How to make a Herbalife Formula 1 shake: every official preparation
Two scoops (26 g) of Formula 1 with 250 ml of cold semi-skimmed milk. That is the preparation on the pack, and it is the one the nutrition figures refer to. Below are the four official ways to make it, with the exact quantities.
Everything on this page comes from the Formula 1 and Protein Drink Mix labels, or from Herbalife's own published recipes. No guesswork, no substitutions we made up.
1. The standard shake
- 2 scoops (26 g) Formula 1 Healthy Meal
- 250 ml cold semi-skimmed milk (1.5 % fat)
Shake the canister before use, as the powder settles. This is the preparation the 18 g of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals on the pack are based on.
2. Blended with ice
- Put 250 ml of the milk of your choice in a blender.
- Add 3–4 ice cubes.
- Add 2 scoops of Formula 1 and blend until smooth.
Also on the pack — Herbalife's own note is that Formula 1 is at its best prepared with ice. It comes out thicker, which at breakfast reads as a meal rather than a drink.
3. Fully dairy-free
- 2 scoops (26 g) Formula 1
- 2 scoops (28 g) Vegan Protein Drink Mix
- 300 ml water
The vegan, naturally lactose-free version, exactly as given on the Formula 1 pack. The Vegan Protein Drink Mix does the job the milk was doing, so it still comes out creamy.
4. Higher protein
- 2 scoops (26 g) Formula 1
- 2 scoops (28 g) Protein Drink Mix
- 300 ml water
The Protein Drink Mix label gives this as one of its two uses: on its own as a protein snack, or stirred into a Formula 1 shake. Each Protein Drink Mix serving adds 15 g of protein and 22 vitamins and minerals.
Official Herbalife recipes that use Formula 1
Herbalife publishes a recipe library on its own site. These are the ones built around Formula 1, and we have written up the first two with the full method:
- Chia and blueberry overnight oats — Formula 1 Vanilla Cream with Protein Drink Mix, made the night before
- Waffles — Formula 1 Vanilla Cream with Protein Bake Mix
- Banana bread and chocolate biscuits — Formula 1 with Protein Bake Mix
- Crunchy nutty muesli — Formula 1 Vanilla Cream with Beta Heart
- Sesame and almond cookies — Formula 1 Vanilla Cream with Protein Drink Mix
You can find all of them on Herbalife's official recipe pages.
One thing worth knowing. Formula 1 is a meal replacement when prepared as instructed on the label — that is preparations 1 to 4 above. Once you bake it into banana bread or stir it into muesli, you have made something nice to eat, but the meal-replacement claim and the nutrition figures on the pack no longer apply to it.
Three things that make any shake better
- Cold milk, not room temperature. The pack specifies cold, and it makes more difference than anything else.
- Shake the canister before each use. The powder settles, so the first scoop and the last scoop are not the same without it.
- Keep two flavours in the cupboard. This one is our opinion rather than Herbalife's: flavour fatigue is the most common reason people stop, and it costs nothing to prevent.
Allergens
Formula 1 Healthy Meal contains soy and oat. Protein Drink Mix contains soy and milk. Vegan Protein Drink Mix contains soy, with no milk or gluten. Full declarations are on each product page.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a Herbalife Formula 1 shake?
Two scoops (26 g) of Formula 1 with 250 ml of cold semi-skimmed milk. Shake the canister first, then shake or blend the drink for about twenty seconds.
Can I make a Formula 1 shake with water?
On its own it comes out thin. The preparation Herbalife gives for water is two scoops of Formula 1 plus two scoops of Vegan Protein Drink Mix or Protein Drink Mix in 300 ml of water.
Can I add fruit to my shake?
You can, and plenty of people do. Be aware that once you add ingredients the nutrition figures on the pack no longer describe what is in your glass, and it stops being a calorie-controlled meal replacement.
Can I make it the night before?
You can, kept cold. It thickens and separates a little, so shake it again before drinking. If you want something made in advance on purpose, the overnight oats recipe is designed for it.
Can I heat Formula 1?
Herbalife's own recipes stir it into porridge and bake with it, so yes. Do not boil it. For anything that meets a hot pan, Protein Bake Mix is the product designed for heat.
How many flavours are there?
Nine, including the limited editions, and all the same price. See the Formula 1 page.