If you're concerned about the quality of your diet, you may turn to a nutritional supplement, such as Boost or Ensure.
Both drinks are a good source of calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals, but there are subtle differences.
Knowing the differences may help you decide which is the better fit for you. Talk to your doctor before adding these supplements to your diet.
Boost vs. Ensure: A Quick Comparison
Feature | Boost Original | Ensure Original |
Approximate cost | $33 | $45 |
Available forms | Available in a ready-to-drink shake or powder form. | Available as nutritional drinks, shakes, and powder. |
Product range | Boost Advanced Boost Max Boost High Protein Boost Plus Boost Glucose Control Boost Very High Calorie Boost Glucose Control Max Boost Women Boost Breeze Boost Soothe Simple Ingredients Very High Protein Just Protein | Complete Balanced Nutrition Targeted Nutrition Specialty Therapeutic Nutrition |
Flavors | Rich Chocolate Creamy Strawberry Very Vanilla | Milk Chocolate Dark Chocolate Vanilla Strawberry Butter Pecan Coffee Latte Caffe Mocha French Vanilla Creamy Peach Cherry Cheesecake Creamy Strawberry Milk Chocolate with Caffeine Blueberry Pomegranate Mixed Fruit |
Protein content | Higher in protein than Ensure. An 8-ounce serving contains 10 grams of protein. | An 8-ounce serving contains 9 grams of protein. |
Calories | Higher in calories than Ensure. | Lower in calories than Boost. |
Vitamin content | Provides essential vitamins but provides larger amounts of the following than Ensure: Vitamin K Vitamin B6 | Provides essential vitamins but provides larger amounts of the following than Boost:
Vitamin C Vitamin B12 Vitamin D |
Mineral content | Has higher amounts of manganese. | Has higher amounts of molybdenum. |
Omega-3 fatty acid content | Does not provide any omega-3 fatty acids. | Provides 320 milligrams (mg) of omega-3 fatty acids |
Individualized Range of Products
Both Boost and Ensure offer a range of nutrition drinks and shakes to meet specific dietary needs. In addition to the Everyday Nutrition drinks, Boost offers:
- Boost Advanced
- Boost Max
- Boost High Protein
- Boost Plus
- Boost Glucose Control
- Boost Very High Calorie
- Boost Glucose Control
- Boost Glucose Control Max
- Boost Women
- Boost Breeze, a clear drink variety
- Boost Soothe
- Simple Ingredients
- Very High Protein
- Just Protein
The products are available in a ready-to-drink shake or powder form.
Ensure products offer:
- Complete Balanced Nutrition, including nutritional supplement drinks with extra protein and calories
- Targeted Nutrition, including max protein, added protein, plant-based, and clear
- Specialty Therapeutic Nutrition, including pre-surgery, recovery, and compact
Ensure products are available as nutritional drinks and shakes as well as in powder form.
Flavor Choices
Boost products come in three flavors:
- Rich Chocolate
- Creamy Strawberry
- Very Vanilla
Ensure has more flavors and is available in the following:
- Milk Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- Vanilla
- Strawberry
- Butter Pecan
- Coffee Latte (Ensure Original only)
- Caffe Mocha (Ensure Max Protein only)
- French Vanilla (Ensure Max Protein only)
- Creamy Peach (Ensure Max Protein only)
- Cherry Cheesecake (Ensure Max Protein only)
- Creamy Strawberry (Ensure Max Protein only)
- Milk Chocolate with Caffeine (Ensure Max Protein only)
- Blueberry (Clear only)
- Pomegranate (Clear only)
- Mixed Fruit (Clear only)
Which Is Higher in Protein?
Boost provides more calories and protein when comparing Original formulations. One 8-ounce serving of Boost Original contains 10 grams of protein, while one serving of Ensure Original contains 9 grams of protein.
Most Americans get more than enough protein from a regular diet, according to Berkeley Wellness. The amount you’ll need depends on your body weight, age, weight management goals, activity level, and kidney health. Generally, a person’s recommended daily intake will be between 0.8 and 1 grams (g) of protein for every kilogram (kg) of body weight, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Read more: How Much Protein Is Right For You?
Better Source of Vitamins
Ensure and Boost contain essential vitamins, but Boost provides vitamins K and B6 in larger amounts. Ensure, on the other hand, provides larger servings of vitamins D, C, B12.
Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that may help protect cells from free radical damage.
Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium and is vital for bone health. You need vitamin K for blood clotting, and it may help improve bone health in older adults. Adequate intakes of vitamins B6 and B12 are essential for preventing anemia and driving vital chemical reactions throughout your body.
Sources of Minerals
The mineral content of Ensure and Boost varies. Ensure has larger servings of molybdenum, while Boost has higher amounts of manganese.
Manganese is essential for bone health and blood clotting, and you need molybdenum to support chemical reactions in the body. Their servings of many other minerals, including zinc and phosphorus, are equal. Zinc supports immune health and protein production, while phosphorus is necessary for the formation of bone and teeth.
While several small differences are clear in the nutritional profiles of these drinks, most healthy people should aim to get nutrients from a balanced diet, according to the UK’s National Health Service.
Read more: 10 Foods High in Molybdenum to Eat More Of
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The one significant difference between Ensure and Boost Original is that Ensure provides 320 milligrams (mg) of omega-3 fatty acids, while Boost doesn't provide any. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat two servings of fatty fish a week, which is equivalent to 250 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients you must get from the food you eat. Increasing your intake may help reduce inflammation, and some evidence supports the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for protecting the heart, preserving brain function, and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Who May Benefit From Supplemental Nutrition Drinks?
Both Boost and Ensure may be helpful for people who face challenges with meeting nutritional needs through diet alone. According to Harvard Medical School, this might include the following:
- People who have appetite loss, which might include older adults
- Individuals who find chewing difficult
- People who aren’t physically able to prepare balanced meals
- Those recovering from surgery or illness
They work best as a meal replacement, as drinking them alongside a meal might provide too many calories. However, this can also be appropriate for someone looking to gain weight or prevent weight loss.
If you have additional needs around getting enough nutrition and are considering a supplemental nutrition drink, speak to a healthcare professional about your options.
