Comparison to Supersonic

Both Huel and Supersonic have the same overall goal; to provide nutritious, affordable food with minimal impact on the environment. We do, of course, have several differences, and we could go on about how much we prefer Huel, but we’d rather leave that up to you.

This is a fact-based comparison looking at categories such as nutrition and price. We haven’t compared subjective factors such as taste or texture, as they are personal to you.

Key Callouts

• Huel contains 75% less sugar than Supersonic
• Huel is cheaper
• Huel contains MCTs from coconut, Supersonic does not
• Huel and Supersonic are both complete plant-based protein sources
• Huel products are formulated by Registered Nutritionists and former Dietitian James Collier

Huel Powder compared

*Correct as of 11/01/21. Price calculated on subscription (if available) for a minimum order, not including delivery.

Macronutrients

Huel Powder v3.0 contains 75% less sugar than Supersonic. On the other hand, Supersonic contains more protein. Protein has several benefits such as being the most satiating macronutrient ^[2]. The good news is Huel provides a complete protein source with a PDCAAS of 1.0 by using pea and brown rice protein. If protein content is important to you we also offer a low carb high protein powder called Huel Black Edition which contains 200g protein per 2000kcal.

Both Huel Powder and Supersonic contain flaxseed to provide omega-3 fats, namely alpha-linolenic acid. Huel Powder also contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut. MCTs are a type of saturated fat which are metabolised differently to the more common long-chain triglycerides and so have additional benefits such as being an immediate source of energy ^[3].

A large proportion of the vitamins and minerals in Huel Powder are from the main ingredients or naturally occurring, rather than being added. Zinc is one example as 100% of the zinc in Huel is naturally occurring in the six main ingredients.

Vitamins & Minerals

Where vitamins and minerals have been added to Huel Powder, the forms used appear to be of a higher quality than Supersonic We use L-methylfolate calcium as a source of folate while Supersonic use folic acid, L-methylfolate calcium is 1000 times more expensive, but the bioavailability is higher ^[4]. Huel Powder also contains choline, unlike Supersonic. Choline is not considered to be an essential nutrient in the EU, but it is in the US. However, the body can’t produce the amount of choline it requires so we must get it from the diet ^[5]. Choline is really important for brain health and muscle movement which is why there is over 100mg of Choline per Huel meal ^[6].

Phytonutrients

As Huel Powder and Supersonic use oats and flaxseed as the main carbohydrate sources there are several phytonutrients that are naturally present. Phytonutrients are substances that are found in certain plants and are beneficial to health. Extra phytonutrients such as lycopene (a substance that gives the red colour to tomatoes) have also been added to Huel Powder as there is evidence they reduce the risk of developing several diseases ^[7]. Further information on the phytonutrients in Huel can be found here.

Summary

Both Huel and Supersonic provide several non-essential but beneficial nutrients that can often be missed by other products. Huel is the cheaper of the two and the price can be lowered even further through bulk buying and discounts such as referral friend and student discount. We encourage you to try Huel, as well as the other products on the market so you can see what suits you best from nutrition to sustainability.

Ready to try Huel? Check out our product range.

References

1. Supersonic Food Powder. Date Accessed: 08/12/20. [Available from: https://supersonicfood.com/produkt/powder/]
2. Hermsdorff HH, et al. [Macronutrient profile affects diet-induced thermogenesis and energy intake]. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2007; 57(1):33-42.
3. Schonfeld P, et al. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids in energy metabolism: the cellular perspective. J Lipid Res. 2016; 57(6):943-54.
4. Scaglione F, et al. Folate, folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate are not the same thing. Xenobiotica. 2014; 44(5):480-8.
5. Zeisel SH, et al. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009; 67(11):615-23.
6. NIH. Choline. Date Accessed: 18/10/19. [Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/]
7. Zhang YJ, et al. Antioxidant Phytochemicals for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases. Molecules. 2015; 20(12):21138-56.