Huel is one of the most popular meal replacement products. It's a powder that can be mixed into water or other liquids, and the brand describes their product as "nutritionally complete" and "the no-prep meal that doesn't compromise on your health."
But what's actually in Huel, and is it unhealthy? Are there any questionable additives? What happened in a clinical trial where participants could only use Huel as their source of calories for four weeks? And what was our Product Tester's experience trying Huel for a month?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Huel Powder v3.0 to give our take on whether or not this product is healthy.
We'll also review some of Huel's other products like Huel Black and Huel bars, explain which retailer has the best prices on Huel, and share our Product Tester's honest experience purchasing and trying Huel for a month.
Key takeaways:
- Contains some ingredients we consider to be unhealthy
- Clinical trial found Huel-only diet to be safe for at least one month
- We do not currently recommend Huel
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in the unsweetened and unflavored version of Huel Powder v3.0 are shown below:
Oats and flaxseed are relatively nutrient-dense and healthy ingredients.
One serving of Huel Powder provides 7 grams (g) of fiber according to the Nutrition Facts label, which is higher than most meal replacement powders we've reviewed, and fiber intake is associated with weight loss in medical research.
Pea protein and brown rice protein are the main protein sources in this blend, and each serving provides 30 g of protein, which is clinically shown to be a dose that supports optimal post-workout muscle protein synthesis.
Sunflower oil is a suboptimal choice in our opinion, as a clinical trial in animals found that sunflower oil may cause more DNA damage than olive oil due to its polyunsaturated fats.
Acerola cherry and kombucha tea powder are new additions to this formulation (not present in the previous v3.0 version that we evaluated).
These are both nutritious whole food ingredients, but it's challenging to determine any potential health benefits since the dose of these ingredients isn't published on the Nutrition Information page of the brand's website at the time of updating this article.
Niacin and vitamin B6 are part of a blend of synthetic vitamin and mineral additives.
While it makes sense for a meal replacement product to contain supplemental vitamins and minerals, to ensure that consumers who only use this meal replacement rather than eating whole foods get adequate levels of those nutrients, it may be suboptimal for some consumers who eat a regular diet and supplement outside of Huel.
As we referenced in our review of the Feel Great System (another diet program containing supplemental vitamins and minerals), taking high levels of supplemental vitamins and minerals without a documented deficiency may cause blood levels of those nutrients to increase to unhealthy levels.
As a few examples, a day's worth of Huel provides 220% of the Daily Value (DV) of iron, 144% of the DV of copper and 378% of the DV of molybdenum.
One benefit of this formulation is that it's free of unhealthy additive ingredients like artificial sweeteners and artificial flavors.
Sucralose, which is an artificial sweetener, is included in some flavored versions of Huel.
This ingredient was shown in a clinical trial published in the Nutrition Journal to have negative effects on blood sugar and insulin levels.
Overall, we do not consider Huel Powder v3.0 to be particularly healthy, but we don't consider it to be unhealthy either. Healthiness exists on a spectrum and this is a better formulation than most meal replacement products we've reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.
We Tested Huel
One of our Product Testers named Joshua Martinez tried Huel for a month. Here's his experience:
My Huel meal replacement came in a hefty bag similar to those used for mass gainers.
The scoop and quantities are very large, but when mixed with water, it doesn’t feel immediately satiating.
I tried the Chocolate flavor which is always my favorite protein/meal replacement flavor.
I only mixed this with water so it did have a watery and thin consistency, but I'm sure it would have a better consistency if mixed with milk. The flavor itself was consistent with any other chocolate flavored supplement, and quite good!
As far as product effects, the Huel meal replacement did the trick.
It helped me make the right decision during lunch times when I had the desire to snack. It does a really good job of being filling but also light. I did notice that I was hungrier at dinner time on days I did drink this during lunch.
At that point it’s all will power to not over-eat at dinner!
I think there could have been more protein with the calories for a single serving, but if you’re looking just to lose weight and curb appetite, this is perfect.
There were no side effects that I experienced during this test.
I would 100% purchase this product on my own, and overall, I would rate Huel 9/10.
What Happens if You Only Consume Huel?
A clinical trial published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal tested the effects of a Huel-only diet for four weeks.
Participants received full blood tests before the diet intervention, and another round of full blood tests after four weeks of eating Huel for every meal.
Blood levels of certain nutrients like iron, vitamin D, vitamin C and choline increased, while blood levels of other nutrients like potassium and manganese decreased.
Side effects were not reported in this study, which we find to be strange. We're unsure if this means there were no side effects, but in most clinical trials we've reviewed there is a section for side effects, even just to document that none occurred.
In our opinion, this trial suggests that Huel is relatively safe to use even as an exclusive calorie source for the short-term, but it did not prove that Huel improved overall health.
The researchers concluded:
"This study potentially demonstrates that consuming only Huel for 4 weeks does not negatively affect micronutrient status."
Other Huel Products Reviewed
Our ingredient analysis focused on Huel Powder v3.0 which appears to be the brand's most popular product. Here's our take on other Huel products:
Huel Black Edition: very similar formulation to Huel Powder.
The main differentiator is the macronutrient ratios, with Huel Black containing 50% fewer carbs and 33% more protein than Huel Powder.
From a health perspective, these macronutrient differences don’t really make a difference in healthy individuals. We don't believe that protein intake of 40 g per serving is necessary, but it's not harmful either.
Huel Black contains green tea extract which is an ingredient we recommend avoiding when the dose isn't listed (as it isn't in this product).
As we documented in our ProbioSlim reviews article, it's been shown in some clinical studies that green tea extract at high doses can cause liver damage. For this reason, we would recommend Huel Powder v3.0 over Huel Black.
Huel Ready-to-drink: comes in flavored versions and also contains added sugar. We consider this product line less healthy than Huel's powder formulations.
Huel Bars: contain flavoring agents and some contain added sugar, so again we would recommend Huel's powder products over these.
Huel vs. Popular Meal Replacement Shakes
Here's how Huel compares to other popular meal replacement brands in terms of potential effectiveness and healthiness, in our opinion:
Ka'Chava
Contains a significant dose of organic fruit and vegetable powder, which is clinically shown to have positive effects on the cardiovascular system.
More "natural," whole-food-based formulation overall.
Winner: Ka'Chava
Happy Viking
Contains a sweetener which is clinically shown to be associated with increased stroke risk, as we documented in our Happy Viking reviews article.
While Huel contains some ingredients we find unhealthy, it is free from any ingredients we consider potentially acutely dangerous.
Winner: Huel
Herbalife
Generally low-quality formulations.
Brand has settled with both the SEC and FTC over business practices, which is a red flag about the company's ethics as a whole.
Winner: Huel
Our Clean Meal Replacement Picks
MBG Whey Protein Isolate+ is our top meal replacement pick.
This protein powder is derived entirely from grass-fed animals, and whey protein is clinically shown to increase satiation and fullness in overweight and obese individuals.
Anthony's Organic Hemp Protein is our top vegan protein pick.
It's extremely nutrient-dense, providing 25% of the Daily Value (DV) of iron and 8% of the DV of potassium.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Huel Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Convenient
- Healthier than most meal replacement products we've reviewed
- Effective protein dose for muscle building
- Offers unflavored and unsweetened powder
- Decent fiber dose per serving
- Added two nutritious ingredients in new formulation
- Clinically tested
Cons:
- Expensive
- Sunflower oil may be less healthy than olive oil
- Contains synthetic vitamin additives
- Some flavored versions contain sucralose
