Future Foods: Lean Greens and Huel Review

As a food blogger, it’s no secret that I love food. I often get asked whether I really eat all the food I post about and the answer is yes, yes I do. However, as we all know, too much food has its consequences. Even though I take extra care in balancing this passion with healthy eating and exercise, it’s really difficult to get right. Are you ready for this next bit? Introducing two fascinating sci-fi-worthy products, Super Greens by Lean Greens and Huel, the number one juice and meal replacement products in the UK right now.

Not only do they both taste amazing, Huel is a future food so complete that it provides all the nutrition you need in addition to several important health (and environmental and ethical) benefits I will explain. The only extra ingredient required is water, although you can also mix them both into whatever you like! After recently completing a month-long trial, both my husband and I have since incorporated both different yet complimentary products into our daily diets. He is now a routine 1-2 x daily Hueler, while I prefer to alternate and use as required.

Before I get into the details, I want to point out upfront one of the most important benefits: time. As well as being superfoods, they are also super fast foods. Both the Super Greens drink and Huel meal shake can be prepared, consumed and tidied up within 2 minutes. That is revolutionary! Does that mean we have morphed into humans of the future that no longer eat real food? Don’t be silly. But do we now have the quickest, healthiest and cost-effective alternative? Absolutely. 

What are Lean Greens?

Ingredients: Spinach, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Alfalfa, Chlorella, Carrot powder, Spirulina, Broccoli, Blueberry Extract, Blackcurrant Extract, Bromelain, Amylase, Protease, Lactase, Lipase, Cellulase, Stevia, Maltodextrin, Siberian Ginseng, Green Tea…

Lean Greens Super Greens powder is labeled as a food supplement, which means that you cannot live off it alone, so please don’t try. Think of it as a juice alternative. Juicing is expensive, messy business, and even then, Super Greens is superior nutrition-wise due to the additional benefits packed inside. To be clear, the formula is only a supplement, so you should still be eating greens in their solid form as part of a varied and balanced diet.

Lean Greens suggest starting your day with their 30-seconds drink first thing in the morning as a way to top-up your vegetable intake and help control your appetite throughout the day. The super greens cocktail is designed to give you a natural, non-jittery energy boost, improve your gut health and reduce bloating due to anti-inflammatory phytonutrients and digestive enzymes. And yes, it works.

It’s that simple. Basically just a fuss-free, nutrient-packed start to your day. Their USP is the taste, literally the least offensive spirulina drink out there. Because it mixes to the consistency of water, it really is easy and dare I say enjoyable to drink. The energy boost also feels cleaner and longer-lasting than my morning coffee. Still not convinced? Try reading this article on 13 reasons why you should drink Lean Greens on the daily.

• Super Greens is made up of dehydrated, freeze-dried raw vegan ingredients, creating a high density of compact nutrients
• Developed in 2012 to help clients conquer their biggest challenges with healthy eating and sticking to a decent diet
• Costs £45 per 500g tub (approx 33 days supply)
• 85% 5-star rating on Amazon.co.uk 

What is Huel?

Ingredients: Oats, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Brown Rice Protein, MCTs from Coconut, Sunflower Lecithin, a bespoke Vitamin and Mineral Blend, Vanilla Flavour and a Sweetener.

Huel is a food replacement drink. Used correctly, you could substitute all your meals with Huel. But go slow. Huel recommends starting out by replacing just one meal for a while before moving onto two. If you’re interested in reading some reviews from people who decided to completely ignore that advice, click here for a hilarious account from Medium of someone who went pure-Huel for a week and loved it. Here for a less enthusiastic experience from Business Insider and here for a mixed day-by-day account written by someone at the Telegraph.

Meal replacement shakes have become incredibly successful among people that have serious difficulty controlling their diet. I’m talking about those people who want to eat healthily but can’t help but make the wrong food decisions on a regular basis. So that’s maybe… All of us? A close-to-home example would be my husband, who struggles to maintain a healthy diet because of consistently poor food choices. His intentions are there, but then he’ll add too much cheese or mayonnaise. Or because he still feels hungry after a salad, eat a whole bag of crisps, chocolate… or pizza. And he still cannot bring himself to choose salad over fries for his side dish. I know. 

The best way to think about Huel is in the name. Huel is a portmanteau (yay!) of Healthy + Fuel. We have to fuel our bodies with food in order to live. Sometimes this can be enjoyable, like a BBQ with friends or a family dinner, other times it is just essential, a quick meal to keep us going. The nice folk at Huel don’t want to get in the way of us enjoying food, but they do offer a better solution for that quick meal during busy mornings, in between meetings, or on the go. Most importantly, Huel can help you moderate your daily diet.

Swapping breakfast or lunch with Huel is amazing because it eliminates the option to make bad choices. Unless your breakfasts look like something out of a Health and Lifestyle magazine, Huel is most likely going to be a more nutritious meal than whatever you plan on eating anyway. I should probably move this next sentence somewhere more visible than towards the end of this post. But here’s a little warning about Huel: it’s addictive… in a cult-like way. Huel buddies, Huel bros, Huel evangelists, Huel addicts, I’ve heard them all. Since we starting Hueling, it’s been catching among our friends. While you were sleeping, the Huel movement is growing. In order to help Huelers identify each other, Huel gives each new client a free T-shirt and shaker. I hear they are still working on a hand symbol.

• Huel is vegan, gluten-free, and costs between £1 and £2 per meal (£45 per 3.5kg pack)
• 3 scoops of Original Huel = 456 kcal
• 37% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins and 3% from fibre
• Low glycaemic index (GI) of 27 makes it suitable for type 1 and type 2 diabetics
• Saves time and money with no food waste

uk.huel.com

Disclaimer: If either product sounds of interest, I recommend visiting their websites first to read more about them. I received a sample of Lean Greens powder as a gift in exchange for an honest review. This post is based on my own experience and is not medical advice in any shape or form. Please consult your doctor if you have any specific health needs or concerns in relation to either product.

Lara Olivia

Freelance writer and blogger obsessed with food, travel and good stories.

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