Can you taste the sweetners?

Hi everyone
I’m new to Huel and I wanted a sensible healthy meal replacement for after the gym / busy mornings.
I like to read about health and try to keep well informed so my brain says Huel is a good choice.
My tastebuds, however, didn’t get the memo!!

I bought Black Edition coffee caramel.
I chose BE because it has no sucralose.
I know sucralose doesn’t agree with me and for me it has a really overbearing taste.
But BE has steviol instead - not artificial so hopefully it won’t taste as awful and hopefully my gut won’t cramp like it does with artificial sweeteners.

First swig of it - thick but I expected that (I blended it last night and left it in the fridge ). I actually like the texture- satisfying. But urgh the taste - so artificial.

So I have a couple of questions for you all - is it just me? Anyone else find it tastes of sweetners?
And if so, did you find another BE flavour better?

I really don’t want to waste money on other flavours if they’re all going to taste of steviol.
It’s good value if you drink it all but it’s a very expensive sample size pack!
Maybe I go unsweetened (despite the warning from Huel that it tastes bad!)

Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks in advance

Hi Biscuit, sounds like it might be worth getting some unsweetened. Mix it in with the flavoured powders to reduce the sweetness to whatever level suits. I tried a 50:50 mix and it was good.

Stevia is well known for having a bitter / unpleasant aftertaste. Just because it originates from a plant doesn’t automatically mean it’s going to taste any better than something created in a lab. There are also different forms of Stevia. Stevia powder for example processes the leaves with lots of lovely chemicals and adds other stuff before the final product is complete. Green leaf powder on the other hand is dehydrated leaves which are then crushed. This is the most natural form but also has the bitter taste I mentioned. I don’t actually know what form of Stevia Huel Black uses. Maybe Dan can share?

Great post - i feel the sweetener taste is reduce when i mix mine with plant milk. I usually go for oat or coconut which goes down a treat with Huel.
Perhaps give that a try?

Thank you all for your input and suggestions.
I contacted customer service who have very kindly offered to send a different flavour. I’ve asked for unsweetened so I can try diluting the coffee caramel, or just go plain and add my own flavour and sweetness.
I’m really impressed with the customer service. Huel may not offer samples but if they’re willing to help if their products don’t meet expectations, then perhaps they don’t need to?
Anyway, I really appreciate the helpful kind community and I’m looking forward to continuing my Huel journey and experimenting with my own flavours.

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Hey Biscuit! Welcome to the forum :smiley: Hope you enjoy your stay!

Sorry to hear that BE Coffee wasn’t an instant hit, but glad to hear that you already reached out to the team who managed to help. Keep us updated on your journey, and make sure to let us know if mixing Coffee with U&U (Unflavoured & Unsweetened) has helped!

Alternatively, you could try adding instant coffee to it.

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I dislike the white Huel because of the sucralose. The black is fine and I have no issue with the stevia. If you’re not a fan then I agree that the unflavoured is a good option

I have found that adding powdered ginger effectively combats the stevia taste. Perhaps some other spices in addition for fun and variation.

I remember reading than many sweeter flavourings like cinnamon, vanilla etc will also neutralise Stevia bitterness.

Black Huel is a great choice with the addition of stevia.

Yes, the Stevia sweetener is horrible and ruins the flavour, plus the Black Edition texture is a bit slimy!

I disguise the artificial taste by adding mixed berries, or a banana, or an apple, or half an avacado. Do you think a little honey might help?

Likely some of us are more sensitive than others to certain tastes. I’ve never found any sort of aftertaste or bitterness or any notable difference between the sweeteners in any of the powders.

I’d avoid honey if you want to keep your Huel vegan, but a little maple syrup would be delicious.

Welcome to the forum, Nemo! Hope you enjoy your stay :grinning:

Sorry to hear that you don’t get on with the taste of stevia combined with coconut sugar. Have you thought about trying the Unflavoured and Unsweetened version of Black Edition? This might be a better option for you as you’re already blending your Huel with other goodies.

Alternatively, we have the original and Essential Powders, which are sweetened with Sucralose.

Do you mind me asking you about the “slimy” texture? I have heard all sorts of descriptions during my time at Huel, but slimy is not one I have heard of before.

Hello Dom,

Thanks for getting back to me.

I usually have Banana, Mixed Berry, or Vanilla flavour Huel, but thought that I would try the Strawberries and Cream. I was disappointed with it, because it doesn’t really taste like strawberries or cream, but does taste strongly of Stevia.
I do usually add extras, but hoped to be able to drink the Huel on its own. The Stevia and the ‘slippery’ or ‘silky’ texture, have put me off. It’s the Stevia in particular that I dislike, so will choose a different Huel in future. Not meaning to disrespect your product, it’s all about personal preferences isn’t it.
Oh, and there doesn’t seem to be a recycling symbol on the bags, so I was wondering about that. Are the bags recyclable?

Best wishes,

Heather