Frequently asked questions

You can buy Ensure Powder through most pharmacies without a script. If your local pharmacy does not stock Ensure Plus Strength on shelf please ask them to order it in for you, or call our Customer Service team on 1800 225 311.

Ensure Powder can be enjoyed as a convenient milkshake-style drink. To prepare a single serve (230 mL), put 195 mL of cold water or milk into a glass. Gradually add 6 level scoops (53.8 g) of Ensure Powder, using the enclosed scoop and stir well, mixing until dissolved. Your Ensure health shake is ready for you to enjoy.

Ensure Powder can also be added to your favourite recipes. Check out some of our recipes using Ensure.

Opened cans of Ensure Powder should be covered and stored in a cool, dry place, but NOT refrigerated. Store unopened cans at room temperature. Once opened, use the contents of the can within three weeks.

Reconstituted Ensure (once it has been prepared into a health shake), should be used straight away or covered, refrigerated and used within 24 hours.

Each serving of Ensure Powder contains 8.6 g of protein.¹ This is about 19% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for women aged 19 to 70 years and 13% RDI for men.²

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat 2–3 serves of protein containing foods each day to maintain the recommended levels of protein.³

If you think you may not be getting enough protein through your diet, or with the help of Ensure, speak to your healthcare professional.

Each serving of Ensure Powder contains 242 mg of calcium.¹ This is about 25% of the recommended dietary intake of calcium for men and women aged 19–50 years.²

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend adults consume 3.5–4 serves of calcium-rich foods – milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives (mostly reduced fat) – each day.³ These foods are high in calcium and are also a rich source of protein, vitamins and other minerals.³

If you think you may not be getting enough calcium through your diet, or with the help of Ensure, speak to your healthcare professional. They will be able to advise you on how to improve your calcium intake, and recommend a calcium supplement if required.

Ensure Powder has been carefully formulated to offer a complete, balanced source of nutrition.¹ It contains important nutrients, high quality protein and healthy fats. It also contains 28 essential vitamins and minerals important for the health of our bodies.¹

Ensure Powder is nutritionally complete, balanced and is a Food for Special Medical Purposes. It is suitable as a sole source of nutrition, used under the supervision of a healthcare professional.¹

Ensure Powder is designed for people without diabetes. If in doubt, discuss Ensure Powder with your healthcare professional

Another Abbott Nutrition product, Glucerna^®, is specifically designed for people with diabetes, as it contains a blend of more slowly released carbohydrates to help minimise blood glucose response.^4,5

Under Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, Ensure Powder is classed as low lactose, as it contains no more than 2 g of lactose per 100 g. Generally, those with lactose intolerance can manage small amounts of lactose.⁶ The amount of lactose that individuals with lactose intolerance can consume without experiencing symptoms varies from person to person. If you are concerned advice should be sought from your healthcare professional.

Ensure Powder should not be consumed by people with galactosaemia.

Ensure Powder is gluten free which means it contains no detectable gluten at a limit of quantification of 5ppm.⁶

Yes, different fruits can be added to Ensure shakes to make a fruit-flavoured smoothie or shake. Fruits tend to be high in certain essential vitamins and minerals and can contain a moderate number of kilojoules depending on the amount used. Adding fruit can increase the vitamin, mineral and total calorie content of the shake.

If milk is added to Ensure Powder instead of water, the nutritional profile of the resulting shake will be different than the product label. If using cows milk, the resulting shake will also no longer be suitable for people with lactose intolerance.

Please note that when cooking or freezing Ensure there may be minor loss of some nutrients.