Why I Wouldn't Recommend Ensure - Even to my sickest clients

My grandfather because he's 80, a new mother because she needs support while nursing, and even a friend who is recovering from a broken bone - doctors love recommending Ensure. Ensure is marketed as a complete nutritional supplement that provides vitamins, minerals and protein. But whether you've just had surgery, are underweight or even diabetic, it's crucial to be aware of the potential health risks of consuming this processed junk. 

They call it a "complete, balanced nutritional drink." But let's turn the box around.

Anytime you read a nutrition label, remember to read the ingredient list first. This knowledge empowers you with insight into what you're consuming. Ingredients are always listed from most abundant to least. So, let's break down what's actually in this doctor-recommended "supplement".

Ensure

The MOST abundant ingredient: Calcium Caseinate, A Highly Processed Dairy Byproduct

The first ingredient in Ensure is calcium caseinate—a milk protein that has been chemically extracted, acid-washed, and stripped of its natural enzymes. This 'supplement' isn't your typical clean, grass-fed, organic whey or isolate that is gentle on the stomach or even fast-absorbing. It's known to be difficult to digest for people with gut issues, causing bloating or gastrointestinal distress in those who don't already have pre-existing gut conditions, and offers poor bioavailability compared to real food proteins, clean whey, and plant-based supplements.

It's known to:

• It's hard to digest for people with gut issues (which let's be honest, most of us have)

• Causes bloating or GI distress in those who don't already have pre-existing gut conditions.

• Offer poor bioavailability compared to real food proteins or clean whey/plant supplements.

Yet it's marketed as "gentle protein for healing bodies."

Ensure Ingrediants

SUGAR: The Second MOST abundant ingredient in Ensure

Among the top 5 ingredients, 3 are sugars: maltodextrin, resistant maltodextrin, and fructose. That's a lot of ways to inflame your body in one scoop.

11.7g of Added Sugar — In the Diabetes Version!

11.7g of added sugars!

Yes, you read that right.

While the label boldly claims 'no added sugar', going a step further to state that there's no added sucrose, the back reveals 11.7g of added sugars per 100g. That's nearly three teaspoons. It is a clear example of how food companies can use technicalities to mislead consumers.

It may not contain sucrose or traditional white sugar, but it does include:

• Fructose 

• Maltodextrin (listed as the second most abundant ingredient!)

• Resistant maltodextrin

• Sucralose (an artificial sweetener linked to gut disruption)

  
  

Sugar has hundreds of names, and food companies are legally allowed to say "no added sugar" if they skip sucrose. It's a technicality. And a clever one.

It doesn't matter what they are called - They're all bad for you. In a study of heart disease, people who consumed diet drinks every day had a greater risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Artificial sweeteners have proven to be carcinogenic in animal studies. They wreak havoc on your gut microbes, destroying beneficial bacteria and causing glucose intolerance.

Maltodextrin: Worse Than Sugar

Let's be clear — maltodextrin spikes blood sugar faster than table sugar.

 It's been shown to:

• Cause insulin spikes

• Disrupt gut bacteria

• Increase inflammation and oxidative stress

Putting this in a product for people with diabetes is like adding fuel to the fire.

But What About the Oils?

We've all seen the Instagram videos telling us to stop using seed oils in cooking. Many of us have switched to cold-pressed mustard or coconut oil at home.

But what about when we consume it through products like Ensure?

Ensure contains:

• 13% sunflower oil

• 1% soy oil

• Both refined, processed, and oxidised under high heat

These oils are pro-inflammatory, especially for the brain, gut lining, and heart. If someone is already dealing with illness, the last thing they need is more inflammation.

Final Thoughts

Products like Ensure are built for shelf life, not for real healing. When your body is vulnerable, you deserve better than a drink that hides sugar under three different names.

And that's why — just like Yakult —

I wouldn't recommend Ensure. Not even to my sickest clients.

Sources:

Goff, L.M., et al. (2003). Glycaemic and insulinaemic response of maltodextrin. Eur J Clin Nutr.