A plant-based, complete meal in the form of meal replacement powder was a pipe dream that many brands had envisioned.

None had managed to pull it off convincingly though.

Then along came Soylent with their famed crowdfunding campaign that asked people to cough up money so that they could live with minimal reliance on food.

As unbelievable as it sounded initially, they managed to walk the talk and came up with the Soylent Meal replacement shake.

This gave them unprecedented dominance over the market in the United States.

Then, a bunch of brands thought, ’Hey, that’s a virgin niche. Let’s capitalize on it’ and jumped head-over-heels into the space.

With this, the customers got spoilt for choice and the race for dominance just got more aggressive.

But so far, only one brand has managed to even come close to Soylent.

That’s Huel.

The question that a lot of people ask is, which one of the two is better? Huel or Soylent?

If you use meal replacements, these are brand names that need no introduction.

If you don’t use them currently but are contemplating using them in the future, then this is a contest, the verdict to which you’d love to know.

Which meal replacement powder ticks all the right boxes nutritionally, taste-wise, and economically?

Let’s find out.

What is Huel?

Despite starting slow, with a nutrition-centric approach that’s different from its competition, Huel has fast become the buzzword for health foods in the UK.

At heart, it is a meal replacement powder that can be added to water to quickly churn out a nutritionally-complete, 100% vegan meal.

That’s the best way to describe it according to Julian Hearn, one of the founders of the brand who partnered with James Collier, a former clinical dietician for the NHS to come up with the formula.

It’s not a protein shake to be guzzled post-workout. It is not a weight loss tool either. It’s just a meal of sorts that you can enjoy at any time, anywhere.

And yes, for those of you wondering whether you can use this protein shake without working out, the answer is a big yes.

Although with the nutritional profile it boasts of, it can very well fit into both these categories.

Think of it like an easy, convenient way to fill your daily recommended dose of nutrients. This is what makes Huel stand out against other brands as you can see in this Jimmy Joy Vs Huel duel. 

If you are short on time, or you hate cooking, and you have been relying on greasy, artery-clogging junk, give Huel a shot.

All you need is the powder, a motivational water bottle with enough water, and a portable glass, and voila! You have quite the package for staying full on the go.

Not only are you getting everything that your body needs (well, almost) in a tasty, refreshing shake, but you will also save time and money.

In sync with the rising demand and to establish itself as a serious contender in the meal replacement space, Huel has recently launched its ready-to-drink shakes called Huel RTD.

In addition to this, it also offers breakfast cereals and flavor boosts which can be used to top their shakes, in case your taste buds crave for some flavor.

Another shake that I would recommend if you are looking for flexibility is Kachava since it allows you to whip up some delicious Kachava recipes, not to mention that there are also different flavors to choose from – mostly vanilla and chocolate. 

I mean, just look at all the positive Kachava reviews on their site. And even when we compared Kachava with Athletic Greens, Lyfe Fuel  or other alternatives, Kachava still held its own and proved to be worth every penny.

Enough digression. Now, what’s Huel up to…

What is their mission?

It is projected that almost 25% of men will be obese in the United Kingdom in 2021.

That has a lot to do with dietary habits based purely on convenience.

Takeaways have replaced planned, cooked healthy foods.

Calorie-crammed junk has become the de-facto choice for millions of men and women which only means that this statistic is going to worsen in the years to come.

Huel aims to provide these people with a healthier alternative without compromising on convenience.

The term Huel is a portmanteau of the terms ‘Human Fuel’.

It is one of the only brands that has delivered on all its claims and promises.

Each one of Huel’s meal replacement shakes and RTD shakes delivers a precise amount of carbs, fats, and protein along with the recommended daily amount (RDA) of all 26 vitamins and minerals.

The source of these nutrients? Ethically sourced, vegan, and plant-based.

Can it get any better?

What is Soylent?

Soylent is the brand that started it all.

It is one of the first (if not the first one) brands that designed a complete plant-based meal replacement powder and ready-to-drink shakes that deliver all the vital nutrients, vitamins, minerals, lipids, carbs, and protein that the body needs to maintain a healthy weight. (Depending on your current weight, TDEE, and body fat levels of course)

Each Soylent Shake contains 400 calories and 1/5^th of your RDA of Vitamins and Minerals. It’s this outstanding nutrient profile that stood out when we embarked on a journey to compare Soylent to its alternatives. Yes, we also compared Soylent to Ensure, and the former held up quite impressively.

Soylent’s idea is to replace all meals with five shakes to get to 2000 calories a day and 100% of the RDA of Vitamins and Minerals.

Sounds great in theory. But does it really work?

What is their mission?

You can check out Soylent on amazon by clicking here.

Soylent was formed by a group of software engineers led by Rob Rhinehart who spent hours clacking away on the keyboard in Silicon Valley, which left him with little or no time to cook a meal.

Naturally, they were reaching out for junk food more than they liked, just to satisfy hunger pangs and to keep the body functioning.

But the excessive dependence on Ramen and quesadillas (according to Rob) began to take a toll on his body and eventually his productivity.

That’s when he came up with the idea to create a healthier meal option that can be readied in minutes as opposed to an hour or more.

They then ran a crowdfunding campaign to raise $100,000 to create a quick meal that would essentially deliver everything that the body needed. (What about Pizza?)

Instead of the expected $100,000, they ended up raising $755,000.

Guess there are a lot of people who’d want to save time spent cooking meals.

That ideology is at the core of Soylent. It’s not really a meal replacement. Rather it’s just a convenient way to deliver the vital nutrients that the body needs.

Huel Vs Soylent – Which brand has better reviews? What are customers saying?

You can check out Huel on Amazon by clicking here.

It’s been close to 6-years since Soylent and Huel were launched.

The customer reviews for both these brands have been more or less positive with Huel having slightly better reviews than Soylent.

But if you are looking to select one of these on the basis of these reviews, you might want to understand that both these brands may not be catering to the same target audience.

Let’s take Huel for example. The brand has been formed with nutrition and good health in mind. The founder aims to provide people with a better alternative to junk food while (and this is a common goal for Kachava, Shakeology, and other healthy shakes) also offering its users enough protein servings.

Sounds like a great idea for me since I need enough protein for muscle growth, but in general protein powders are quite expensive – so yes, it’s a win-win for me. 

Then there’s Soylent, which aims to provide people with a quicker alternative to food. The founder himself has mentioned numerous times that he considers food to be a serious waste of time and money that we are so deeply dependent on.

And to be quite frank, I totally agree.

Rather than wasting time cooking meals, why not just ingest the chemical components that deliver what our bodies need?

Huel vs Soylent – What are the differences?

Despite being grouped into the same category of products (Meal replacements), Huel and Soylent are as different as chalk and cheese.

Huel

Uses plant-derived ingredients that are ethically sourced, Non-GMO, and 100% vegan. Their carbs, protein, fats, and other essentials are derived from oats, pea protein, flaxseed, brown rice protein, sunflower, and medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconuts.

Soylent

Soylent on the other hand also uses plant-derived ingredients making it perfect a perfect shake for people with sensitive stomachs. But they are not Non-GMO, since they believe that GMO products define the future of the agriculture industry.

The macronutrients are primarily sourced from soy protein isolate, high oleic sunflower oil, isomaltulose (slow-absorbing sugar that can be sourced from beet), and essential vitamins and minerals.

Apart from the meal replacement powders, both brands have also ventured into other ready-to-consume products like breakfast cereals, nutrition bars, and even a granola bar.

Not to say you can’t use both of these as healthy meal rep shakes for breakfast, they work just as fine. These other treats are meant to offer more versatility to cater to more people’s needs.

Huel vs. Soylent – Which Taste Better?

How appealing are these shakes for your taste buds?

Huel’s Shakes

I’ll be the first to tell you that Huel offers some of the most delicious flavors that I have ever tasted from a meal replacement shake. I would even go as far as to say that Huel is a close 2nd to Kachava (you can see why Kachava is my all-time favorite in this Kachava review) when it comes to a delicious-tasting meal replacement.

I mean it’s legit and just that good.

I compare Kachava and Huel side by side in my recent post here. 

If you are not looking for flavor-engorged meal replacement then you can opt for Huel’s original formula.

Huel’s original formula is flavorless, or as they call it devoid of any flavor. It’s perfect for people who are looking to use the powder for smoothies to just get their daily dose of nutrients or want to mix it with something else or just care a hoot about the flavor.

However, if you don’t fancy gulping down a flavorless, thick liquid lunch, Huel offers flavor boost sachets which add some much-needed (in my opinion) flavor to the shakes.

Huel’s delicious flavors:

• Vanilla
• Chocolate (soooo good)
• Gingerbread
• Chocolate Cherry
• Banana
• Strawberry
• Berry
• Mocha (sooo good)
• Mint-Chocolate (soo good)
• Apple Cinnamon
• Pumpkin Spice
• Salted Caramel (so good)
• Peanut Butter flavors.

You can check Huel’s Flavors out on Amazon by clicking here.

There’s no dearth of choice and these taste delicious.

In addition to this, Huel also offers ready-to-drink shakes in Vanilla, Coffee, and Nuts and Seeds flavors.

The meal replacement powders mix pretty well if you use Five parts water.

There are no lumps of undissolved chunks of powder even if you use a handheld shaker to mix up your drink.

Soylent’s Shakes

Soylent has a very unique taste to their ready-made shakes. I have to first say that taste is totally subjective so your opinion will obviously be different than mine. But if I were to describe Soylent’s flavors to you I would describe them as sweet yet mild.

I have tried all of Soylent’s flavors and I honestly like them all. All of the flavors are perfect for morning, especially their coffee flavors.

Do I like the way Soylent taste more than I do Huel? Their Cacao and Mint chocolate flavor, I do.

Soylent’s flavors in order from my favorite to least favorite are:

• Cacao
• Mint Chocolate
• Chai
• Cafe Vanilla
• Coffiest
• Original

Soylent’s original flavor is very mild, almost like unsweetened milk. Unsurprisingly, this is the least popular in its range. It is the cacao flavor that is most popular.

The Ready to drink liquid meals are available in Cacao, Original, Vanilla & Mint Chocolate.

You can check out Soylent on amazon by clicking here.

Huel vs. Soylent – Cost

Does replacing your afternoon lunch or evening dinner with one of these shakes really save you money?

Cost of Huel

Here’s Huel’s most updated pricing chart.

Meal replacement powders

Huel’s meal replacement powders are priced reasonably cheap per meal if you place a minimum order of 2 bags, which contain enough powder to last you for quite a long time.

Ready-to-drink shakes

The ready-to-drink bottles are priced slightly higher per bottle and you need to place a minimum order or 12 bottles. This is still ridiculously cheap when you consider the fact that you are replacing a meal that would cost quite a bit more and you are getting much more nutrition from this.

Flavor boost sachets

Flavor boosts are priced cheaply as well.

The more you order, the lower the price. You can subscribe for monthly repeated orders which gives you a 10% discount on the order total.

Soylent is slightly cheaper as compared to Huel.

Cost of Soylent

Here’s Soylent’s most recent pricing.

Meal replacement powders

The meal replacement powders are priced at a bit cheap than Huel’s are and they do offer a slight discount. If you subscribe for repeated deliveries, you get a 5% discount and which means you are paying next to nothing for your meals.

Ready to drink

The ready-to-drink meals are also priced slightly lower than Huel’s if you order a case of 12 bottles. If you subscribe you also still get the discount for the read-to-drink meals and this also allows you to pay next to nothing for your meals.

Soylent Bridge

Soylent bridge is one of their newest offerings. It is like a ready-to-drink brunch or mid-day snack and clocks 180 calories in a pack. This one is priced right in between their ready-to-go drinks and their meal replacement powders.

You can check out Soylent on amazon by clicking here.

Soylent vs Huel – Which is better for what?

Both brands have time and again emphasized that they are not to be mistaken as protein shakes or weight loss shakes.

But the semblance to both these products is unmissable. And that’s a target audience overlap that they cannot ignore.

If you are looking at these products with a specific fitness goal in mind, then here’s what you’d like to know.

Which is better for weight loss?

Both these meal powders deliver approximately 400 calories a sachet. Neither comes with appetite suppressants or metabolism boosters though. So the only way that you’d be able to lose weight with these is if you can create a calorie deficit.

If your daily calorie intake to lose weight is 1800, stick to four and a half meals. As simple as that. You’d not be missing out on any vital nutrients.

On a side note, Huel has a detailed fat loss guide available on their website for users who want to lose weight with it. But the best way to make the best of these for anyone bent on achieving weight loss, reducing belly fat, or just getting fit naturally would be to include some exercises in their routine.

This should speed things up and be practical in the long term.

Which is better for people who weight train?

Let’s look at the macronutrient breakdown for both of these products.

Huel – Best For Lifting Weights and Strength Training

Huel’s meal replacement powders on the other hand contain 30% Protein, 40% Carb and 30% fat. The ready-to-drink beverages contain 42% Fat, 20% Protein, and 38% Carbs.

The meal replacement powders with higher protein content and lower fat content are better-suitable than Soylent for bodybuilding. 

You can check out Huel on Amazon by clicking here.

Soylent – Best for Staying Fit & Cardio Training

Soylent’s meal replacement shakes and ready-to-drink shakes are low in sodium, and contain 20% protein, 35% carbohydrates & 45% fats. The fat percentage is a bit higher than Huel although the fats contained in it aren’t as nasty as those in junk foods.

You can check out Soylent on amazon by clicking here.

Which is better for maintaining weight?

With almost identical macronutrient profiles and calories, both products can be used in multiple ways to maintain a healthy weight without losing out on vitamins and minerals.

However, if you look at the fine print, with the non-GMO ingredients as well as the healthier protein sources, Huel seems to be the healthier choice for regular use.

Which is better for Men?

We’d go with Huel over Soylent primarily due to the high levels of Soy Protein, which we aren’t too fond of despite it being a complete protein source. Huel on the other hand uses Whey, which in our opinion is a better pick of the two.

Which is better for Women?

If you are okay with using GMO ingredients, then Soylent may hold the edge due to the above-mentioned reason. It in no way means that Huel isn’t a good option for women. It’s a great choice.

You may also want to consider the macronutrient profile and select one that fits your goals.

Huel Vs Soylent – Verdict

All said and done, if you are considering replacing one or more of your meals with a meal-replacement powder, we recommend Huel over Soylent.

It tastes better, has more flavors, uses Non-GMO ingredients and uses healthier sources of the macros. Although if you are on a tighter budget and want to save a few bucks then Soylent is going of the best alternatives to Huel’s meal replacements if not the best.

You can check out Soylent on amazon by clicking here.

What are your thoughts on Huel and Soylent?

Recommended & Related Readings:

• Huel vs Athletic Greens
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• Stopped Working Out For a Year: Here Is What Happened