. The powder can be used in other ways too, like blended with fruit or stirred into coffee.

Like Boost’s traditional shake, this powder is surprisingly high in sugar and low in protein. That combo isn’t great. There are plenty of healthier options, including powders that are basically pure protein and can be mixed into your own drinks or baking.

What Ensure Offers

Ensure has a decent selection of products as well. Many of their products are similar to Boost’s, but there are a few unusual entries too.

Check out the table below for a product comparison or read on for details about each individual shake.

	Calories	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)	Fat (g)	Useful For
Ensure Original	220	9	10	6	Picky seniors
Ensure Plus	350	16	22	11	Weight gain
Ensure COMPLETE	350	30	15	8	Weight loss or weight gain, meal replacement
Ensure Max Protein	150	30	1	1	Weight loss, meal replacement
Ensure High Protein	160	16	4	2	Weight loss
Ensure Enlive	350	20	22	11	Meal replacement
Ensure Plant-Based Protein	180	20	7	6	Vegans
Ensure Compact	220	9	10	6	Picky seniors
Ensure Clear	180	8	18	0	Anyone who doesn’t like milky drinks
Ensure Pre-Surgery Clear Carbohydrate Drink	200	0	6	0	Surgery
Ensure Surgery Immunonutrition Shake	330	18	19	9	Surgery
Ensure Original Nutrition Powder	240	8	12	8	Picky seniors

Ensure Original

• Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, Butter Pecan, Coffee Latte, Banana Nut
• Calories: 220
• Protein: 9 grams
• Sugar: 10 grams
• Fat: 6 grams

Ensure Original is much like the basic Boost drink, except there are more flavors. Notably, the shake is fairly low in protein and even contains more sugar than protein.

The balance of sugar to protein limits the usefulness of this shake. It’s most relevant for picky seniors who don’t need a large amount of protein.

Ensure Plus

• Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, Butter Pecan
• Calories: 350
• Protein: 16 grams
• Sugar: 22 grams
• Fat: 11 grams

Ensure Plus isn’t much better. Sure, it contains more protein, but the sugar content shockingly high (seriously, 22 grams of sugar per serving?).

The calorie content is higher too, coming in at 350 per serving. This calorie content makes the shake most useful for weight gain.

For weight loss, the senior would likely need to drink this shake instead of a meal. That doesn’t seem wise, as meal replacement shakes normally contain more protein than this.  

Ensure COMPLETE

• Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry
• Calories: 350
• Protein: 30 grams
• Sugar: 15 grams
• Fat: 8 grams

Ensure COMPLETE is promoted as a meal replacement shake. It’s a decent enough choice too, as the shake offers 350 calories and 30 grams of protein per serving. There is even 4 grams of a fiber blend to aid digestive health.  

Ensure Max Protein

• Flavors: Café Mocha, Milk Chocolate with Caffeine, Milk Chocolate, Creamy Strawberry, French Vanilla, Creamy Peach, Cherry Cheesecake
• Calories: 150
• Protein: 30 grams
• Sugar: 1 gram
• Fat: 1 gram

Ensure Max Protein is arguably the best Ensure shake for weight loss, with just 1 gram of sugar and an impressive 30 grams of protein. Two flavors even contain 100 mg of caffeine for extra energy.

This is also one of the most popular shakes, with many people ordering it time and time again.

Even so, it won’t work well for everyone. One problem is the additives, including artificial flavors and sweeteners. Another issue is the flavor. High protein shakes with artificial sweeteners tend to taste somewhat chalky and odd.

While people who drink the shakes regularly may enjoy them, the flavor could be a bit much for some seniors.

Ensure High Protein

• Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry
• Calories: 160
• Protein: 16 grams
• Sugar: 4 grams
• Fat: 2 grams

With 16 grams of protein and 4 grams of sugar, this version falls somewhere in the middle of the various products. The calorie content is low enough that the shake could be used between meals, perhaps as a snack to boost nutrition or help with hunger.

Ensure Enlive  

• Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry
• Calories: 350
• Protein: 20 grams
• Sugar: 22 grams
• Fat: 11 grams

Ensure Enlive is promoted as an all-in-one shake. With 350 calories and 20 grams of protein per serving, the shake could potentially be used as a meal replacement. There’s even a little fiber in the mix to help your digestive system.

The high sugar content is the biggest issue here, especially as sugar contributes to health issues. Personally, I’d only use this shake for seniors who are incredibly resistant to eating food. The sugar helps in that context, as it makes the shake taste like a treat.  

Ensure Plant-Based Protein

• Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla
• Calories: 180
• Protein: 20 grams
• Sugar: 7 grams
• Fat: 6 grams

This stands out as the only vegan-friendly shake from Boost or Ensure. It uses a combination of fava bean protein isolate and pea protein concentrate to provide the protein – making it dairy and soy free.

This shake also avoids artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners, making it healthier than many of the others. The balance of 20 grams of protein to 7 grams of sugar isn’t too bad either.

Opinions differ about the flavor of the shake, as is often the case. This may be partly because the shake relies on stevia for sweetness and stevia can have a funny aftertaste.

Ensure Compact

• Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla
• Calories: 220
• Protein: 9 grams
• Sugar: 10 grams
• Fat: 6 grams

Ensure Compact is designed for people who don’t enjoy shakes. It offers 220 calories and 9 grams of protein in a tiny 4 fl. oz serving size. There is even a decent number of nutrients in the shake.

The smaller size makes this an easy-to-drink option. It’s very relevant for seniors who don’t eat much at a time, perhaps because of low appetite.

Ensure Clear

• Flavors: Blueberry Pomegranate, Mixed Fruit
• Calories: 180
• Protein: 8 grams
• Sugar: 18 grams
• Fat: 0 grams

With 18 grams of sugar and 8 grams of protein, this product isn’t amazing nutritionally. Still, it’s an easy way to increase nutrient intake and could be more enjoyable than milky drinks.

As for the Ensure vs Boost debate, Boost Soothe is the obvious competitor. That one contains a little more protein and less sugar, yet is somehow much higher in calories (300 calories for Boost vs 180 for Ensure).  

Ensure Pre-Surgery Clear Carbohydrate Drink

• Flavors: Strawberry
• Calories: 200
• Protein: 0 grams
• Sugar: 6 grams
• Fat: 0 grams

Here’s a second clear drink – this time designed specifically for surgery. It contains a useful combination of carbs and antioxidants, while completely avoiding fat and protein.

Because the drink is formulated for surgery it really can help. It may even reduce nausea and vomiting after surgery.

That said, it’s worth trying the drink before surgery, as it can have side effects like nausea and vomiting. While these only affect a small number of users, they can be pretty awful. It’s not worth risking such side effects right before surgery.

Ensure Surgery Immunonutrition Shake

• Flavors: Vanilla
• Calories: 330
• Protein: 18 grams
• Sugar: 19 grams
• Fat: 9 grams

Then there’s this shake, which is designed for recovery from surgery. It features arginine and omega-3 fatty acids, which should both help the senior to recover. Even the high sugar content could be helpful in some situation.

Still, it’s best to consult the senior’s doctor before purchasing the shake, as it won’t be suitable for everyone. The high sugar content alone is reason for concern.

Ensure Original Nutrition Powder

• Flavors: Vanilla
• Calories: 240
• Protein: 8 grams
• Sugar: 12 grams
• Fat: 8 grams

Finally, we have Ensure Original Nutrition Powder. Like Boost’s version, this is surprisingly low in protein, with just 8 grams of protein per serving (plus 12 grams of sugar!).

This combination just isn’t worth it. There are plenty of better protein powders out there, like Garden of Life Organic Protein Powder or Gold Standard Whey Protein Powder.

Ensure vs Boost – Which One is Better?

Both brands have one key advantage – choice. They offer many distinct products, each targeted at a different set of needs. In many ways, the Ensure vs Boost comparison comes down to finding a product that works for the senior, regardless of the brand.

Ensure has a wider range of flavors, while Boost makes the differences between products clearer.

The selection is fantastic, but there are some limitations too.

• Most stores won’t carry all of the products. For example, Boost High Protein and Boost Original are easy to find, while other versions may be more difficult.
• The choice can be overwhelming. With this many products to choose from, making a decision can be tough. It can help if you do the research before you hit the grocery store. A good starting point is to consider what your family member needs.
• The products are often similar. The differences between products are often subtle. For example, Boost and Ensure both have multiple high protein shakes that vary in their balance of protein, fat, and sugar.  

As for which product is better. Honestly… there’s no clear winner. The shakes aren’t that different. Both brands rely on sugar or alternative sweeteners to make their shakes taste good. Each of those approaches has its own issues. And, most of the products have additives to give them the flavor, texture, and stability that they need.

If the products meet your needs, then Ensure and Boost can both be good choices. But, please pay attention to the amount of sugar and calories, as it’s easy to underestimate the calorie content of the shakes.

Benefits of Nutritional Shakes for Seniors

Now, nutritional shakes are never as powerful as eating healthy food. That goes without saying.

Even so, there are plenty of reasons that seniors and caregivers might rely on them.

• Convenience. Protein shakes are a convenient source of nutrients and require no preparation. Most are shelf-stable, so you can throw them in your bag and always have some on hand for emergencies.
• Shelf Life. Prepared protein shakes will often last months if unopened, making it easy to stock up.
• May Find Discounts. Because Ensure and Boost are so well-known, you may be able to buy them in bulk. Doctor’s offices and other locations sometimes offer coupons that decrease the price per shake still further.
• Variety. As you can see, there’s a huge variety in style and nutritional content. This makes it easy to find the right shake for your loved one’s needs (or your own).
• Easy to Consume. Because there’s no chewing, shakes are perfect for seniors with mouth pain and those who need soft food.
• Can Taste Good. Many products are delicious, making them perfect for seniors who resist full meals. Some even taste much like a chocolate shake, so the senior might start to see them as a treat.
• Can Help With Weight Gain. Consuming protein shakes as well as regular meals can help with nutrients and weight gain, perfect for seniors who struggle in these areas. Some Boost and Ensure products are even designed to help with weight gain.

Also remember that protein shakes don’t need to replace healthy meals. They can often be used in conjunction with a healthy diet, perhaps as a way to increase nutrient intake or for difficult days when no one is willing to cook.

It’s important to talk to the senior’s doctor about the use of protein shakes, including whether they recommend such shakes, what to consider nutritionally, and how often they should be used.

The Limits of Ensure and Boost

While Ensure and Boost can both be helpful, the brands are also controversial.

Part of the problem is that the shakes use ingredients like corn syrup, sucralose, and artificial flavors. Such additives aren’t great for health, especially if the senior is relying on protein shakes most days.

Then there’s the issue of sweetness.

Most shakes we’ve discussed are high in sugar or use an artificial sweetener. The sugar can promote inflammation, obesity, and other health issues, while the artificial sweeteners are linked to problems of their own.

And… the shakes that rely heavily on artificial sweeteners tend to taste weird. I noticed this myself when using some of the high protein and low sugar options. The flavor may be enough to stop seniors from drinking the shakes entirely.

Alternative Options

Thankfully, there are plenty of other products out there, ones with healthier ingredients and a better balance of protein to sugar.

The shakes below are my favorite pre-prepared options:

• Evolve Plant Based Protein Shake. This shake offers 20 grams of vegan protein and 10 grams of fiber per serving, plus just 4 grams of sugar.
• Organ Organic Nutrition Shake. This meal replacement shake contains 16 grams of protein, plus 20 vitamins and minerals. There’s also a fruit and vegetable blend to provide antioxidants and other benefits.
• OWYN Only What You Need Protein Shake. These shakes offer 20 grams of protein and 4 grams of sugar. Notably, the sweetness just comes from sugar and monk fruit extract, so there are no artificial sweeteners or Stevia.

Then there are protein powders. Some of these are designed as meal replacements, so they’ll contain various vitamins and minerals, plus perhaps fat to increase the calorie content. Others just focus on protein and contain few other ingredients.

These are my favorites:

• Naked Whey. This product contains 25 grams of protein and 5 grams of sugar per serving. Notably, it keeps the ingredients list incredibly small (just three ingredients!) and avoids additives. However, there are no vitamins and minerals, so this doesn’t function as a meal replacement shake.
• KOS Vegan Protein Powder. This powder provides 20 grams of plant protein per serving and 12 vitamins and minerals. The nutrient content is lower than many other shakes, but the presence of probiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes offsets this difference.
• Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey. While this product does use some artificial ingredients, including artificial sweeteners, it also offers 24 grams of protein and just 2 grams of sugar per serving.

Final Thoughts

Ensure and Boost are popular, easy to find, and often relatively inexpensive.

They’re also helpful in many situations, like when an aging parent refuses to eat or when you need a fast source of nutrients on hand. Still, most seniors won’t be able to live on just Ensure or Boost. They’ll still need regular meals.

It’s also crucial to talk to their doctor or nutritionist. Such experts can tell you which type of shake would be best and whether a shake could meet the senior’s needs.