Trying to fix my Huel product experience... Open to suggestions

Experiences
1

Hello,

This is my first time posting to the forums about Huel, I have been using Huel since the beginning of October when I made my first purchase with recommendations from a friend.

I switched from my normal shakes and meals due to the medical need to be gluten free. I am still learning about my condition as well as a few other things.

The products I have purchased :
Gluten-Free

  • Vanilla
  • Berry
  • Chocolate
  • Both Hot and Savory.

Issues I have had or am trying to resolve/work around.

Issues I had :
~ First week and a half was hell on my stomach but I have since fixed those issues.

Remaining issues:

  1. All the powders are very gritty. It feels like I added sand into my shakes when I am drinking them. I use a blender to mix the shakes and they are not clumpy. I don’t know if that is just a Huel thing due to the ingredients or if that is a possible deal with the gluten free. It is not a pleasant mouth-feel and leaves my mouth feeling chalky afterwards. I have no experience with the regular as the medical need to be Gluten-Free.

  2. The Chocolate is extremely bitter. I am not a sugar-holic type person but the chocolate powder is bitter. I can’t stand it. It tastes like dark chocolate to me and is very unpleasant.

Additional things I am fighting with.

I use my shakes for my breakfast. With my previous shakes I was having a hard enough time intaking the mix as well as 9oz of water. The 17oz of fluid + the 2 scoops of mix is really hard for me to consume. I get through half of it and I am beyond full. I have tried looking at the recipes and everything still uses about 12-17oz of water plus whatever else they are adding.

Has anyone found a nice maybe one scoop plus other items that give a nice balanced shake? Two scoops + 12 oz liquid + additional items for me are just too much for me to consume.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. <3

2

Hi DreymaVefr, welcome to the community!

I’m not using the gluten free products personally, and two of your questions seem like they are specific to that, so I’m not sure how much advice I have there. Maybe edit the title of your post to include “gluten free” maybe so others using that product might see your post?

As far as the bitter tasting chocolate, can you use a sweetener of some sort that would bring down the bitter taste? I don’t know the status of sweeteners as far as gluten free. Personally, I have been using the Huel mocha flavor in mine and I like it. I don’t know if those are gluten free, but you might try one of those to help smooth out the chocolate flavor. I’ve been experimenting with other flavors and powders to add that I’ve bought elsewhere, but as far as flavor goes, my best luck so far has been the Huel flavor packs. You could always ditch the chocolate altogether and just go with vanilla, and add some cocoa powder or flavoring.

As far as finding items to add, some of the things I have bought to add to mine are powders like spinach, kale, blueberry, beet. You could also try throwing in a small handful of oats or maybe some protein powder that works for you. In the past, I’ve done smoothies with pumpkin and cinnamon that is really good. You could also try adding any nuts or seeds that work for you. I used to have a mix I would make with ground hemp, flax, pumpkin and chia seeds that I would add occasionally, or you can add any nut butters too. If you have any plant-based milks, you could try them instead of water.

Honestly, I’m not sure how much water Huel wants me to add, I use a non-Huel shaker bottle and an immersion blender and I just end up with having as much water as I need to get the consistency I like. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, but it seems to be working. Maybe just focus on how much water you need to make it palatable and consumable in combination with the other items?

I’d say do a google search on smoothies and see what comes up for you that might sound interesting, and then experiment. I’ve been drinking smoothies for a long time and regularly find interesting stuff to try.

Maybe others will have some more specific recipes for you as well.

1 Like
3

Hi Ashey! :slight_smile:

The only difference between Gluten-Free Huel v3.0 powder and Huel v3.0 powder in terms of ingredients is that the gluten-free version uses gluten-free oats. Taste/texture wise they do not differ!

I am happy to hear that the issues you had with your stomach resolved! With Huel, sometimes individuals need to adjust to the fiber content and gradually introducing Huel into your daily intake can help with this. You also want to be sure you are drinking adequate fluids throughout the day!

I know you mentioned that you have a hard time consuming all of the Huel you make when you use more fluid as you feel full. Over what time period do you normally consume your Huel? I find that if I make mine with approximately 20 ounces of fluid and a few ice cubes, this gives a much creamier consistency. Or maybe start out with just one scoop as you mentioned and approximately 10 ounces of fluid and see how you feel from there! And do you mix with water alone or do you use another other fluids (like plant-based milks, for example)?

Also, you can definitely add other ingredients and do one scoop of Huel, instead! The amount you use is completely up to you and doing one scoop may also be able to help with the texture if you would like to use less fluid! I also enjoy adding some frozen fruit to my Huel sometimes!

Lastly, thank you for writing in about your experience and I just messaged you about the Chocolate Gluten-Free Huel v3.0 powder!

4

I thought about editing my post to be more specifically about the gluten free, but since I have no experience with the regular mix I wanted to keep it as a general topic. Main reason for that is possibly because this is the first vegan/plant based product I have ever used. So my thought was maybe it was just an overall texture.

I have thought about purchasing the flavor boosts and trying to trudge through it if those don’t help. I have tried adding a bit of sweetener to it but there is still that underlying bitter taste. I might go that route or try using that as more a mix with additional items. It was just very bitter so I wasn’t sure if that had been a brand choice or not.

I use water and have cycled through rice, almond, and cashew milk to see if it helps. I didn’t add chia seeds like I usually do because the thickness of the shakes when they are made as per bag instructions. Will definitely see about a nut butter.

I mainly try to stick with the instructions with new things for about a month before starting to play around. Just so I can figure out what I do and do not like. I might try and switch to one scoop with 10oz of water and maybe some fruit or berries to start.

I just don’t eat a lot. I am the person you do NOT invite to a eating contest or a buffet. I will not eat my food to cost ratio.

5

I was definitely happy the issues resolved. For me it was definitely the fiber intake as I was eating a balanced meal, but I got into the habit of eating only one balanced meal a day. I have a water intake log that I have to keep because I easily drink too much water in a day that my doctor was concerned about. Never knew there was such thing as too much water till then.

In all honestly about 1/4th of the way through the shake I feel bloated and like I am already over eating. Even doing just one scoop I barely get through half of it before I am feeling full. This is not a huel issue alone. I just have never been one to eat a lot in general. I usually make the shake and consume it about an hour after I get up. If I make two scoops it will take me almost two and a half hours to consume it due to the bloated feeling. I have tried to drink it faster and finish it within 30-45 minutes but still feeling beyond full. Which was partially why I was trying to find some recipes or advice from other users about some things they have tried.

I have tried rice, almond and cashew milks. I definitely enjoy the berry more with the almond milk. Berry has been the favorite so far. It does seem to be a bit thicker with the milks though.

I may switch to just the one scoop and start playing around with additional flavors and go from there on it. Hopefully some others read in as well and perhaps have some suggestions on mixes they have tried. :smiley:

6

Check out the “Recipes” tab for some really tasty concoctions people have created while enjoying their Huel.
I like adding juices, fresh fruits and veggies, various protein powders, various milks (soy, almond, rice, coconut)…many things have been attempted and tested.
Have fun