Home Fitness Huel vs. Soylent (I Tried Both): Who Wins In 2025?
Huel vs. Soylent (I Tried Both): Who Wins In 2025?
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Huel vs. Soylent (I Tried Both): Who Wins In 2025?

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In a world where convenience often trumps traditional meal preparation, meal replacement shakes like Huel and Soylent have gained massive popularity. These two market leaders offer complete nutrition in a glass, but with distinctly different approaches.

Huel emphasizes whole-food nutrition with its oat-based, fiber-rich formula and eco-friendly packaging, while Soylent delivers scientific efficiency through its ultra-smooth texture and simplified ingredient profile at a more accessible price point.

This comparison examines their nutritional merits, taste experiences, and overall value to help you determine which better suits your lifestyle needs and nutritional priorities.

Quick Verdict

If you’re looking for a nutritionally complete meal replacement with higher protein, fiber content, and minimally processed ingredients, Huel is a solid choice. If you prefer a smooth, convenient option with a neutral taste at a lower price point, Soylent may better fit your needs.

However, if you want a natural, well-balanced alternative without artificial sweeteners, Rootana offers the best of both worlds with clean ingredients, excellent nutrition, and a smooth texture at a reasonable price.

FeatureWinner
IngredientsHuel
DosageHuel
Third-Party TestingDraw
Taste & MixabilitySoylent
Side EffectsDraw
User ReviewsDraw
PriceSoylent
Rootana Complete Food Shake

Winner

What Is Huel Meal Replacement?

Huel is a meal replacement shake designed to meet your nutritional needs with convenience. Its focus on plant-based ingredients and balanced macros makes it a popular choice for those seeking a quick and complete meal solution.

Whether you are busy with work, working out, or just want a hassle-free meal, Huel claims to provide all essential nutrients in one serving.

Huel offers several advantages, especially for people who value practicality and nutrition. At the same time, it comes with a few trade-offs that may not suit everyone.

Pros

  • Nutritionally Complete: A single serving of Huel contains 30 grams of protein, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 27 essential vitamins and minerals. It is formulated to provide a balanced mix of macronutrients and essential micronutrients, making it suitable as a meal replacement.
  • Vegan-Friendly: Made with plant-based ingredients like pea protein, oats, and brown rice, Huel works for vegans and individuals seeking sustainable food options.
  • High Fiber Content: With 8 grams of fiber per serving, Huel promotes digestive health and keeps you feeling fuller for longer periods.
  • Quality Ingredients: Huel uses minimally processed ingredients, including oats, flaxseed, and tapioca as main carbohydrate sources, providing slow-digesting carbs for sustained energy.
  • Added Functional Ingredients: The inclusion of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut provides quick energy, while probiotics and kombucha support gut health.

Cons

  • Taste and Texture: While neutral flavors can offer versatility, some people find them bland or earthy. Also, the texture can seem too gritty or lumpy if not prepared properly.
  • Preparation Effort: Achieving a smooth consistency requires thorough mixing, sometimes needing a blender for best results.
  • Artificial Sweeteners: The presence of sucralose as a sweetener might be a dealbreaker for those who avoid artificial additives.
  • Price Point: At $2.21 per 400-calorie serving, it’s slightly more expensive than Soylent.

Huel stands out for its balance of practicality, nutrition, and sustainability. If you want something that provides substantial nutrition while still hitting your nutrient goals, it’s a solid contender.

What Is Soylent?

Soylent is a meal replacement product designed to offer a convenient, complete nutritional solution for those with busy lifestyles. Marketed as pro-science and pro-GMO, Soylent emphasizes simplicity in its ingredient list while ensuring it meets essential dietary requirements.

Notable for its ready-to-drink options and smooth texture, Soylent appeals to those seeking maximum convenience and efficiency in their nutrition.

Pros

  • Affordability: At $1.91 per 400-calorie serving, Soylent is one of the more budget-friendly meal replacements on the market, making it accessible for those watching their spending.
  • Convenience: Soylent excels in ease of use, with a formula that mixes smoothly without clumps, even with minimal effort.
  • Smooth Texture: Unlike some grainier competitors, Soylent achieves a consistently smooth texture that many users find pleasant and easy to drink.
  • Neutral Taste: Its subtle, slightly sweet flavor profile doesn’t overwhelm the palate, making it versatile for daily consumption without flavor fatigue.
  • Balanced Nutrition: Each serving contains 20 grams of protein, essential vitamins and minerals, providing a decent nutritional profile for a quick meal replacement.

Cons

  • Processed Ingredients: Soylent relies heavily on processed components like maltodextrin, isomaltulose, and modified food starch as primary carb sources, which may not appeal to those seeking whole-food nutrition.
  • Contains Soy: The use of soy protein isolate may be problematic for individuals with soy allergies or those looking to avoid soy products.
  • Lower Fiber Content: With 5 grams of fiber per 400-calorie serving, it may not promote the same level of satiety or digestive benefits.
  • Added Sugar: Contains 5 grams of added sugar per serving, which is higher than some competitors and may be a concern for those monitoring sugar intake.
  • Lacks Functional Ingredients: Unlike Huel, Soylent doesn’t include additional beneficial components like MCTs, probiotics, or superfood ingredients.

Soylent carves a niche for itself by focusing on simplicity, efficiency, and affordability. It feels like a shake best suited for those who prioritize convenience and ease of use above all else.

However, its reliance on processed ingredients and soy should be weighed against its smooth texture and cost-effectiveness when deciding if it fits your health and fitness goals.

Huel vs Soylent Similarities

Plant-Based Nutrition

One of the standout similarities between Huel and Soylent is their commitment to plant-based nutrition. Both shakes rely on plant proteins to deliver their protein content, making them suitable options for vegans and vegetarians.

Huel uses a blend of pea protein and brown rice protein, while Soylent utilizes soy protein isolate.

Comprehensive Nutritional Profiles

Another shared feature is their well-rounded nutritional content. Both products are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals to support overall health.

Both Huel and Soylent are designed to function as complete meals, providing balanced macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats) and micronutrients needed for daily function. This makes them viable options for meal replacements rather than just supplements.

Convenience and Ease of Preparation

Both Huel and Soylent excel in their convenience. They are designed for busy individuals who need quick meals without extensive preparation or cleanup.

Their powdered formulas mix with water or your liquid of choice, making them accessible even in the most rushed circumstances. Their shelf-stable ingredients also mean they can be stored easily and consumed on your schedule.

Sustainability Focus

Both brands emphasize sustainability in their marketing, though with different approaches. Huel focuses on plant-based ingredients and recyclable packaging to minimize environmental impact.

Soylent takes a different angle, promoting efficiency and reduced food waste through its approach to nutrition. Both appeal to environmentally conscious consumers looking to reduce their ecological footprint.

Huel vs. Soylent Differences

Ingredients

The ingredient profile is one of the main distinctions between Huel and Soylent.

Huel features a blend of powdered oats, pea protein, flaxseed, brown rice protein, and sunflower oil powder. It also contains added vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12 and iron, to ensure a balanced nutritional profile.

The inclusion of oats, flaxseed, and tapioca as main carbohydrate sources provides slow-digesting carbs for sustained energy.

Soylent, on the other hand, emphasizes efficiency with a more processed formula. Its primary ingredients include soy protein isolate, maltodextrin, high oleic sunflower oil, and isomaltulose.

While these ingredients serve their purpose of providing calories and nutrients, they represent a more refined approach than Huel’s whole food components.

A critical point to note is that Huel excludes soy, making it suitable for those with soy allergies, while Soylent’s reliance on soy protein isolate may be problematic for some individuals.

Additionally, Huel includes functional ingredients like MCTs from coconut and probiotics, which are absent in Soylent’s formulation.

If you prefer a formula rooted in minimally processed ingredients over synthetic additives, Huel may be more aligned with what you’re seeking.

Taste & Solubility

Taste and texture often play a decisive role when choosing a meal replacement shake. Huel has a thicker texture with a neutral flavor that some describe as slightly earthy or oaty.

While it offers versatility for mixing with other ingredients, achieving a smooth consistency requires thorough mixing, sometimes necessitating a blender for best results.

Soylent provides a different taste experience. It’s smoother and slightly sweet, with a consistent texture that dissolves easily even with minimal mixing effort. Many users appreciate its neutral flavor profile, which doesn’t have the graininess or earthiness sometimes associated with Huel.

Eventually, Huel’s nutritional density comes with some textural challenges, while Soylent prioritizes ease of consumption with its smoother consistency.

Third-Party Testing

Huel emphasizes transparency, disclosing its nutritional content and ingredients in detail. The brand conducts independent testing on its products, ensuring they meet stringent quality guidelines, particularly for contaminants like heavy metals, which can be a concern with plant-based ingredients.

Soylent follows a similar approach, offering detailed ingredient information and complying with FDA guidelines.

However, neither brand prominently highlights extensive third-party certifications or testing reports on their consumer-facing materials, leaving some questions about independent verification.

This leaves both products room for improvement in terms of earning consumer trust, specifically for the health-conscious audience relying on reputable testing to validate nutritional claims and ingredient safety.

Side Effects

Both Huel and Soylent are designed to incorporate balanced nutrition, but individual reactions can vary.

Huel’s high fiber content (8 grams per serving) and inclusion of whole grain ingredients like oats may cause digestive adjustments for some users, particularly those unaccustomed to high-fiber diets. Some individuals report initial bloating or gas, though these effects often diminish as the body adapts.

Soylent’s lower fiber content (5 grams per serving) may be gentler on the stomach initially for those sensitive to high fiber. However, its reliance on soy and processed ingredients might trigger sensitivities in some individuals.

User Reviews

Users have mixed opinions on Soylent and Huel.

Soylent is frequently praised for its smooth texture and ease of preparation, which many users find convenient for busy lifestyles. Its neutral, slightly sweet flavor is generally well-received, though some find it bland or artificial-tasting over time.

Many customers appreciate its simplicity and affordability, though some question the heavily processed ingredients and reliance on soy protein. Soylent’s ready-to-drink options receive particularly positive feedback for on-the-go convenience.

Huel, on the other hand, receives mixed feedback on taste, with some users describing it as earthy or oaty, while others note a grainier texture that requires more effort to prepare smoothly.

However, its balanced macronutrient profile and higher protein content make it a favorite among those looking for a nutritionally complete meal replacement.

Users appreciate its minimally processed ingredients and additional functional components like MCTs and probiotics. Some customers, however, report initial digestive adjustment periods, likely due to the high fiber content.

Overall, those who prioritize convenience and smooth texture tend to favor Soylent, while nutrition-focused and ingredient-conscious users often prefer Huel. Both have loyal followings, with personal preference playing a significant role in determining the best option.

Price

Meal ReplacementCost per 400-calorie serving
Huel Meal Replacement$2.21 per serving
Soylent$1.91 per serving

My Experience Taking Huel & Soylent

Huel: Nutritionally Dense and Filling

My experience with Huel was defined by how satisfying each serving felt. With 400 calories per serving and 30 grams of protein, I usually felt full for 3-4 hours after drinking it.

The high fiber content contributed significantly to this satiety effect, making it easier to maintain my energy levels throughout busy mornings.

Preparing Huel required some attention to detail. I quickly learned that using a blender produced far better results than a shaker bottle alone, which sometimes left lumps or a grainy texture. The texture improved considerably when properly blended with cold water and allowed to chill for about 15 minutes.

I tried the Vanilla and Chocolate flavors and found them pleasant but not overly sweet. The slight earthiness from the oats gave it a more natural taste that I came to appreciate over time. Adding a banana or a handful of berries elevated the flavor profile significantly, making it more enjoyable as a regular meal.

While the price point of $2.21 per serving was slightly higher than Soylent, the nutritional density and satiety factor made it feel worth the extra cost for my daily routine.

Soylent: Smooth Convenience

Switching to Soylent brought a different experience. The first thing I noticed was how effortlessly it mixed.

Even with a simple shaker bottle, I achieved a smooth consistency without the lumps I sometimes encountered with Huel. This made preparation significantly faster, perfect for hectic mornings when every minute counts.

Soylent’s taste was noticeably different. It’s milder and slightly sweeter than Huel, with none of the earthiness.

The Original flavor had a neutral, almost vanilla-like profile that was pleasant but somewhat plain after repeated use.

At 400 calories per serving with 20 grams of protein, it provided decent energy, though I found myself getting hungry sooner than with Huel.

The lower fiber content and protein likely contributed to this reduced satiety despite the same calorie count. I experienced no bloating or gas with Soylent, making it gentler on my digestive system.

At $1.91 per serving, Soylent’s affordability was undeniably appealing. The ready-to-drink bottles, while pricier per serving than the powder, offer unmatched convenience for travel days when mixing isn’t practical.

However, I couldn’t help but notice the more processed ingredient list. The maltodextrin and soy protein, while effective for texture and protein content, felt less aligned with my preference for whole food ingredients.

Should You Choose Huel or Soylent?

Choosing between Huel and Soylent ultimately comes down to your priorities. If nutritional density and ingredient quality are your main concerns, Huel offers a more complete, whole food-based solution that keeps you full for hours.

With higher protein and fiber content, it’s better suited for those looking to maximize nutrition and satiety from their meal replacement.

However, its texture can be divisive, and the preparation requires more effort to achieve smoothness. At $2.21 per serving, it’s also slightly more expensive than Soylent, though many find the superior nutritional profile worth the extra cost.

Soylent, on the other hand, is ideal for those who prioritize convenience and affordability above all. At $1.91 per serving, it’s more budget-friendly while still providing a decent nutritional baseline.

Its smooth texture and easy mixability make it exceptionally convenient, particularly for those new to meal replacements or those who value speed and simplicity in their routine.

However, its reliance on more processed ingredients and soy might not appeal to those seeking a more natural approach to nutrition.

If neither Huel nor Soylent seems like the perfect fit, you might want to consider Rootana. Unlike Soylent, it avoids artificial sweeteners and heavily processed ingredients, opting for a clean, natural formula. Unlike Huel, it offers a smoother texture without sacrificing nutritional quality.

With a balanced profile of plant-based proteins, complex carbohydrates, and essential nutrients, Rootana bridges the gap between practicality and premium nutrition, making it a strong alternative for those who want the best of both worlds without compromise.

Rootana

Rootana

A healthy meal replacement packed with protein and healthy fats from plant-based sources.

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Rootana
James de Lacey James is a professional strength & conditioning coach that works with professional and international level teams and athletes. He owns Sweet Science of Fighting, is a published scientific researcher and has completed his Masters in Sport & Exercise Science. He's combined my knowledge of research and experience to bring you the most practical bites to be applied to your combat training.