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Disclaimer: all nutritional information was correct for the time of writing this article, April 2024. All nutritional labels can be viewed on Huel’s website.

Introduction – What is Huel?

Huel is a nutritionally complete meal shake which provides an ’ideal balance of protein, carbs, essential fats, fibre, and all the 26 essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive’ according to their website. When shopping for Huel, you can see several options such as their Gluten Free, Professional, Essential, regular Powder or Black Edition. For the purpose of this post, I’ll be discussing their Powder and the Black Edition as these are two products I’ve tried personally.

Similarities Between Huel Black and Huel Powder

• Both are available as premixed bottles or as powder that you mix at home.
• Huel Black and Huel Powder both have gluten free options available.
• They are both marketed as nutritionally complete meal products with ‘26 essential vitamins and minerals’.
• Both can be purchased either via a subscription or as a one-time option.
• Both come out as 400 calories per serving.

Differences Between Huel Black and Huel Powder

• The nutritional profile varies between the two products, as well as between mix-at-home and bottled options:

Nutrition Info	Powder	Black Edition	Ready-to-drink	Black Edition Ready-to-drink
Total Fats	12g	17g	19g	17g
Carbs	39g	18g	34g	23g
Of which sugar	1.2g	4.5g	1.7g	5.8g
Fibre	7.8g	6.3g	7.2g	6g
Protein	30g	40g	20g	35g
Salt	0.51g	0.84g	0.52g	0.78g
Full Macro Split (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein, Fibre)	37:30:30:3	17:40:40:3	35:42:20:3	23:39:35:3
Gluten Free?	Both non-gluten free and gluten free available	Yes	Both non-gluten free and gluten free available	Yes
Serving Size	100g	90g	500ml	500ml
Natural Sweetener	No	Yes	No	No

• Huel Black is also more expensive compared with Huel Powder.
• To me, they definitely have a slightly different taste and texture from one another, even when I tried the same flavour of each (chocolate). I only was able to try the mix at home in both however so cannot speak to the two types in bottled form.

My Personal Opinions and Preferences – Huel Black Edition vs Huel Powder

As a lover of strength training, I honestly feel torn about which option is best for me out of the two Huel types. I love that Huel Black has more protein – this is something I often look for to support my recovery post-workout. However, I’m not sure I’m completely sold on how the other nutritional differences between Black Edition and Powder will work for me. For example, I tend to lean towards lower fat and sugar products (which Powder supports vs Black Edition) and I prefer to get in all the fibre I can – Powder wins in this category too. In terms of the carbs, I also find I still need a decent quantity in my diet to support more endurance training exercises. However, I fully acknowledge that many are looking for lower carb options these days to support their own personal lifestyle goals so Huel Black may be more attractive to this group.

With regard to taste, I personally prefer Huel Powder. I love the oatiness of the formula and find it blunts my sugar cravings very well. In my opinion, Huel Black tastes much more like a traditional protein shake with the richness of cocoa powder coming through on top in the chocolate flavour (the most noticeable flavour is definitely oats/creaminess to me in Powder by contrast).

In terms of cost, I’m not sure I’m the right person to need to pay the extra to buy Huel Black on a regular basis, however I can definitely see the type of audience that would love this product. For example, those who prioritise low carb or those who need the extra protein. Personally, if I were to go through a period where muscle building was my overall goal, I think I would opt for Huel Black during this time. I mainly come to this conclusion as I often find it difficult to fit in protein shakes around my other meals – Huel Black provides a nutritionally complete option that would likely serve the dual purpose as a fast light lunch plus protein supplementation, all in one.

In summary, both are great products and highly convenient ways of getting a good standard of nutrition. If you’re still not sure on which you’d want, I’d honestly recommend trying both at some point (where possible) just so you know where you stand in terms of preference. Everyone’s body, energy levels and training routines are different so it’s always useful to try out different things.

If you’re curious about any Huel products, you can use my Huel discount code SARAHCBLOGGER for £10 off on their website (new customers only, orders over £45).