Well, this is interesting!

OK, so you’re probably all sick of posts from new users of huel. But hey, here’s another one.

I’m a UK-based male in my early fifties. I weigh around 19 stone (270 lbs or so). And much as I’ve wanted to lose weight for ages, I’ve always found it hard. I just have mad cravings for certain foods (or food groups, really). Especially late at night. I’ll be standing by the fridge, eating peanut butter out of the jar. Or needing 6 slices of toast before I go to bed, after having had a large dinner. And I mean large. “Serves 4” counts as “Serves 1” in this house.

I’ve suspected for a long time that my problem is twofold. Firstly, lack of a balanced diet, so I keep craving weird things. Secondly, that I need to stop thinking about the whole food experience thing. Making, cooking, buying, tasting, etc etc. I just need a balanced food in a simple form. And I’ve spent ages looking for something suitable, but there was nothing.

Yes, I’d see the ads for huel on Facebook but I thought it was some hipster rubbish. In a post on social media I likened it to a cross between huey (Brit slang for chucking up) and gruel.

But then, as a new year resolution, I thought I’d try it. I ordered some bars, and a 100g sample of powder.

First I tried the powder. I mixed up half the packet with the recommended amount of water. I mixed it well with an electric whisk. I took a sip. I poured the rest down the sink. This is so not for me. The whole texture and taste is just not going to work. Couldn’t stand it.

Sure, I could use it in recipes. I could add the powder to bread or biscuits. But I want to retain the balanced nutrition ratios, and adding it to recipes destroys that. Also, I want to get away from having to cook stuff, invent new recipes, try things, etc etc. At least for a while as I lose some weight.

So I tried the bars. And they’re actually not bad at all. Despite being billed as chocolate flavour, they’re not particularly chocolatey. And despite the main ingredient being oats, they don’t taste oaty at all. I’d imagined them tasting like porridge but that’s not the case. The most prominent flavour (while still very mild) is the pea protein.

The texture is interesting. A cross between a big lump of cheddar cheese, and a leftover burger from last night’s barbecue.

For the past 3 days I’ve eaten almost nothing but huel bars. About 5 a day. Maybe 6. Plus water, tea and coffee. And it’s working just like I’d hoped it would. The cravings have gone. I hope I can keep this up, cos I’ve just ordered 80 more bars.

As for the laxative effects, I was quite prepared for them. It wouldn’t even bother me, as I have a bowel condition that would actually be helped by this! But so far, nothing abnormal in that department at all.

Anyway, it’s early days, but this is really interesting and exciting. I have no idea why the bars are marketed as an afterthought and a snack. Personally, I think they’re by far the better product. Why mess around with foul-tasting powder, when the bars taste better and require no preparation?

Because they’re basically 10% sugar?

+1. The powder is the stronger product nutritionally.

And many of us don’t think the powder is foul tasting. I struggled with my first one I admit, everything about it was alien to me. but after experimenting with portion sizes, ice cubes, powder and water ratios, flavouring, using milk etc, I actually enjoy drinking it now.

The bars are more aimed at snack replacement than meal replacement. Powder’s got a more complete nutritional profile.

If you’re not liking the powders taste I highly recommend the flavour packs, they drastically change things and are just lovely.

Changing the flavour of the powder is not hard. Try cinnamon for example.