I'm a busy guy. You're a busy guy. And as busy guys we don't always have the time to eat a real meal. Maybe we do a "heat and eat" in the office microwave. Or worse: hit the drive thru. Good for time management, bad for body management.

I've tried meal replacement shakes, and trust me, most are not edible enough to be considered "meals" let alone replace anything. (And I'll spare you the accompanying physical side effects.)

We gave mix1 a shot, too. It's a new, "all-natural, nutritional beverage" that just hit the shelves in June. What makes it different from the usual supplements is the "all-natural" part. It's also lactose-free, which helps you avoid those side effects I didn't tell you about earlier.

Designed to be a complete meal replacement, each 200 calorie mix1 comes with a 2 to 1 carb-to-protein ratio packed with 15 grams of whey protein isolate, 22 vitamins and minerals, a bunch of fiber, and enough antioxidants to equal 3 servings of fruits and veggies or 4 cups of green tea. What it doesn't have is saturated or trans fats, gluten, soy, preservatives or artificial flavors or colors. Not bad for an 11 oz serving. But meaningless if it tastes like someone mixed baby powder and milk. Which it doesn't.

Personally I'm not a pre-mixed shake guy. They all taste funky to me. The mango was the only flavor that appealed to me and it was actually pretty good. So I'm not a good judge of taste here. My Production Coordinator Adrienne, however, has tried all four flavors (along with the mango there's blueberry-vanilla, lime and mix berry) and is now officially a mix1 nut. She's drinking them constantly. And apparently she's not alone. Since its launch mix1 has become a top seller in several natural and traditional supermarkets. Proof that most of us are looking for something good for us, that tastes great, and we can have in a hurry. I'm wondering how they taste with vodka...

$2 each, available at Whole Foods, Wild Oats and other large supermarkets.
www.mix1life.com