It’s touted as a nutritionally complete meal you can drink – but what’s actually in a serving of Huel? And is it actually any good for you?
Huel is a nutritionally complete meal replacement powder which is marketed as containing all the essential macronutrients, vitamins and minerals that people need in a single serving.
Since its launch in 2015, Huel – a portmanteau of ‘human’ and ‘fuel’ – has amassed a somewhat cult following, with the brand’s devotees loving the convenience of being able to whip up a nutritionally balanced meal in the amount of time it takes to shake a plastic bottle, or chomp down on one of their branded chocolate bars.
But it becomes considerably less appealing when you take a closer look at the ingredients list.
Guar gum, xanthan gum, medium-chain triglyceride powder and stabilisers are just some of the compounds found in the water-soluble powder. Even the more familiar ingredients do not sound particularly appealing, including pea protein, tapioca starch, faba bean protein and sucralose sweetener.
Aside from what’s in it, experts have raised other concerns – including if it is healthy to swap natural solid food for a diet that is based entirely on powder, even if it does contain ‘an ideal balance of protein, carbs, essential fats, fibre, and all the 26 essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to thrive’.
Furthermore, there have been reports of regular Huel users experiencing severe flatulence and debilitating gout – and warnings that the products aren’t suitable for people with eating disorders.
As founder Julian Hearn sells the company to Danone for £400m, we look at some of the biggest questions about Huel.
Each drink contains 400 calories and can cost as little as £1.60 per shake, £3.04 for a ready-to-go bottle and up to £74 for a bundle of products
Is a serving of Huel really as good as a meal?
People turn to Huel – and other meal replacement shakes – because they claim to eliminate the faff of prepping meals, help with weight loss and provide enough protein and fibre to keep you full – but one expert previously told the Daily Mail that they’re not the healthy choice many regard them to be.
Each drink contains 400 calories and can cost as little as £1.60 per shake, £3.17 for a ready-to-go bottle and up to £74 for a bundle of products.
Registered nutritionist Rob Hobson said: ‘This would be enough to provide the same amount of energy from a small or medium sized meal.
‘There is also sufficient carbohydrate, protein, and fat in this drink to constitute a meal and it has a good source of also has a good source of fibre as well vitamins and minerals.’
But Hobson suggests it should only be used as a ‘temporary measure’.
Sold in a variety of flavours, the bottled shakes contain about 20g of plant-based protein and 26 vitamins and minerals.
But there are some downsides to having an instant liquid dinner.
Although the shakes have a ‘great reputation’ and can make it easy for those trying to lose weight to track their calories, it’s not as good as eating food.
Hobson said: ‘None of these shakes will teach you how to eat a balanced diet (cooking, shopping for food, meal planning) though so I see them as a temporary measure and would say food should always come first.’
Furthermore, liquid meal replacement meals can prevent you from feeling full.
‘Chewing slows down the eating process which means the body has time to recognise it is being fed helping to increase fullness’, he said.
‘Chewing also activates the vagus nerve which has a role to play in appetite regulation signalling fullness to the brain.
‘That said, the nutritional content of this drink will help to keep you feeling full as the fat, protein and fibre will take a while to be digested, contributing to fullness.’
Are the artificial ingredients in Huel healthy?
Gary Frost, professor of nutrition and dietetics at Imperial College London, has described Huel as ‘totally processed food, totally manufactured.’
However, experts say this does not mean the shakes are unsafe.
Guar gum, for example, is regularly used in yogurts, cakes and sausages to give the food a firmer texture.
Medium-chain triglyceride powder is derived from coconut and palm kernel oils, and is often included in sports drinks and energy bars.
And stabilisers are regularly used to preserve food like dairy products, dressing and syrups.
But the combination of these ingredients may not be particularly appetising.
One Reddit user likened the taste of Huel’s Daily Greens shake, which was launched by Steven Bartlett, to ‘apple porridge with grass’. Others described the shakes as ‘gloopy’ and ‘overly sweet’. However, most experts agreed that the specific ingredients are not dangerous.
‘Whether you can live entirely off Huel is one thing, but I would not be concerned about the artificial nature of these ingredients,’ says Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, previously told the Daily Mail.
Huel, which is available as a powder or in ready-made shakes and energy bars, is designed for people ‘on the go’ who are too busy to prepare a normal meal
‘Yes they are highly processed, and I can see why people don’t like the taste, but there is no evidence that these compounds can cause you harm.’
Can you replace all your food with Huel?
On its website, Huel describes the powdered meals as a ‘balanced breakfast or lunch’.
However, in 2022, the firm funded a medical study in which 19 healthy men and women consumed only Huel for four weeks.
It concluded that participants not only got all the recommended nutrients they required, they also saw their cholesterol, blood sugar levels and weight reduce.
Huel also claims that the shakes – which come in a range of flavours, including banana, chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon swirl – have ‘173 health benefits’ including ‘reduced fatigue’, ‘heart health’, ‘muscle function’ and ‘hair, skin and nails’.
According to the NHS, the average man needs 2,500 calories a day, while the average women needs 2,000.
In the study, volunteers consumed enough Huel to meet these targets (each 100g of powder, the recommended serving, provides 400 calories – so men would have consumed six-and-a-half shakes while women needed five).
But experts warn that consuming large amounts of Huel could trigger health problems due to the product’s high protein levels.
The NHS recommends that, on average, men should consume 55g of protein and women 45g every day. Each standard serving of Huel contains 30g of protein, meaning that three servings is more than needed. Six servings would contain 180g.
Prof Kuhnle previously told the Daily Mail: ‘The main problem is that eating large amounts of protein over a long period of time may harm the kidneys. This is especially true for people who are already in the early stages of kidney disease.’
A spokesman for Huel said: ‘While some people choose to consume Huel exclusively, we do not actively recommend this.
‘There’s no evidence to suggest that healthy individuals with normal kidney function develop kidney issues as a result of high protein intake.’
‘Unsafe’ lead levels controversy
Last summer, the company were forced to assure customers that their products were safe after a report by US-based non-profit watchdog Consumer Reports Study found that Huel’s Black Edition protein powder had high levels of lead content, and should not be consumed.
Of 23 protein powders tested, Consumer Reports found more than two thirds contained more lead in a single serving than it regards safe for daily consumption, citing its own safety standards.
The consumer watchdog recommends that people consume no more than 0.5mcg of lead a day, while the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there is no known safe level of lead exposure.
Huel’s Black Edition is sold in both the UK and the US, and contains more protein and fewer carbohydrates
According to the report, Huel’s Black Edition contained more than 6mcg of lead per serving.
The official UK guidance currently states that people should not consume any more than 135mcg per day—270 times higher than California’s Proposition 65, which the report was based on.
The EU benchmark is even higher, at no more than 270mcg of lead a day.
The Black Edition is sold in both the UK and the US, and contains more protein and fewer carbohydrates for those seeking to up their protein intake to around 40g per meal.
And while their recipes are not identical, Huel confirmed that they are very similar.
Patterson added: ‘The UK and the US recipes are extremely similar and testing shows that lead levels are also almost identical.
‘Both are very low and well within recognised safety limits. We test our products regularly though accredited independent laboratories, and the results consistently confirm this
‘It is important to understand that the Consumer Reports approach reflects a uniquely cautious regulation rather than an internationally accepted measure of consumer safety.’
But speaking to the Daily Mail, William Patterson, Marketing Director at Huel UK, described the report as creating ‘unnecessary scaremongering’ as the researchers have used an ‘ultra conservative threshold’ for lead.
Patterson added that the company was extremely frustrated’ by these findings, stating that ‘Huel’s Black Edition is completely safe and meets all UK and EU food safety standards’.
Poisoning from lead occurs when the toxic metal builds up in the brain. Youngsters are significantly more at risk because their bodies and brains are still growing.
At high levels, lead poisoning can cause iron deficiency, damage to internal organs, and seizures.
Be prepared for some explosive results
Huel users have reported experiencing bowel problems. ‘My farts have become death incarnate,’ one Reddit user posted on the Huel forum.
Experts say this may be explained by the amount of fibre in Huel – 8g per portion. The NHS recommends people consume 30g a day of the nutrient, but research suggests that the majority of people in the UK do not get enough, meaning consuming Huel could lead to a sudden increase in fibre intake.
Huel recommends that people slowly build up their intake of the powder as the body needs time to adjust. ‘When it comes to fibre, one size doesn’t fit all,’ said Clare Thornton-Wood, a registered dietician. ‘People’s tolerance for fibre is different.’
According to Huel, it has sold over 300 million ‘meals’ worldwide since its launch in 2015
Surprisingly, experts say that people who are prone to the painful inflammatory condition gout should avoid Huel. This is because a high-protein diet typically contains large quantities of chemicals called purines. The body breaks down purines into uric acid – which research has shown to trigger gout attacks.
A 2019 study by Huel found that trial participants who used Huel as their sole source of nutrition for five weeks saw their uric acid levels increase.
It concluded that people who are susceptible to gout should ‘take caution’ before taking Huel and limit intake to ‘one or two meals or snacks per day’.
Beware if you have an eating disorder
Charities claim that meal-replacement drinks such as Huel could be unsuitable for people with eating disorders.
Umairah Malik from the charity Beat said that enforcing strict rules around food can be a sign that someone is developing an eating disorder. ‘Meal-replacement products like Huel could contribute to that slippery slope for somebody who’s already vulnerable,’ she said.
Huel claims its shakes can be consumed by individuals with anorexia or bulimia as a ‘useful source of complete nutrition’. But it recommends that individuals with eating disorders only use Huel after discussing it with a doctor or relevant clinician.
A Huel spokesman said: ‘Eating disorders involve a person’s relationship with food and are very individual. We respect that eating disorders are serious.’
Experts have also raised concerns about children taking Huel, which they believe could lead to unhealthy habits. Huel claims its products are safe for children over the age of four as part of a ‘balanced and varied diet’.
On its website, the firm sets out how much children can safely consume. For example, it recommends limiting seven- to ten-year-olds to no more than two-and-a-half scoops a day.
However, experts say giving children Huel in any amount is concerning, because it limits the amount of natural food they are exposed to. ‘It really worries me,’ said Ms Thornton-Wood. ‘We should be teaching children to cook, eat and enjoy food.’
A Huel spokesman said: ‘In no way does Huel encourage kids to consume Huel products. We agree, parents should be encouraging kids to get as many nutrients as they can from whole foods.
‘The website says Huel is safe from a nutritional perspective for kids older than four to consume, and we clearly include maximum amounts to ensure children are well within safe limits of all nutrients.’
