Can anyone help me out with explaining how much water I should drink on top of my Huel shakes? I’ve gone 100% Huel since Monday, and want to make sure I am drinking enough (I have headaches and trying to rule out dehydration as a cause).
I am currently consuming 4 Huel shakes a day, 100g mixed with 600ml water, and drinking 2.5 litres on top of that, surely that is more than enough?
The current IOM recommendation for people ages 19 and older is around 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women.
When I first started with Huel I used to feel thirsty after taking Huel which I was told was down to the fibre. I don’t get that feeling anymore.
Regarding hydration the colour of your urine is a good indicator of your hydration level.
Varies massively for me. I usually tend to have three and a half scoops regardless, but morning Huel with coffee will be 400ml of water, day time shakes 600ml to 700ml water.
Water with Huel doesn’t feel equal to water on its own for some reason, so I try to get about at least an extra litre of water on top of my four Huel shakes.
I constantly forget though, it’s harder than I expected to keep on top of.
Pinch of salt time… The left hand side of the pee colour chart is gives a rough guide; the right hand side is a little dangerous in the way it’s suggesting possible problems (I’ve lived with an internet hypochondriac who was in fact seriously ill). If it looks like any of the right hand colours, take a sample to your GP and let them work out why it’s that colour. The brownish orange is normal for me first thing in the morning, whereas I’ve known prescription drugs account for two other “abnormal” colours.
Yep. And a bit of foam every now and then doesn’t mean you’re dieing either.
I think that “let thirst be your guide” is excellent advice: make sure that you’ve always got a glass of water within arm’s reach. If your body doesn’t need it then you won’t find yourself reaching for it, and that’ll be fine. If the glass is empty then you know there’s some kind of not-quite-hydrated-enough signal being sent.
Thanks, that answers my question really, I can include the water in my Huel towards the ‘2.7 litres’. I might try adding a little salt to my shakes and see if it makes a difference. The headache isn’t as bad today but I’ve lost my appetite. As of 5.45pm I’m writing this having only had 200g Huel all day, and I’ve been in work (support worker, fairly active job) and to the gym but really don’t fancy a shake.
People recommend 2 litres but a gallon is ideal (4.5lt). Then you will start to drain of your bodies water weight
If you like your nutrition information resources to have a strong scientific basis, then see Dr Greger: https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/05/25/how-much-water-should-we-drink-every-day/.
Thanks, that was a great article.
Slice of lemon (and other fruit if you can) in your daily water drank through a straw to minimise tooth enamel breakdown is nature’s electrolyte drink. Water on its own can dilute your digestive enzymes so you get bloating, discomfort, pain. But, with a high fibre, high protein Huel drink, everyone is quick to point fingers whereas really it’s the difference in diet that needs other aspects of your diet adjusted to suit.
Digestive enzyme tablets and gluten free diet + GF Huel and infused water intake (helps avoid caffeine too) has helped me no end.
EFSA actually recommend 2litres for women and 2.5 for men - but it’s not really backed by anything. Unless you’re fairly active the more you drink will simply mean more trips to the toilet.
Get to know your body, drink when you’re thirsty and any time you’re experience symptoms of dehydration (like headaches), you’ll be fine.
Not sure if it will help you, but I found that I was low in electrolytes, and wasn’t actually absorbing my water well enough. I was drinking plenty, and just going to the bathroom plenty.
I bought some stuff (the three main brands I’ve used are DayLyte, HiLyte and LyteShow, although there are others), shake it up, put a few drops in your drink (usually about 45 drops per liter, adjust to your quantity) and drink. Doesn’t overly change the taste of your drink, but I find that I’m not as thirsty and when I drink a large amount, it doesn’t immediately flush out of me.
Now, I’m not a nutritionist, nor a doctor, and a sample size of one is not a valid study. But that’s my experience, if you’re interested…