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Huel Shake Review 

Want “real food”? 

Huel Powder may be your perfect fit.

Although a newer brand that was established in 2015, Huel Powder has grown quickly. It offers nutrition shakes with a complete amino acid profile, all 27 essential vitamins and minerals, and plant-based ingredients that leave you feeling satisfied and nourished. 

It comes in a variety of tasty flavors or you can choose the unflavored and unsweetened variety to use in cooking or blend into smoothies.

Read on to learn all about Huel Powder shakes and whether they’d be a good fit for you.

Huel Taste

Huel Powder has a subtly sweet taste regardless of which flavor you select. According to many of its fans, it has an acquired taste that you have to adjust to since it does not have an overpowering sweetness like many nutrition shakes. The closest comparable taste seems to be semi-sweetened oats or oatmeal.

Read some of Huel Shake’s five-star reviews on Amazon: [1]

• “Yes! This meal replacement shake is perfect for measuring my calories and tastes tolerable by itself. I tried this starting by replacing breakfast and lunch the first day which was a mistake. I’ve now worked my way up to eating it for two meals a day with no rumbling stomach or dashes to the bathroom.” – Amazon Customer
• “THIS STUFF IS DELICIOUS! If you can tolerate semi-sweetened oatmeal, the texture and flavor won’t bother you. My initial reaction was a genuine natural feeling of nourishment. I mixed 1 serving with unsweetened coconut & almond milk blend, and I am hooked.” – JT 
• “I’m a huge fan of Huel! I eat it every day for breakfast and my boyfriend quickly followed suit after trying it. It has a very mild flavor, in fact upon first tasting it I actually didn’t care for it and thought it tasted like flour and water. However, after a short adjustment period, I acquired a taste for it and now I absolutely love it and can appreciate its mild sweetness.” – Jamesy 

Huel Flavor

Huel Powder offers both classic and innovative flavors. Since their launch with the original-flavored powders, they’ve expanded their selections and seem to add new flavors regularly!

• Banana – most popular 
• Vanilla – most popular
• Peanut butter
• Salted caramel – new
• Chocolate
• Berry
• Original
• Unflavored & unsweetened
• Caffe latte – new

Overall, there is a flavor for everyone regardless of your palate. If you know that Huel Powder offers a flavor you’ll like, read on to learn about its nutrient profile!

Huel Calories

Each Huel Powder nutrition shake contains 400 calories. Compared to many nutrition beverages, Huel is higher in calorie content. However, keep in mind that Huel Powder is intended to be a meal and not just a protein shake! This means that you wouldn’t need to add any other ingredients to Huel.

For an estimate on how many calories to consume in a day, you can check out USDA’s MyPlatePlan or consult a registered dietitian. [2] If you’re looking to lose weight, you would need to cut back on some calories. Huel Powder can help with supporting your weight loss goals since it’s lower in calories than a meal.

Calories can come from three macronutrients: fat, protein, and carbs. Let’s break down each of the macronutrients and review the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Fat

There are 13 grams of total fat in a Huel Powder shake. Out of the total, 2.5 grams come from saturated fat, less than 0.5 grams from trans fat, 8 grams of polyunsaturated fats, and 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fats.

This fat content likely comes from the MCT oil and sunflower oil ingredients. Sunflower oil is a good source of unsaturated fats, while MCT oil contributes to saturated fats. However, MCT oil is unique in that it is highly absorbable and digestible. [3]

For optimal health, authorities recommend limiting your intake of saturated fats while increasing your intake of unsaturated fats to support your blood cholesterol. [4]

Huel Total Carbohydrates (Carbs), Sugar & Sweeteners

Total Carbohydrates

There are 46 grams of total carbohydrates in one serving of Huel Powder. This may seem like a high value, but consider that you can enjoy Huel Powder as a standalone meal without anything else added to it. It contains about 3 carb servings or exchanges, so it would be suited for individuals living with diabetes as well.

The sources of carbs in Huel Powder are oats (majority of the carbs), maltodextrin, and tapioca starch, in addition to some other ingredients for fiber and sweetening.

Dietary Fiber

There are 7 grams of dietary fiber in a Huel Powder shake. The primary sources of fiber are oats and flaxseed, which may help you feel fuller, have more regular stools, and lower your blood cholesterol levels. [5] In addition to the dietary fiber content, this shake contains probiotics to help support digestion.

Added Sugars

There is 1 gram of added sugar in a Huel Powder nutrition shake, which is fairly low for a meal. Health authorities recommend keeping added sugars to less than 10 percent of your total intake.

Natural & Traditional Sweeteners

There are no natural sweeteners in Huel Powder. It is sweetened with sucralose, which is approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and tastes a lot sweeter than sugar. [6] 

Huel Powder also contains some maltodextrin, which is a carb source that is often used alongside sucralose as a synthetic carbohydrate.

Using products that contain non-caloric sweeteners can help you cut back on your calorie intake and support weight loss. However, many people choose to limit or avoid artificial ingredients including traditional sweeteners for a variety of reasons, so whether you like or dislike the sucralose in Huel Powder is a lifestyle choice that’s up to you.

Huel Protein

Each Huel meal replacement shake contains 30 grams of protein in just two scoops. Compared to other nutrition shakes, Huel is high in protein content, which makes it perfect for anyone who has higher than average protein needs!

If you’re looking to lose weight while maintaining lean body mass or partake in regular physical activity, protein can help you retain muscle and help recover from workouts. [7]

Huel Powder consists of protein from pea protein, brown rice protein, flaxseed, oats, and MCT powder. Although many plant-based nutrition shakes are incomplete in their amino acid profile, Huel contains all amino acids that are blended together to help you meet your needs.

They’re also very transparent about exactly how many amino acids go into the powder. See the full breakdown below.

Huel Vitamins and Minerals

Huel Powder contains all 27 essential vitamins and minerals that you’d need to consume in a day. Most of these micronutrients are naturally occurring from its plant-based ingredients, but some ingredients that are added.  

Here’s a full breakdown of all the vitamins and minerals in one serving:

If you’re replacing or supplementing a meal with Huel Powder, you likely won’t need to take a multivitamin since it’s a rich source of most micronutrients! 

Of course, be sure to get the remainder of your micronutrients from food sources like whole grains, lean meats, fruits, and veggies to meet your daily needs in addition to drinking Huel.

Huel Ingredients

Huel Powder contains many different ingredients as these shakes are intended to be full meal replacements. 

• Protein: Oats, Pea Protein, Ground Flaxseed, Brown Rice Protein
• Flavor: Natural Flavor
• MCT & Other Oils: Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Sunflower Oil Powder
• Vitamin & Minerals: Acerola Cherry Powder, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Nicotinamide, D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Lutein, Lycopene, Calcium-D-Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Retinyl Acetate, Zeaxanthin, Menaquinone-7, L-Methylfolate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D2, Plant Derived Vitamin D3, Cyanocobalamin
• Fillers for Texture: Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Lecithin Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum
• Sweetener: Sucralose
• Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans MTCC 5856, Kombucha Tea Powder

The high-quality sources of protein along with probiotics are the highlights of Huel Powder! Aside from these ingredients, Huel does contain a lot of fillers, a traditional non-calorie sweetener, and a “natural flavor”, which all seem unnecessary when you have a solid foundation.

Huel Allergens and Warnings

According to the nutrition label, Huel Powder contains coconut. If you’re allergic to coconuts, you may want to look for a different nutrition shake.

Most individuals can safely consume Huel as a whole food replacement. However, Huel is not suitable for individuals with eating disorders, phenylketonuria (PKU), inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, inborn errors of metabolism related to glycogen storage disorder, or children under the age of 4. 

Additionally, individuals who are pregnant or lactating are encouraged to check with their doctor before adding Huel to their regimens.

Read on to learn about this product’s key claims.

Key Health and Marketing Claims 

Huel’s packaging is very clean, so there are few claims on the label itself. However, its marketing claims offer a differentiated niche compared to other nutrition shakes. 

Also, for individuals with celiac disease, they do offer some gluten-free varieties of their powder.

• Made from real food

This claim is somewhat true. There is no standard definition for what makes up “real food”. We could assume that this is referring to whether an ingredient is artificial or natural. Although the protein sources, probiotics, and MCT oil could be considered “real food”, many of the artificial ingredients and fillers aren’t natural by any means.

• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

This claim is true. Unlike many of the meal replacement shakes that consist of animal-based proteins like whey or casein, the protein sources (and all other ingredients) in this nutrition shake are plant-based.

• Low Glycemic Index (GI)

This claim is true, but not necessarily helpful. Everyone responds differently to different types of carbs, and the amount of carbs in a meal is just as important to consider in addition to the glycemic index number. In Huel Powder’s case, the GI value is 27, which is considered very low.

Price

At the time of this review, Huel Powder is available for $112.99 for two pouches, which contain a total of 7.7 pounds. This is roughly equal to $4.03 per serving.

This price isn’t bad considering that Huel Powder is intended to be a whole meal replacement. However, when compared to some of the top-rated shakes on this website, the price is a little steep for the average individual.

The product is much cheaper on the manufacturer’s website at $65 for a pouch that contains 17 servings. This equates to about $3.82 per serving and you can get more savings by buying in bulk!

Ways to Enjoy Huel Powder

Huel Powder is intended to be a real meal and doesn’t need too many other ingredients mixed with it, unlike protein powders. But, some fun ways to enjoy it could include:

• Mix the unflavored varieties into soups and sauces.
• Blend with ice and cold water to drink on its own.
• Make a smoothie with Huel Powder, a plant-based dairy source like oat milk, and some fruits and greens to make it more nutritionally complete.

Company Information

Huel Powder was created in 2015 by founder Julian Hearn, who set on a mission “to make nutritionally complete, convenient, affordable food, with minimal impact on animals and the environment.” [8]

The name Huel comes from a mix of the two words “human” and “fuel”. It’s intended to be a nutritionally complete food that contains all essential vitamins and minerals and plant-based sustainable ingredients.

In a society that values convenience but doesn’t prioritize nutrition, Huel wanted to provide a product that could provide healthy, sustainable meals. It’s backed by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, who also contributed to the formulation.

Huel’s team members are called “Hueligans” and the company seems to have a heavy focus on its culture and employees. Although it’s a relatively new company, it seems to have built up a solid base of fans.

The Bottom Line

Huel Powder is offered in a variety of flavors and has a subtle taste that many of its fans appreciate. 

Overall, it’s a product with a decent nutrition profile – it contains plant-based protein, probiotics, and essential vitamins and minerals. However, Huel could do without some of its filler ingredients to truly differentiate as the real food company.

For just $4.03, you can add Huel Powder to your daily regimen to replace a meal. If you’re looking for a plant-based meal replacement solution, Huel Powder may be a good fit for you. 

Be sure to compare Huel to some of the other nutrition shakes on this website.

References

[1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B5F4RJ7/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07QRVRBSM&linkCode=as2&tag=dsr02-20&linkId=62935b52e7ceecf1882352205306f44b&th=1#customerReviews

[2]  http://www.choosemyplate.gov/resources/MyPlatePlan

[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29263011/ 

[4] https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/03/skinny-fat

[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9925120/

[6] https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/high-intensity-sweeteners

[7] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-Consumer/

[8] https://huel.com/pages/about-us