The Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink Formula Explained

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is a nutritionally complete meal in a bottle. It is high in protein, low in sugar and salt, and a source of fiber. With a balanced macro split of 23:39:35:3 (carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber) and all 26 essential vitamins and minerals, it meets UK and EU Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI), Reference Intakes (RI), and Nutrient Reference Values (NRV).

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

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink has lower carbs and higher protein compared to both v1.0 and v2.0 Ready-to-drink. It provides everything you need from a meal.

Continue reading to find out more about Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink.

The Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink Formula Explained

• Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink has a 23:39:35:3 Macro Split
• Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink has reduced Carbohydrate
• Fat in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink: Flaxseed, Sunflower, and Coconut
• Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is High in protein: Peas, Faba Bean, Hemp Seed
• Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is a Source of fiber: Flaxseed and Corn Fiber
• Vitamins and Minerals in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink

Nutritional Information and Ingredients of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink

• Ingredients of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink
• Nutritional Profile of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink
• Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink Cautions and Allergen Advice

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is 23:39:35:3 Macro Split

The principal macronutrients providing energy from food are carbohydrate, fat, protein, and fiber, with Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink having a ratio of 23:39:35:3 respectively. This means 23% of the total energy comes from carbohydrate, 39% from fat, 35% from protein, and 3% from fiber.

Amino acids, the basic units of protein, are essential for life, and Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink provides 35g of protein per bottle, including all essential amino acids.

Fat, being more energy-dense than carbohydrate and protein, is included in large amounts in the Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink formula to achieve less volume and ease of consumption. It contains essential fatty acids for optimal health.

While carbohydrates are not essential, Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink contains lower carbs compared to previous versions, catering to those preferring a lower carb intake.

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is designed for individuals seeking more protein and less carbohydrate in a meal.

Carbohydrate in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink

The carbohydrate content of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is 32% lower than that of regular v1.0 and v2.0 Ready-to-drink, offering an alternative for those seeking different carb intake options (based on Vanilla Black Edition and Vanilla V1.0). Carbs in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink primarily come from tapioca, providing a smooth mouthfeel. It's naturally sweetened with a small amount of organic coconut sugar, maintaining a balanced sweetness profile when paired with stevia. With low sugar content, it caters to various dietary preferences.

Fat in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink: Rapeseed, Flaxseed, Sunflower, and Coconut

The fat in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink contributes 39% of the total energy and includes rapeseed oil, flaxseed, sunflower lecithin, and MCTs from coconut. These fats provide essential polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, along with monounsaturated fats, ensuring optimal nutritional balance. MCTs from coconut offer sustained energy without contributing to cardiovascular risks.

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink contains sufficient essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) from rapeseed, flaxseed, and sunflower, promoting overall health. Its fats are carefully selected to provide necessary nutrients and support bodily functions.

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is High-protein: Peas, Faba Bean and Hemp Seed

The RI for protein is 50g per day, covering basic needs but may fall short for active individuals. Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink offers a high protein option with 35g per bottle, sourced from pea protein, faba, and hemp. It ensures adequate intake for optimum health and satiety, making it suitable for those with increased protein requirements.

Amino acid profile of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink

Protein is composed of amino acids, with nine essential ones that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from diet. Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink provides these essential amino acids in optimal amounts, supporting various bodily functions and overall well-being.

• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine

The other eleven are:

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

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

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 EAAs. Generally, proteins derived from animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, milk and eggs) are complete. Indeed, some proteins derived from plant foods (legumes, seeds, grains and vegetables) are often complete as well; examples include quinoa, buckwheat and soya. Many plant foods have insufficient amounts of one or more of the essential amino acids. Some are notably low, such as corn protein, which is low in lysine and isoleucine.

The protein in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink comes from three of the main ingredients: pea protein, faba bean and hemp seed. This ensures a good range of all amino acids and that there are sufficient amounts of the EAAs. Hemp protein is high in the sulphur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine, plus it contains good amounts of all the others but is comparatively low in lysine. The pea and faba proteins are lower in cysteine and methionine but high in lysine. This is why we selected these three sources, ensuring everything was covered whilst keeping Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink vegan-suitable.

Fibre in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink: Flaxseed and Corn Fibre

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is a good source of fibre providing 6g of fibre per bottle. The fibre in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is a mixture of soluble and insoluble forms supplied from flaxseed and corn fibre. This fibre profile helps to ensure the formation of normal, solid stools in healthy users.

Fibre acts like a sponge, so it’s important to include lots of fluid in a fibre-rich diet [7]. As Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is made with water, there’s plenty of fluid supplied, but we do recommend you also include plenty of water in your diet.

Vitamins and minerals

A bulk of the vitamins and minerals – also known as micronutrients – in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink are from natural ingredients. However, in order to meet the demands of a Western lifestyle, we've added a unique vitamin and mineral formula to provide – in some cases – more than 100% of the recommended amounts*.

Since the UK Dietary Reference Values were compiled in 1991 [1], there have been numerous studies demonstrating that, for many micronutrients, levels higher than the RNI 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 [8, 9, 10], so we've reflected this in the Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink formula. Benefits of consuming more vitamin C include a healthy immune system, healthy skin and antioxidant properties [11, 12, 13].

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 [14]. It’s of particular importance for post-menopausal women [15, 16]. As Huel is all about optimum health, the inclusion of choline was felt to be fundamental.

Another example is vitamin D: the RNI was 5mcg per day, but in 2016 this was revised to 10mcg per day [17], so the amount of vitamin D in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink more than reflects this higher requirement*.

Phytic acid is a naturally-occurring substance found in some plant foods including flaxseed. Although phytic acid is considered a beneficial phytonutrient, phytic acid can chelate (bind) some minerals meaning that they’re less bioavailable [18]. As flaxseed is a fundamental ingredient in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink, we've ensured the levels of some minerals, like iron and zinc, are higher, to accommodate any issues with phytic acid chelation. Furthermore, the high level of vitamin C in Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink will also further promote iron absorption [19].

Green Tea Extract 

Green tea extract is a concentrated form of green tea, one of the most commonly consumed teas in the world. Green tea extract is a natural supplement that has been shown to offer numerous physiological benefits. The primary active component in green tea extract is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a polyphenolic compound with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [20, 21]. Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink provides 150mg green tea extract per bottle.

Summary - Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is a meal

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is a nutritious meal to be enjoyed at any time, or as an add-on improvement to your diet to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs.

*based on a 2,000 kcal intake of Huel products.

Ingredients of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink

Vanilla

Water, Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Tapioca Starch, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Milk Powder, Ground Flaxseed, Coconut Sugar, Soluble Vegetable Fibre (Chicory, Corn), Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Iodine, Chromium), Vitamins (C, K, E, A, Niacin, D, B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, B6, B2, B1, Folate), Choline), Natural Flavourings, Flaxseed Oil Powder, Hemp Seed Protein, Medium Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Emulsifier: Sunflower Lecithin, Green Tea Extract, Sweeteners: Steviol Glycosides from Stevia, Thickener: Gellan Gum.

Allergy advice: May contain mustard.

Chocolate

Water, Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Tapioca Starch, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Milk Powder, Cocoa Powder (1.2%), Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavourings, Coconut Sugar, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Iodine, Chromium), Vitamins (C, K, E, A, Niacin, D, B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, B6, B2, B1, Folate), Choline), Flaxseed Oil Powder, Soluble Vegetable Fibre (Chicory, Corn), Hemp Seed Protein, Medium Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Emulsifier: Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt, Green Tea Extract, Sweeteners: Steviol Glycosides from Stevia, Thickener: Gellan Gum.  

Allergy advice: May contain mustard.

Iced Latte

Water, Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Tapioca Starch, Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Milk Powder, Ground Flaxseed, Coconut Sugar, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper, Zinc, Iodine, Chromium), Vitamins (C, K, E, A, Niacin, D, B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, B6, B2, B1, Folate), Choline), Natural Flavourings, Soluble Vegetable Fibre (Chicory, Corn), Flaxseed Oil Powder, Instant Coffee Powder (0.46%), Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Cocoa Powder, Green Tea Extract, Sweetener: Steviol Glycosides from Stevia, Thickener: Gellan Gum. 

Allergy advice: May contain mustard.

Strawberry Banana

Water, Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Tapioca Starch, Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Milk Powder, Natural Flavourings, Ground Flaxseed, Soluble Vegetable Fibre (Chicory, Corn), Coconut Sugar, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper, Zinc, Iodine, Chromium), Vitamins (C, K, E, A, Niacin, D, B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, B6, B2, B1, Folate), Choline), Flaxseed Oil Powder, Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Green Tea Extract, Sweetener: Steviol Glycosides from Stevia, Thickener: Gellan Gum. 

Allergy advice: May contain mustard.

Nutritional Profile of Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink

Vanilla

Each box contains 12 x 500ml bottles

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

Chocolate

Each box contains 12 x 500ml bottles

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

Strawberry Banana

Each box contains 12 x 500ml bottles

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

Iced Latte

Each box contains 12 x 500ml bottles

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink Cautions and Allergen Advice

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is food; therefore it 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 – Huel is suitable for type 1 and type 2 diabetics. As with all food, if you're using medication to help control your diabetes you should structure your intake of Huel appropriately.

• Celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis – Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is gluten-free and is made with no gluten-containing ingredients.

• Inborn errors of metabolism – if you have a glycogen storage disorder (GSD) or other inborn error of metabolism where you require dietary manipulation, you must consult your doctor or specialist clinician before using Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink. Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is not suitable for someone with phenylketonuria (PKU).
• Inflammatory bowel disease – if you have Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or proctitis and are experiencing a flare-up, we advise caution when using Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink. However, if you’re in remission, Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink may be enjoyed freely.
• Pregnancy and lactation – All Huel products are fine to have during pregnancy, but should be limited to one serving per day as there are different nutritional requirements during this period.
• Children – Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is not suitable for children under 4 years of age. However, older children may include Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink as part of a balanced diet that includes a variety of other foods, but Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink should not be their sole source of nutrition as children have different nutritional requirements to adults.
• Eating disorders – Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink may be consumed by individuals with anorexia or bulimia nervosa as a useful source of complete nutrition. However, we recommend that individuals with eating disorders only use Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink after discussing it with their doctor or relevant clinician.

Medication interactions

Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink is fine to consume if you’re using most medication. Although there are no obvious reasons why Huel Black Edition Ready-to-drink should be an issue, 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 100% 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.

However, we recognise that individuals can have allergens 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.

Further reading

• The Beginner's Guide to Nutrition
• Guide to Protein, Digestion and Absorption
• About Huel

References

1. COMA. Dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report of the Panel on Dietary Reference Values of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy. Rep Health Soc Subj (Lond). 1991; 41:1-210.
2. FoodDrinkEurope. Guidance on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 2013 [https://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/publications_documents/FDE_Guidance_WEB.pdf].
3. British Nutrition Foundation. Nutrition Requirements Revised 2019 [https://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/article/261/Nutrition%20Requirements_Revised%20August%202019.pdf].
4. Marten B, et al. Medium-chain triglycerides. International Dairy Journal. 2006; 16(11):1374-82.
5. Institute LP. Oregon State University Essential Fatty Acids. Date Accessed: 25/11/19. [Available from: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/essential-fatty-acids]
6. Weigle DS, et al. A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005; 82(1):41-8.
7. Gallaher D. Dietary Fiber. Washington D.C.: ILSI Press; 2006. p. 102-10.
8. Deruelle F & Baron B. Vitamin C: is supplementation necessary for optimal health? J Altern Complement Med. 2008; 14(10):1291-8.
9. Combs GF Jr & McClung JP. The Vitamins. 4 ed: Burlington: Elsevier Science; 2012.
10. Carr AC & Frei B. Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999; 69(6):1086-107.
11. Linus Pauling Institute. Vitamin C [Available from https://lpi. oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C].
12. Zeisel SH & Da Costa KA. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009; 67(11):615-23.
13. Fischer LM, et al. Dietary choline requirements of women: effects of estrogen and genetic variation. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010; 92(5):1113-9.
14. Fischer LM, et al. Sex and menopausal status influence human dietary requirements for the nutrient choline. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007; 85(5):1275-85.
15. SACN. Vitamin D and Health. 2016.
16. Committee on Food Protection; Food and Nutrition Board; National Research Council. "Phytates". Toxicants Occurring Naturally in Foods. 1973.
17. Lopez HW, et al. Minerals and phytic acid interactions: is it a real problem for human nutrition? Int J Food Sci & Tech. 2002; 37(7):727-39.
18. Chacko SM, et al. Beneficial effects of green tea: a literature review. Chin Med. 2010; 5:13-.
19. Forester SC, et al. The role of antioxidant versus pro-oxidant effects of green tea polyphenols in cancer prevention. Molecular nutrition & food research. 2011; 55(6):844-54.