The ingredients sound like the contents of an industrial paint stripper or a high-tech cancer drug. 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.
These are the contents of Huel, a ‘nutritionally complete meal in powdered form’ according to its creators. The product, 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.
According to Huel, a UK-based company, each portion contains ‘an ideal balance of protein, carbs, essential fats, fibre, and all the 26 essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to thrive’.
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’.
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
The company has funded a study, which found that people who consumed only its meals for a month got all the nutrients they required and even saw their health improve.
Huel has gained a number of celebrity endorsements, including from Dragons’ Den’s Steven Bartlett, who in the past has talked about carrying Huel with him ‘at all times’ so he can focus on his work instead of cooking. The 31-year-old entrepreneur and creator of the popular podcast The Diary Of A CEO, said: ‘It’s changed my life.’
According to Huel, it has sold over 300 million ‘meals’ worldwide since its launch in 2015. Its fans are so devoted that there are online forums where thousands of self-styled ‘Hueligans’ compare how long they have gone since eating normal food.
Some claim they have been ‘100 per cent’ on Huel for as long as three years.
But experts question whether it is healthy to swap natural solid food for a diet that is based entirely on powder.
There have been reports of regular Huel users experiencing severe flatulence and even debilitating gout.
Experts have also raised concerns that the shakes are not suitable for children or people with eating disorders such as anorexia.
However, others suggest that Huel can improve overall health and allow millions to access nutritious meals that are cheap and easy to prepare.
So what’s the truth?
We spoke to Britain’s top experts to find out what a diet of Huel can do to your body.
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.
According to the NHS, the average man needs 2,500 calories a day, while the average women needs 2,000.
Huel has gained a number of celebrity endorsements, including from Dragons’ Den’s Steven Bartlett, who in the past has talked about carrying Huel with him ‘at all times’ so he can focus on his work instead of cooking
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).
Some Huel devotees claim to have used Huel for many years.
‘I eat out once a month, but don’t store solid foods in my house,’ writes one member of a forum devoted to the Huel lifestyle on social media website Reddit.
Another claims to have eaten nothing but Huel, peanuts and milk for over two months. But experts warn that consuming large amounts of Huel could trigger health problems due to the 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.
Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, warned: ‘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.’
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.’
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’.
According to Huel, it has sold over 300 million ‘meals’ worldwide since its launch in 2015
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.’
Are these artificial ingredients healthy?
Gary Frost, professor of nutrition and dietetics at Imperial College London, describes 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.
Experts say 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 artifical nature of these ingredients,’ says Prof Kuhnle.
‘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.’
Children with the bowel disease Crohn’s are often put on a liquid diet by the NHS to reduce gut inflammation.
Millionaire who backs health fads
Huel is not the only health brand that Steven Bartlett has promoted.
In a January episode of Dragons’ Den, he chose to invest in a company selling £30 gold-plated ‘ear seeds’, which its founder claimed ‘helped to heal’ her chronic fatigue condition, ME.
Bartlett offered Giselle Boxer, from Sheffield, £50,000 for 12.5 per cent of her company Acu Seeds.
In a January episode of Dragons’ Den, Bartlett chose to invest in a company selling £30 gold-plated ‘ear seeds’
However, viewers complained that the ear seeds – which are tiny acupressure needles – are not backed by science.
Charities representing people with ME – short for myalgic encephalomyelitis – said there was no evidence that ear seeds helped combat the condition.
The BBC eventually pulled the episode from its online iPlayer service.
Following the episode, Ms Boxer said she was ‘working closely’ with Bartlett – who became a millionaire at 26 after selling his marketing firm Social Chain.
His brother Jason was also installed as director of Acu Seeds. However, a month later, official records show that he quit the company.
Representatives for Mr Bartlett did not respond to a request for comment.