It may be the Xanthan gum used in the powders, but I can’t be certain.
Hi @Wilma! I hope to provide a bit of insight into ingredients in Huel as well as xanthan gum specifically. The ingredients on nutrition facts labels show the amount of each ingredient listed in order of how much is in the product. You will see that on the ingredient list for Huel powder, xanthan gum is further down the list and it is mainly used to help with thickening and combining in Huel. You can see more about this on this page from our website under the heading “Thickeners and Food Stabilizers.”
Xanthan gum is a soluble fiber, which slows things down in the digestive tract and bulks things up, as well. This is why some individuals may experience gastrointestinal distress if consuming high amounts of soluble fiber (and fiber in general). Ultimately, this goes back to the need to ensure you are consuming adequate amounts of fluid throughout the day, especially as you increase your fiber intake to ensure bowel regularity. It also furthers why you should gradually increase the amount of fiber you consume and not do it all at once!
Xanthan gum in Huel is used as a thickening agent and to aid in preventing separation - it is not a main source of fiber in Huel. Furthermore, Huel v3.0 powder contains both soluble and insoluble fibers, which come mainly from the oats and flaxseed and I linked that here. You will see more on this under the heading “Huel Powder is High in Fiber: Oats and Flaxseed." For Huel Black Edition, it does not contain oats so a majority of fiber comes from flaxseed and I linked the page on our website here. You will find more information under the heading “Huel Black Edition is High Fiber.” As opposed to soluble fibers, insoluble fibers are the ones that speed things up in the digestive tract and the balance of both can aid in gut health (with adequate fluid intake). I hope this helps!