Meal Replacement: Dump Food. Fuel Up — Get It Done

What's the point in cooking? What's the point sitting about eating? None. A waste of life. Get all the nutrition you need in one shake!

Jul 29, 2025

This is a DOKOLOGY report on food and diet… key reading for those into Human 2.0. upgrades to the bio-machine.

Back in around 2015 I came across Rob Rhinehart, who had been blogging (from 2013) about building a DIY meal formula. He saw food as an engineering problem.

Made sense to me.

Rhinehart was building what he later commercialized as Soylent, which became a VC-funded meal replacement brand in the U.S.

Rather than pricey imports of Soylent I checked to see what was available in the UK, and found a startup called Huel. Same idea. Food and eating is outdated. You upgrade your phone every couple of years. But diet hasn’t changed significantly for hundreds of thousands of years.

And take your house? The kitchen is a waste of space. You don’t need one if you upgrade your nutrition habits.

Add to that time saved by cutting out outdated modes of eating, and you get more done.

See what you think. Would you dump traditional food for futuristic variants?

Below I look at Huel and other brands of meal replacement, breaking them down, pros and cons.

🔍 1. Huel Complete Meal — Overview

What it is:
Huel (short for "Human Fuel") is a nutritionally complete meal replacement product from the UK. Available in powders, ready-to-drink bottles, and bars. Popular among techies, biohackers, and busy professionals.

✅ Pros of Huel

Nutritionally complete: Balanced macros (carbs, fats, proteins) + 26 vitamins & minerals.
Plant-based: Vegan, made with oats, pea protein, flaxseed, coconut oil, and sunflower.
Convenience: Quick to prepare; powder or ready-to-drink.
Low GI: Slowly released energy—stable blood sugar.
Cost-effective: Per-meal cost is lower than buying whole ingredients or eating out.
Sustainable: Environmentally conscious ingredients, low carbon footprint.
Black Edition (your probable choice): Lower carb, higher protein (pea + rice), no artificial sweeteners.

❌ Cons of Huel

Taste and texture: Some users find it chalky or bland (though flavours have improved).
Pea protein: Can cause bloating/gas in some people.
Processed: While nutrient-dense, it's still a processed product.
Not satisfying for everyone: Some people psychologically miss chewing real food. (Luddites, anyone!)
Artificial additives: Sweeteners, gums, and synthetic vitamins can be off-putting to purists.
Digestive issues: Some report flatulence or indigestion—especially early on.

🔬 2. Are Huel’s Scientific Claims Valid?

Generally yes. Huel provides:

Complete amino acid profile
Essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and 6 in correct ratio)
Recommended daily intake of all key vitamins & minerals

The company is transparent about its nutrition facts and has peer-reviewed backing for its formulation philosophy. However:

Bioavailability varies: Not all nutrients are absorbed equally from synthetic sources.
Individual needs differ: One size doesn’t fit all. What’s “complete” on paper may not suit your biology, age, or activity level.

🔁 Alternatives to Huel — Pros & Cons

Here’s a snapshot of the leading alternatives:

🧠 Which One to Choose?

If you're looking for:

Fuel with minimal effort: Huel Black or Ready-to-Drink
Gut health + protein: Ample or LyfeFuel
Taste + indulgence: Ka’Chava or Mana
Budget + Europe-based: Jimmy Joy
DIY Hacker ethos: Soylent (though it's more mainstream now)… I’d go for Soylent myself to vary it up, but not available in the UK, save as more costly import.

🔧 My Ideal Stack

Primary: Huel Black Edition (for clean fuel, high protein, fewer carbs)
Supplement: Real food or nutrient-dense broth 1x per day to round things out
Occasional: LyfeFuel or Ka’Chava as variation when traveling or pushing the envelope

✅ Huel at a Glance

Founded: 2014 concept; product launched 2015
Founders: Julian Hearn (marketing/tech entrepreneur), James Collier (nutritionist)
Global reach: Europe (from 2016), U.S. (from 2017), now in 80–100+ countries
Leadership: James McMaster as CEO since late 2017
Scale: Tens of millions of meals sold annually; rapidly expanding product line