The Huel Powder Formula Explained

Huel Powder is a nutritionally complete powdered food that is high in protein and fibre, low in sugar and salt and supplies phytonutrients and all 26 essential vitamins and minerals.

Additionally, it contains no animal-derived products and is non-GMO.

Huel Powder meets the UK and EU Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI), Reference Intake (RI) and Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) for macro- and all micronutrients [1,2,3].

Continue reading to find out more about Huel Powder.

Quick Links

• Huel Powder is 37:30:30:3 Macro Split
• Carbohydrate in Huel Powder
• Fat in Huel Powder
• Huel Powder is High in Protein
• Huel Powder is High in Fibre
• Vitamins and Minerals in Huel Powder
• Phytonutrients in Huel Powder
• Ingredients & Nutritional Information
• Huel Powder Cautions and Allergen Advice
  

Huel Powder is 37:30:30:3 Macro Split

The principle macronutrients that we obtain energy from food are carbohydrate, fat, protein, and fibre. In Huel Powder, we’ve set them at the ratio of 37:30:30:3; i.e. 37% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins and 3% from fibre.

Amino acids are the most basic units of protein, and several amino acids are essential for life, with others being crucial for good health, so any diet should include a significant amount of protein.

There are also fatty acids that are essential for life and good health, so including sources of fat is crucial too.

Carbohydrates, although not essential per se, are our body’s preferred source of energy and therefore have significant benefits to ensuring sustained and consistent energy levels.

We’ve designed Huel Powder at these ratios as they are not only within the parameters of the healthy eating guidelines but are also levels designed for optimum, sustained energy release whilst covering macronutritional requirements for disease prevention.

Carbohydrate in Huel Powder

The primary source of carbs in Huel Powder are ultra-fine powdered oats and tapioca. Oats have been shown to have a low glycaemic index (GI). GI refers to the rate after which we ingest a carb source to the resulting rise in blood sugar and, hence, energy levels [4]. The oats in Huel Powder mix easily and help sustain energy levels until your next meal. Oats also provide so much more than just carbohydrates: many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients too.

Tapioca is a starch extracted from cassava, a root vegetable similar to sweet potato. Its inclusion in Huel Powder provides additional carbohydrates and aids texture.

Fat in Huel Powder

The fats in Huel Powder are mainly derived from flaxseed and sunflower seeds to ensure that essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are in optimal ratios. We’ve also included medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut. MCTs are treated much like carbs, i.e. they provide an energy-rich, sustained fuel and are perfect for those of us with busy lifestyles [5]. In short, MCTs from coconut are a healthy and efficient source of energy. Read more about MCTs here.

Essential nutrients can not be made by the body so must be obtained from the diet. There are two completely essential fatty acids (EFAs) that humans require: linoleic acid (LA – an omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA – an omega-3 fatty acid) [6]. Using a blend of flaxseed and sunflower oil powder, we’ve ensured Huel Powder contains sufficient amounts of both of these EFAs as well as other omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

Huel Powder is High in Protein

The RI for protein is 50g per day, but this only covers our very basic needs and prevents protein deficiency [1,2,3]. The Western diet typically provides more [7], and Huel Powder does too. All essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are included in adequate amounts from three vegan protein sources: pea, faba bean and brown rice protein. A reference intake of 2,000 calories would supply 150g of protein. This is an adequate amount for good health as well as building and maintaining muscle mass. Furthermore, protein is more satiating (filling) than other macronutrients [8].

Amino Acid Profile of Huel Powder

Protein is made up of amino acids. There are over 500 amino acids in nature, 20 of which are known as the standard amino acids, as these are the ones that are coded for genetically and are subsequently involved in primary protein synthesis in animals. Of these 20, nine are essential as they cannot be synthesised from other amino acids.

The nine essential amino acids are:

• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine

The other 11 are:

• Alanine
• Arginine
• Asparagine
• Aspartic acid
• Cysteine
• Glutamine
• Glutamic acid
• Glycine
• Proline
• Serine
• Tyrosine

All protein sources are not equal: some are classed as ‘complete proteins’ and some are not. A complete protein is one that contains sufficient quantities of all nine essential amino acids. Generally, proteins derived from animal foods are complete. Indeed, some proteins derived from plant foods are often complete as well; examples include quinoa, buckwheat and soya. Many plant foods have insufficient amounts or one or more of the essential amino acids.

Rice protein is high in the sulphur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine, plus it contains good amounts of all the others, but is very low in lysine. Pea and faba bean proteins are low in cysteine and methionine but high in lysine. Combining ingredients ensures everything is covered whilst keeping Huel Powder plant-based. Plus there’s additional protein from the flaxseed.

Huel Powder is High in Fibre

A serving of Huel Powder contains 26-33% of the recommended daily amount of fibre. The fibre in Huel Powder is a mixture of soluble and insoluble forms all naturally supplied from the food ingredients, mainly from oats and flaxseed. The high fibre content helps to ensure the formation of normal, solid stools, keeping everything running smoothly in healthy individuals.

Fibre acts like a sponge, so it’s important to consume lots of water when using Huel Powder [9]. The Huel Powder formula has been designed to support a healthy digestive system. Moreover, you may well have heard about the beneficial soluble fibre in oats called beta-glucan. Huel Powder is loaded with this cholesterol-lowering fibre, which in turn may support heart health [10].

Vitamins and Minerals in Huel Powder

A bulk of the vitamins and minerals – also known as micronutrients – in Huel Powder are from natural ingredients. There have been numerous studies in the past 20 years demonstrating that, for many micronutrients, levels higher than the daily reference intakes (RIs) may have beneficial effects to health.

For example, it’s widely considered that the amount of vitamin C we’re recommended to consume is too low [11,12,13], so we've reflected this in the Huel Powder formula. Benefits of consuming more vitamin C include a healthy immune system, healthy skin and antioxidant properties [12,13,14].

With some of the trace elements, the levels are far higher than the recommended amounts. This is because we only need tiny amounts of them, but the natural ingredients in Huel Powder are a rich source.

Choline is a conditionally essential B vitamin, and although, strictly speaking, it can be synthesised in our bodies, it’s more efficient to obtain it from our diets [15]. It’s of particular importance post menopause [16,17]. As Huel Powder is all about optimum health, the inclusion of choline was felt to be fundamental.

There has been some concern about phytic acid: a naturally occurring substance in plant foods like flaxseed. Phytic acid can chelate (bind to) some minerals, meaning that they are less bioavailable [18]. As flaxseed is a large contributor to the nutrition of Huel Powder, we've ensured that there are adequate levels of some minerals, like iron and zinc, to accommodate any issues with phytic acid chelation. The high level of vitamin C in Huel Powder further promotes iron absorption [19].

Phytonutrients in Huel Powder

Phytonutrients are substances found in plant foods which, whilst not essential, may exhibit some health benefits like disease risk prevention. Junk food diets are often deficient in phytonutrients, and thus consumers miss out on invaluable health benefits and antioxidant effects.

Huel Powder’s fundamental ingredients are plant-based foods, which are already phytonutrient-rich. Additionally, we've also added some extra phytonutrients to optimise the Huel Powder formula and to complement the antioxidant nutrients vitamins C and E and selenium.

Huel Powder's beneficial phytonutrients include:

• Avenanthramides: antioxidant polyphenols unique to oats shown to have anti-inflammatory effects [20].
• Ferulic acid: also from oats, a potent antioxidant and antibacterial agent that has also been shown to have anti-cancer properties [21,22].
• Lutein: from the flaxseed powder and we've also added additional lutein in our vitamin and mineral blend. Although not essential, there is concern that diets low in lutein may lead to macular degeneration of the eye in the elderly, as lutein is involved in eye pigment development [23,24]. Lutein is also an antioxidant.
• Zeaxanthin: another antioxidant, this has been added as it also has a role in long-term eye health [23].

Other carotenoids and bioflavonoids have antioxidant activity and are naturally present from the main ingredients [25].

Ingredients & Nutritional Information

Huel Powder Cautions and Allergen Advice

Huel Powder is suitable for people with most conditions. However, as some conditions require dietary intervention, like with any food, please heed the notes below for the following conditions:

• Diabetes mellitus: For those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, please review the carbohydrate, sugar and other nutrition facts for Huel Powder to see if it is suitable for your needs.
• Inborn errors of metabolism: if you have a glycogen storage disorder (GSD) or other inborn error of metabolism where you require dietary manipulation, you should consult your doctor or specialist clinician before using Huel Powder.
• Phenylketonuria: Huel Powder is not suitable for those who suffer from PKU.
• IBS, IBD and related conditions: Huel Powder is not made with any high-FODMAP ingredients.
• Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Huel Powder can be included during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but should be limited to one serving per day as there are different nutritional requirements during this period.
• Children: Huel Powder is not suitable for children under 4 years of age. However, older children may include Huel Powder as part of a balanced diet that includes a variety of other foods; Huel should not be their sole source of nutrition as they have different nutritional requirements to adults. For more information, see our Children, Adolescents and Huel article.
• Eating disorders: Huel Powder may be consumed by individuals with eating disorders as a useful source of complete nutrition if it is an appropriate fit for their current meal plan. However, we recommend that individuals with eating disorders only use Huel after discussing it with their doctor or relevant clinician.
• Medication: There may be specific drug-nutrient interactions relating to a particular medicine you're using, so we recommend you read the drug information provided with your prescription, and if you have any further concerns, please discuss them with your doctor.

Allergen Advice

All Huel products are vegan. We thoroughly assess our ingredients and the processes we use to make Huel and whenever we identify potential routes of allergen contamination we will first take steps to eliminate the possibility of any contamination of our product. However, where it is not possible to remove the risk we will clearly highlight any allergens that might be present on our product packaging in line with current UK and EU food safety guidelines.

Huel Powder Gluten-free uses oats that are grown and processed in a gluten-free environment and is certified as such by Coeliac UK.

However, we recognise that individuals can have allergies to any protein in any ingredient therefore if you have a specific allergy that is outside of the remit above, please contact us directly and we will do our best to guide you on which products are suitable.

References

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3. England PH. Government Dietary Recommendations. In: Health Do, editor. 2016.
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15. Zeisel SH, et al. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009; 67(11):615-23.
16. Fischer LM, et al. Dietary choline requirements of women: effects of estrogen and genetic variation. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2010; 92(5):1113-9.
17. Fischer LM, et al. Sex and menopausal status influence human dietary requirements for the nutrient choline. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2007; 85(5):1275-85.
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20. Sur R, et al. Avenanthramides, polyphenols from oats, exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-itch activity. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2008; 300(10):569-74.
21. Adom KK, et al. Antioxidant activity of grains. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2002; 50(21):6182-7.
22. Ibtissem B, et al. Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum and Carpobrotus edulis Extracts. Advances in Chemical Engineering and Science. 2012; Vol.02No.03:7.
23. Semba RD, et al. Are lutein and zeaxanthin conditionally essential nutrients for eye health? Medical hypotheses. 2003; 61(4):465-72.
24. Richer S, et al. Double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of lutein and antioxidant supplementation in the intervention of atrophic age-related macular degeneration: the Veterans LAST study (Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial). Optometry (St Louis, Mo). 2004; 75(4):216-30. Institute LP. Oregon State University. Carotenoids. Date Accessed: 24/03/25. [Available from: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/carotenoids]