In recent times we have seen employers increasingly pushing for employees to return to having an office presence. Long gone are the full time remote working narratives that came with and soon after Covid (remember that?). Now, whilst there are of course countless businesses who have continued to embrace a culture of remote working and productivity that doesn’t require presenteeism, many others have felt that the lack of social interaction and engagement between colleagues is a missed opportunity for greater sense of team and collaboration.
For me, this has seen me return to a London commute several times per week where I once again contend with the UK’s abysmal, overpriced and under serviced rail network. Whilst historically this was always a pain point that I could entertain, I always had time to grab a bit of breakfast before I left the house. Fast forward a few years however and I now have primary school age kids to sort out in the mornings and barely a second to grab a glass of water before rushing to get my train, let along sitting down for a bite to eat.
This change of routine has had the knock on impact of unhealthy eating. Rather than the bowl of yoghurt and fruit or oats that I once savoured, I found myself increasingly darting into Greggs on route to the station platform to grab a bacon sandwich or similar. Not only was this now habitual but it started to cost a lot of money per week and certainly concerned me about the health implications of frequently putting so much processed meat in my body so I looked for an alternative breakfast solution, seeking out something quick to make and cheap to buy per meal. This led me to the discover Huel.
What is Huel?
Huel, for all intents and purposes, is powdered food. It is a plant based product that contains a vast range of nutrients, along with the added bonus of a high volume of protein. For me this seemed like the perfect solution to combine the need for a healthier breakfast than Greggs that also supported my personal weight loss/fitness journey.
Within the Huel range of products there are several different options available. This ranges from full microwave meals and nutrient bars, to powders or the more expensive ready made equivalents. I opted for purchasing Huel Black which I felt was a good option regarding price per meal and would only take a few minutes to make in the morning.
Huel Black is also available in several flavours and so I purchased both the chocolate and banana variants as a one off to try out which I preferred, prior to potentially extending my loyalty and commitment to a full monthly subscription.
Huel unboxing
Huel arrived in a Huel-branded, well packed box with a sturdy build ensuring protection from the elements.
Huel Black comes in air tight, resealable bag, along with a measuring scoop and is as simple as mixing up the product with cold water.
As a first time customer you also get there Huel shaker bottle and a Huel T-shirt. Whilst the shaker bottle is needed, I don’t see any situation where i would be walking the streets of London advertising their product on my chest, however it will certainly be fine as a spare T-shirt to wear under a jumper so I opted in for receiving it.
What nutrients are in Huel Black?
For a full breakdown of the nutritional value, the back of the packet lists this very clearly, with a strongly balanced macro mix of protein, fat and carbohydrate.
How to make Huel?
Making up Huel Black is incredibly simple with 3 steps:
- Add 500ml cold water to shaker or fill to the line inside
- Add 2 level scoops of Huel (90g / 400ml)
- Shake hard for 10 seconds or until smooth
For a 200 calorie serving it requires 250ml of water, with 1 scoop of Huel Black added, which Huel classify as a snack. Alternatively, as per the packaging instructions, you double this up with 500ml of water and 2 scoops of Huel Black added, to have as a meal. This offers a more substantial 400 calorie serving, along with 40g of protein.
When it comes to the consistency of Huel, it is far from being a smooth drink that you may have previously experienced with protein powders. Huel is quite “bitty” with lots of small, ground up ingredients still present which they state to be good for maintaining nutritional value. It is certainly more akin to drinking a nearly fully blended smoothie.
The thickness of Huel can also vary depending on how you mix it. Add more water for a much smoother drink or slightly less for something thicker, it’s really down to personal preference there but I prefer mine slightly thicker. Just a bit of caution that a thicker mix will require more vigorous mixing else you may end up with a powder ridden ball of Huel in your mouth which isn’t very pleasant.
A very different type of meal
Whilst Huel is advertised as a meal replacement and not protein shake, with the founder proudly stating that he has it for both breakfast and lunch, I can’t see that as something realistic.
After 1 month of having Huel on the go for breakfast and as an occasional snack, the joy of eating has certainly been eradicated with this product. Whilst there is a huge time gain through powdered meal prep vs conventional food when in a rush, the removal of physically eating a meal often leaves me feeling like I have missed a meal. Additionally, the feeling of fullness very quickly wanes, leaving me once again hungry and craving more food in far less time post consumption vs a traditional meal. My non-scientific assumption on this is that it takes liquid far less time to travel through the body than a solid meal.
Huel Black review
So, what are my final thoughts on Huel Black? Well, for what it says it is, a meal replacement, I’m not sure I would go as far as saying that. It replaces the nutritional value that may come with a meal but for me this product would never be a valid product for replacing both the experience of eating a meal and the nutritional value, which for me is what constitutes a meal.
Whilst the flavour is reasonable, and it has delivered against my objective to eradicate a Greggs breakfast on the go, it’s not something that I’m going to be eating any more than absolutely necessary. It will be an occasional item and I will certainly not be rushing to sign up for a monthly subscription.