Huel: 1 Week In

Experiences
1

Good Afternoon Friends,

I have been on this voyage for some time now, ever since I had a friend who works as a Flight Attendant bring back a week’s supply of Soylent back when it first started up. Unfortunately I couldn’t realistically have him bring back a month’s supply each every month, and Soylent - still - don’t ship outside the US.

Some time after I found MANA, which personally I found to be very satisfying with a very nice flavour and texture. But, the environmentalist in me constantly grappled with the dilemma of trashing a 60ml plastic bottle each day, even if they were recyclable!

Then I found Huel, and surely my prayers were answered! Oils incorporated, NO bottle waste! Large packets rather than daily, even less trash! Native to the UK, meaning using our nutritional and food standards, and NO additional air miles! A dream come true!!

On top of this, the ordering process was fantastic, simple and quick, ultra fast delivery with time slot and GPS tracked courier delivery! Superb! Cannot fault. :slight_smile:

However… and I’m sorry guys, because I really want to sing your praises here, but personally I find the taste to be… horrible. :frowning:
As in, sickeningly sweet. I’m not saying I couldn’t keep it down, but I definitely felt queasy after each ‘meal’

For a company to invest in so much research, ditch maltodextrin and source all-natural alternatives, providing a complete and natural product, it astounds me that artificial sweeteners have been used!! Also I saw no mention of this on the ingredients list on the website when looking into it pre-purchase, or on the packets after they arrived!

I tried mixing with coffee as others who have experienced the same suggested, which helped, but I’ve always had my coffee black without sugar or sweeteners, so it still tasted… off.
Lately I’ve been mixing with Cayenne pepper which seems to balance it out quite nicely, but the whole point is to be a subtle plain flavour so that seems a bit of an oxymoron? Plus I can’t shift the thought that I’m still ingesting all this artificial sweetener. :frowning:

I see from other posts that a non-artificially sweetened version is in the pipelines, well, please please tell me this is due soon? I really want to become a long-term customer of Huel but this single point is a huge issue for me.

Once the new version is available, is there any recourse for me to exchange any unopened packets I have left for the same number of unsweetened??

Come on guys, I’m with you here, you’re doing great but this seriously needs addressed. :slight_smile:

With faith and hope,
Iain.

2 Likes
2

Hi Iain,

How thick do you make it? And do you drink it immediately or leave it in the fridge for a while?

You may find that making it a bit more diluted and then leaving it in the fridge for a few hours might help.

Marcus.

3

Same here, I like huel very much, but I have to mix it with the dutch shake to drink it. It is just too sweet. I’m waiting for the unsweetened version before restocking.

1 Like
4

Hi Marcus,

I mix up a batch in my blender for the next day, 550ml water to 3 scoops, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Just to be clear I have no problems with the consistency now that I use a blender (I had the same problems with clumping when just trying to use the shaker), the only problem is the overpowering sweetness of it. Not even the flavour itself, as I love vanilla, it’s the obvious chemically-taste of sweetener. :frowning:

Regards,
Iain.

5

@reintegrated Well, if I have a shaker of it, it’s normally 3 scoops and then fill up the shaker right to the brim. So I’m having it more diluted than you. Try diluting it further.

6

Hi Marcus,

OK so this morning I made a daily batch for my 2L pitcher to take to work, using the standard 3 scoop to 550ml ratio - but then I poured 450ml into the shaker and filled it up with more filtered water up to the 750ml mark, so much more diluted.
Obviously it was thinner, and the taste somewhat diluted, but there was just no getting away from that sickly sweetness. It’s the aftertaste that lingers, and it’s just so obviously artificial. I get some people want it sweet, but I’d just love it natural, with the vanilla taste.
I see from other posts I’m not alone - any idea when the unsweetened version will be available, guys?

In other news I’m pressing on with it regardless as I believe in the product and supporting a UK product - I’m largely 100% Huel, though I sometimes have a small evening meal every 2-3 days, which I’m convinced is due to a savoury desire after all the sweetness, once we get unsweetened there’ll be no stopping me! I’ll be like a spaceman on the program! :smiley:

Regards,
Iain.

7

Hi - the unsweetened version will be available in 2-3 weeks we hope.

1 Like
8

Many thanks @JamesCollier, please don’t take any of this the wrong way, I love Huel and what it’s doing for me, and am dedicated, just need to get the flavour right!! :slight_smile:
Regards, Iain.

9

Of course not; taste is subjective :slight_smile:

10

I find the taste pretty much just right. Occasionally I notice some kind of aftertaste, but definitely not enough to bother me. Often when I drink it, it seems like just a pleasant mild flavour that I enjoy but don’t really have to think about.

11

I noticed the same unpalatable–for me, at least–aftertaste as Iain when I first tried Huel. Like him, I can only attribute it to the use of sucralose, as I usually really like vanilla as a flavour. I could not finish that first shake, as I was just not looking forward to each sip. I have now just started my second bag, having found a flavouring solution that works for me. I came across an American company that sells coffee flavourings, which they claim contains no added calories (I believe some contain very negligible amounts, very close to zero) and no artificial sugars–just the pure flavour. I’ve been using about 16 drops of their cinnamon flavouring for a 600 mL/112g Huel shake and it’s delicious, completely masking that aforementioned aftertaste.

I’m looking forward to trying the unsweetened version when it comes out, and seeing if I like it ‘as is’. If not, it will be interesting to see if just adding this unsweetened flavouring will make it palatable.