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Huel Lite is a nutritionally complete meal in a bottle. It is high in protein and fibre, low in sugar and salt and supplies all 26 essential vitamins and minerals.
Additionally, it contains no animal-derived products and is non-GMO.
Huel Lite meets the UK and EU Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI), Reference Intake (RI) and Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) for macro- and all micronutrients per 2000 calories [1,2,3].
Continue reading to find out more about Huel Lite.
The principle macronutrients that we obtain energy from food are carbohydrate, fat, protein, and fibre. In Huel Lite, we’ve set them at the ratio of 21:21:52:6; i.e. 21% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 21% from fats, 52% from proteins and 6% 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 Lite at ratios to suit people looking for a high-protein, light meal or snack.
The carbs in Huel Lite are mainly from tapioca, a starch that comes from the roots of the cassava plant, and corn. These ingredients help to provide a smooth, rounded mouthfeel. Huel Lite is naturally sweetened and includes a small amount of coconut sugar to deliver a balanced sweetness profile when paired with stevia. The amount of coconut sugar is at a low level.
The fat in Huel Lite is mainly derived from flaxseed and coconut milk to ensure that the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as monounsaturated fats, are included in optimal amounts. Coconut milk is particularly great because it supplies medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). 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 [4]. In short, MCTs from coconut are a healthy and efficient source of energy. Read more about MCTs here.
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) [5]. Using fats from flaxseed and coconut milk, we’ve ensured Huel Lite contains sufficient amounts of both of these EFAs as well as other key fatty acids*. Read more about fats here.
The RI for protein is 50g per day, but this only covers our very basic needs at a level that adequately prevents protein deficiency [1,2,3]. Huel Lite is high in protein for those who desire a high intake of protein. All essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are included in adequate amounts from vegan protein sources: pea, faba bean and brown rice protein. Each 500ml bottle of Huel Lite provides 25g of high-quality protein, a good amount for optimum health as well as building and maintaining muscle mass. Furthermore, protein is more satiating (filling) than other macronutrients [6], which could be especially helpful for those using Huel Lite as part of a calorie-controlled diet.
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.
The protein in Huel Lite comes from three of the main ingredients: pea protein, faba bean protein and brown rice protein. This ensures a good range of all amino acids and that there are sufficient amounts of the EAAs.
Huel Lite is high in fibre, providing 5.7g of fibre per 190-calorie serving. The fibre in Huel Lite is a mixture of soluble and insoluble forms supplied from flaxseed, chicory fibre and corn fibre. This fibre profile 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 include lots of fluid in a fibre-rich diet [7]. As Huel Lite is made with water, there’s plenty of fluid supplied, but we do recommend you also include plenty of water in your diet.
A bulk of the vitamins and minerals – also known as micronutrients – in Huel Lite are from natural ingredients. 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 Lite 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 post menopause [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 this was revised in 2016 to 10mcg per day [17]. The amount of vitamin D in Huel Lite 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 to) some minerals meaning that they are less bioavailable [18]. As flaxseed is a fundamental ingredient in Huel Lite, we've ensured the levels of some minerals, like iron and zinc, are higher to accommodate any issues with phytic acid chelation. The high level of vitamin C in Huel Lite may further promote iron absorption [19].
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 Lite contains 150mg green tea extract per bottle.
*based on a 2,000 kcal intake of Huel products.
Huel Lite 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 Lite to see if it is suitable for your needs.
Coeliac disease and other gluten sensitivities: Huel Lite 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 should consult your doctor or specialist clinician before using Huel Lite.
Phenylketonuria: Huel Lite is not suitable for those who suffer from PKU.
IBS, IBD and related conditions: Huel Lite is not low-FODMAP.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Huel Lite 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 Lite is not suitable for children under 4 years of age. However, older children may include Lite 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 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. Other products in our range may be more suitable for individuals with eating disorders, such as our classic Ready-to-drink.
Medication, including GLP-1 agonists: 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.
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.
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.
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.
FoodDrinkEurope. Guidance on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 2013 [Available from https://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/publications_documents/FDE_Guidance_WEB.pdf.
British Nutrition Foundation. Nutrition Requirements Revised 2019 [Available from https://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/article/261/Nutrition%20Requirements_Revised%20August%202019.pdf.
Marten B, et al. Medium-chain triglycerides. International Dairy Journal. 2006; 16(11):1374-82.
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]
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.
Gallaher D. Dietary Fiber. Washington D.C.: ILSI Press; 2006. p. 102-10.
Deruelle F & Baron B. Vitamin C: is supplementation necessary for optimal health? J Altern Complement Med. 2008; 14(10):1291-8.
Combs GF Jr & McClung JP. The Vitamins. 4 ed: Burlington: Elsevier Science; 2012.
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.
Combs GF Jr & McClung JP. The Vitamins. 4 ed: Burlington: Elsevier Science; 2012.
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.
Linus Pauling Institute. Vitamin C [Available from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C.
Zeisel SH & Da Costa KA. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009; 67(11):615-23.
Fischer LM, et al. Dietary choline requirements of women: effects of estrogen and genetic variation. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010; 92(5):1113-9.
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.
SACN. Vitamin D and Health. 2016.
Committee on Food Protection; Food and Nutrition Board; National Research Council. "Phytates". Toxicants Occurring Naturally in Foods. 1973.
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.
Chacko SM, et al. Beneficial effects of green tea: a literature review. Chin Med. 2010; 5:13-.
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.
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