The Truth Behind Herbalife Smoothie Shops
Have you seen those Herbalife smoothie shops popping up all over your town? They usually have names like “Exquisite Energy” or “Core Energy” and you can only find information about them on their Facebook page? I know that there are a ton of these opening up where I live and many of my clients have asked my if their shakes and other drinks are healthy or not. If you have been wondering the same, this blog post is for you.
Before I go on, I want to make it clear that if you purchase from these shops, I am not here to judge you or make you feel like you have done anything wrong! I did not know what these shops were myself before I did some digging. It’s easy to think that these products are healthy for you and they make it seem like you are supporting a small business.
That being said, I want to start by saying that these shops are all a front for Herbalife. Yes, Herbalife.
What is Herbalife?
Herbalife is a supplement company that sells products such as meal replacements, herbal aloe concoctions, and caffeine/energy drinks. You can purchase their products through their “network of Herbalife Nutrition Independent Distributors”.
This multi-level marketing supplement company had a $200 million Federal Trade Commission settlement a few years back because they pitched that people could quit their jobs and make big bucks by selling their products, but that proved to be difficult for most of their distributors. A tale as old as time.
Herbalife’s products were also shown to cause liver toxicity and even death as they were contaminated with an overgrowth of the bacteria B. subtilis. Honestly, this is a risk you take with any over the counter supplement, as they are not regulated by the FDA. It’s pretty hard to tell exactly what is in Herbalife’s products specifically, as they also do not clearly share their nutrition information on their website and you have to connect with one of their distributors to purchase their products.
Source: herbalife.com
Herbalife nutrition clubs
Nutrition clubs, smoothie clubs, whatever you wish to call them, are opening up EVERYWHERE.. They usually do not have a dedicated website and instead they market their products through Facebook pages (red flag). They are also typically found in strip malls with very little signage and dark windows (red flag). This is because they follow a strict set of guidelines set by Herbalife. If you go to the shops, you may have no idea they were operating under Herbalife unless you peeked behind the counter and saw a protein powder canister with the Herbalife label on it.
When you go to the shops, they typically offer protein shakes, teas, and energy bombs. They state that the products can “boost your metabolism” and help with “focus and concentration”. I will make a mental note to write a separate blog post about how statements like these are very misleading. The simple fact is that the shakes and teas sold at the shops are just different flavored powders mixed with water. Powders that are not regulated by the FDA, I might add. They will not “boost your metabolism” or anything of the sort.
The other crazy thing is that the goal of the shops isn’t to make money from selling the shakes and teas. In true pyramid scheme fashion, the goal is to recruit customers to also become distributors and to sell Herbalife’s products. Technically, the clubs aren’t allowed to sell the products because they are not retail stores, so they instead sell a Herbalife business opportunity to avoid legal hurdles (like getting a business license or staying up to the health code). And a vast majority of people that take this business opportunity fail.
What I recommend instead
Herbalife as a whole a no from me. Their products are not being sold to improve your health. And these nutrition clubs exist simply to shake you down to become an Herbalife distributor. You are better off spending your money on real food and support actual small businesses that don’t jump through legal hoops.
Spread the word about these shops by sharing this post with your friends, family, and coworkers. No need to shame them! Many people are unaware of Herbalife and their business practices.
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Disclaimer: this post is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.