Meal replacement powders sound great in principle: a quick shake that will allow you to take on board nutrients and fuel in powder form so you can ‘eat’ healthily when time is limited due to unexpected work commitments, for example. This Huel review covers one of the better-known meal replacement powders that is also 100% plant-based (vegan).
Whilst trialling Huel when working in my previous office-based job, I was impressed that not only was I getting a good meal but I was actually getting more time to do other things when normally I would be munching away finishing a solid-food meal whilst juggling a work task.
In this review I cover my experience using the Huel meal replacement powder, including the taste, texture and overall cost of using this plant-based powder to replace some mealtimes.
We decided to trial Huel for a couple of weeks. I was personally interested in using it as a healthy complimentary meal, taken every other day during the work week, rather than a complete meal replacement. I enjoy the taste and texture of food too much to do a complete swap out.
Huel Review: What Is Huel?
From Huel’s marketing materials, “Huel is a nutritionally complete powdered food, formulated by a renowned nutrition expert to include the perfect balance of carbs, fat and protein and all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.”
You can replace all your food with Huel, but most people will only replace one or two of their meals.
It’s made from real food (Oats, Brown Rice, Pea, Flaxseed, Sunflower and MCTs from Coconut) which has been turned into a powder for convenience. The result is a surprisingly cost-effective, time-saving, environmentally friendly, simple, and humane (100% vegan) food.
Huel Review: Vanilla Huel and Flavor Sachet Taste
The regular powder we tried for this review is vanilla flavor, and the overall taste is pretty nice, inoffensive and easy to consume.
When provided with the samples of Huel’s powder, we were also sent a pack of extra flavour boost sachets designed to compliment the standard Vanilla Huel mix, to stop things getting boring.
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I added a ‘Pineapple and Coconut’ sachet to my first shake which I soon felt was a mistake. It added a very artificial and oversweetened taste to the meal.
I don’t fully understand why a product being sold as healthy and nutritionally complete would want to taint that notion by adding over-sweetened flavors. I know it makes sense from a business perspective to offer a wide range of flavor options which to may appeal to more people than just the standard vanilla.
It’s possible of course that since reducing my sugar intake I now notice it more when I do have it, so I’ll hold judgement on that. It would be worth you trying for yourself to see if you prefer to add flavours or not. The taste of the Vanilla mix was however really good on its own, so that’s how I drank it going forward.
Huel Meal Replacement Powder Texture
The Huel powder texture was really smooth and not too thick like some alternative products out there.
I suggest giving the mix a long shake to completely dissolve the powder, and then drink it all quite quickly after. This will keep the consistency of the mix from changing.
Huel Cost and Where to Buy
The cost may appear expensive upon first look, but that may be because you’re just seeing it as a bag of powder rather than what it actually is.
I see it as the opportunity to maintain a healthy diet when work doesn’t allow for it. It also buys you time, I can be done with a Huel meal in less than 5 minutes, which gives me more time to do other important things.
You can buy Huel at Amazon using the links below:
Amazon.com
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$45.99
17
new
from $43.00
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See Deal |
Natural Cocoa Huel Bar
“Huel Bars are a carefully crafted blend of gluten-free oats, peas, rice, flaxseed, coconut and sunflower, with a few extra ingredients to bind the bars together to stop them from being too dry.”
Although I actually found them to be quite dry, despite them being advertised as not, I really enjoyed the bars. They provided me with the energy to keep going in between a Huel lunch and a standard dinner.
I assume they are a little dry because they don’t contain fatty dairy products to hold them solidly together. I like that! The bars are also 100% Vegan and Gluten-free and have a delicious chocolate taste.
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Summary
We are always open minded to trying new approaches that allow us to help protect the environment, live clean, run free and ultimately be happier as a result of all these things. So it was a real pleasure trying Huel for a couple of weeks. We love the concept of complimenting our diets with this kind of powdered food and will continue to do so.
Why don’t you order your first pack, and see if it can help you streamline your lifestyle too? Don’t forget to add your free t-shirt and shaker at checkout.
If you have any questions about our time using Huel or anything relating to the products then please leave a comment below and I will reply as soon as possible.
I’ve been taking Huel for a couple of weeks and find it helpful in reaching my protein and calorie intake goals. I’ve been on the original white bag and while the taste isn’t going to blow you away its super nutritious profile will. I will have to try the black back down the road.