Protein absorption from 200g Huel in one serving

Nutrition
1

I currently have 200g Huel Powder for lunch each day, providing me with 60g protein. Some research indicates that consuming so much protein in one serving will not provide the same benefit as consuming it in several servings, although this resarch is typically for whey protein taken without other food.

Is there any guidance from Huel about consuming double portions, regarding absorption of protein or other nutrients?

2

there are have been various discussion on this in the past - such as this one and there is also a guide here.

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3

Some research? Pretty sure that’s the mainstream view lol. To my understanding, if we’re talking about MPS (muscle protein synthesis) so buillding/repairing muscle, then yes don’t consume that much in one sitting. Space it out. The excess protein from that one meal will be used for other bodily stuff & energy instead. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sweat it.

4

You’re right, it seems to be undisputed. However I wonder if the maximum serving would be different for Huel due to the pea/rice protein, and its consumption as part of a meal?

5

This is an interesting topic. Up until now, it’s generally been accepted that the optimal dosage of protein in one serving for muscle tissue synthesis is somewhere in the region of 20-40g per meal. However, a more recent randomised controlled trial appears to challenge this notion, finding that a 100g dosage of protein was more effective for muscle protein synthesis than 25g. It appears levels of protein in the blood (maybe unsurprisingly) remain elevated for longer post prandium, leading to greater protein synthesis for 12 hours after the 100g protein meal than the 25g.

Of course, this was conducted using milk protein and only in a small group of healthy young men, but it suggests that protein distribution may not be as critical as once thought.

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6

Interesting…although wouldn’t eating 30g every 3-4hrs (conventional recommendation) result in you taking in 90-120g during a 12hr time span anyways?

7

Per ChatGPT (world’s most reliable source):

  • Huel’s pea and rice protein provides a complete profile of essential amino acids (EAAs), though it may have lower levels of leucine (an amino acid key for triggering MPS) compared to animal-based proteins like whey.
  • To optimally stimulate MPS, each meal should ideally contain around 2-3 grams of leucine. Since plant-based proteins often have lower leucine content, the serving size might need to be larger compared to whey protein to achieve this threshold.
  • Research suggests that 20-30 grams of high-quality protein per meal is generally optimal for stimulating MPS. For plant-based proteins like those in Huel, slightly higher servings (around 30-40 grams) might be needed to maximize MPS.
8

It all depends on your body state and composition. In most cases that is excess and will be stored as fat.

9

I think to answer the question meaningfully it’s important to know your objectives. Like is it a normal lunch? Are you a bodybuilder? etc…

Personally, noting the high protein content in Huel and not being an athlete (any more!) I’ve opted for consuming Huel Essential instead of Black on many occasions. And if I’m making a hot meal (eg Madras Curry, Mexican Chilli, Korma…) then supplement it with rice or bread if available. In short, I’ve come to appreciate that for my objectives Carbohydrates have some value. And, indeed, are a cost effective way of making the calorie count for the day.