Huel is one of the most well-known meal replacement shake companies in the world, and it has a huge range of flavours and products for you to try. But Huel isn’t for everyone, and it can sometimes be difficult to find the right Huel alternative out there.
In this article, we will be looking at the best Huel alternatives available to buy. We’ll discuss what makes them great and how they differ from Huel.
Our top picks for 2024
Rootana
- Free from artificial sweeteners
- High in protein
- High in fibre
- Natural flavours
Instant Knockout
- Very high in protein
- Packed full of vitamins and minerals
- Good source of healthy fats
- Perfect for weight loss
Purition
- Huge range of flavours
- High in protein
- High in fibre
- Full of vitamins and minerals
Kachava
- Good source of pre and probiotics
- High in protein
- High in fibre
- Low environmental impact
Full reviews
Taking a closer look at the top 5 meal replacement shakes of 2024
Rootana
The number 1 Meal Replacer 2024
Overview
The best alternative to Huel is a high-protein, plant-based meal replacement shake called Rootana. This meal shake is great because it avoids the use of artificial sweeteners, ensuring that it has a formula bursting with natural ingredients.
All of the ingredients are plant based, each ingredient was picked due to it having multiple benefits, and the different protein sources were chosen due to their ability to create a complete amino acid profile. Here are some of the benefits of these ingredients:
Rootana gives you:
- Natural plant-based source of omega-3
- Appetite control from protein and fibre
- Rich source of beta-glucan from oat flour
- Natural sweetener from coconut sugars
- 20% of your Recommended Intake of 24 vitamins
Ingredients
There are six primary ingredients found in each delicious Rootana meal shake. Oat flour provides you with healthy fats, slow-releasing energy (from the carbohydrates), some protein, and lots of fibre. Oat flour also contributes to the great taste and consistency and has been shown to improve heart health, aid weight loss, and increase satiety.
The main protein source comes from pea protein. This is the preferred plant protein for all vegan supplements, as pea protein is one of the few plant sources that contains a complete amino acid profile.
Golden-milled flaxseed provides protein, healthy fats, and fibre, but it is mostly added for its omega-3 fatty acid content. Flaxseed is one of the few non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have hundreds of health benefits.
Sunflower seed oil has been added for healthy fats, a small amount of coconut sugar is added to improve the taste, and sunflower lecithin is used to improve the consistency and stability of the shake. Rootana also uses a vitamin and mineral blend to help improve the nutrient content of each shake.
How it Differs from Huel
Rootana is similar to Huel in a lot of positive ways, they are both high in plant protein, high in fibre, and they both use oat flour for carbohydrates. The biggest difference is that Rootana avoids the use of all artificial sweeteners, while Huel uses sucralose.
This is ideal for anyone who wants all the good of a vegan-friendly meal replacement shake without having to deal with the downsides of artificial sweeteners.
Want to try Rootana?
How to take
You can take Rootana for breakfast, for lunch, or for dinner. You could even take it for two meals per day, with a healthy third option. Mixing your Rootana shake is simple. Pour 500 ml of water into your shaker, add 5 heaped tablespoons of Rootana powder to the water, screw the lid on tight, and then shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
Pros
- No artificial sweeteners
- Delicious taste
- High in protein
- Highly mixable
- Packed full of nutrients
- Great source of healthy fats
- High in fibre
- Environmentally friendly
Cons
- Only available from Rootana website
- Only 3 flavours available
Conclusion
Rootana frequently tops lists for the best meal replacement shake, and it is not surprising when you take a look at the ingredients list. It is great tasting, free from artificial sweeteners, high in protein, and high in fibre. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This is the perfect shake for vegans and non-vegans alike who want to increase their protein and fibre intake in a simple, convenient way.
Overview
Huel is at pains to market itself as a meal shake that is NOT for weight loss, even though it could easily be used for that purpose. Instant Knockout Complete, on the other hand, has been designed specifically to help Pro fighters lose weight.
Complete was originally designed to complement Instant Knockout’s other product, the fat burner Cut. But both products work so well separately that many people choose not to combine them (though those that do often get amazing results).
Instant Knockout Complete is very high in protein and fibre and uses the highest-quality fat sources (MCT powder) to provide a superb meal replacement shake that is perfect for increasing your metabolism, reducing your appetite, and helping you to consume fewer calories per day.
Thanks to its very high protein content, it can also be used for building muscle, though you would need to create a calorie surplus for this. The high protein content also prevents muscle loss during fat-burning diets.
- Very high in protein
- Appetite control and satiety
- Healthy fats from MCT oil
- High dosage of vitamin D
- High in potassium, folate, biotin
Ingredients
Instant Knockout Complete has a lot of really good quality ingredients. Its protein comes primarily from a plant-based blend of pea protein and soy protein isolate. But organic brown rice also provides a source of protein, as do flaxseeds and chia seeds.
The carbohydrates mostly come from oat flour powder, as does most of the fibre (except for some that come from chia and flaxseeds). The facts come from MCT powder, which is derived from coconuts. MCTs have been found to be much healthier than their long-chained counterparts and also appear to aid in weight loss.
Flaxseed and chia seed have both been added to increase omega-3 fatty acid intake, as well as boost protein and fibre.
How it Differs from Huel
Instant Knockout Complete contains better ingredients than Huel and is much higher in protein and fibre than it. Huel Black also contains lots of protein, but it is nowhere near as balanced as Instant Knockout Complete.
If you are looking to burn fat or build muscle, then Instant Knockout Complete is a great meal replacement shake, particularly if you are combining it with the IK fat burner Cut.
Want to try Instant Knockout?
How to take it
Mix one scoop of Instant Knockout Complete with water, milk, or dairy alternative for 20-30 seconds. Then drink. Milk or a plant-based alternative produce a much better taste and consistency, but water is obviously zero calories.
Pros
- Great source of protein
- Perfect for weight loss
- Highly satiating, helps to prevent cravings
- High in fibre
- Packed with nutrients
- Good source of healthy fats
Cons
- Lack of flavours available
- Can only be purchased from Instant Knockout website
Conclusion
Instant Knockout Complete is an incredibly effective meal replacement shake and one that will make it very easy to remain in a calorie deficit. If you want to improve your body composition and lead an active lifestyle, then Instant Knockout Complete is a great option and a stellar Huel alternative.
Overview
There aren’t many meal replacement shakes that can rival Huel for the variety of flavours available, but Purition manages it. There are 18 different flavours (as well as 18 vegan flavours, which are identical). Purition is a very interesting meal replacement shake, which is much lower in calories (not necessarily a good thing) and has virtually no carbohydrates.
Purition’s main selling point is that it chops its ingredients rather than turning them into powder. This is to maintain some nutrients that can get lost in the powdering process, but it also gives Purition an interesting consistency. You will either love it or hate it.
At a Glance
Each shake contains just 198 calories per serving. There are 14 grams of healthy fats, 3.5 grams of carbohydrates, 6.2 grams of fibre, and 16 grams of protein. Purition offers 18 flavours, with both vegan and non-vegan versions available for each.
Ingredients
The ingredients list for Purition is exhaustive, with over 40 different ingredients found. There is a whole foods blend that contains chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels, coconut, almonds, linseed, sesame seeds and several types of nuts. Then there is a fibre blend which contains psyllium husk, apple pectin, and nutritional yeast.
The protein blend is quite good: whey protein isolate (original blends only), hemp seed, sunflower protein, golden pea protein, and pumpkin protein. There is also a botanicals section, a freeze-dried fruit section, and a sweetness section (stevia and coconut sugar).
Of course, the fact remains that there are only 198 calories per serving, so the dosages of each ingredient will be absolutely minimal. The chances of you getting any health benefits from strawberry, banana, nutmeg, or any of the other fruit/botanicals is minuscule.
How it Differs from Huel
Purition provides you with 18 different flavours, and unlike Huel, those differences in taste are large. The variety is massive, and there are some amazing flavours to choose from. Macadamia & vanilla flavour, beetroot & chocolate flavour, curcumin & black pepper, pecan & cinnamon.
Instead of turning the ingredients into powder, Purition chops them finely, which is supposed to help maintain certain nutrients that can get lost in the powdering process. The truth is that this difference will be minimal, and the result is a shake that is not exactly smooth.
But if you really want to keep the processing down to an absolute minimum, Purition is a good alternative to Huel.
Want to try Purition?
Pros
- High protein-to-calorie ratio
- Minimally processed
- Packed full of healthy fats
- High in fibre
- Lots of variety
Cons
- Less than 200 calories per serving
- Very low in carbohydrates
- Consistency is very bitty
- High price per 100 calories
- Only available in the UK
Conclusion
Purition has a lot to offer, it has a great taste, lots of variety, and it is minimally processed. But it does have some flaws. It is very low in calories for a meal replacement shake (fewer than 200 per serving), and this makes it unsuitable for most people as a meal. This means that you may need to double your serving size, which raises the cost per meal.
Consistency is also going to be an issue for many people. We love the idea of foods being prepared in as natural a way as possible, but who honestly likes drinking a shake that has hundreds of lumps in it? If you can handle this and don’t mind the low-calorie formula, then Purition is a great Huel alternative.
There are a lot of similarities between Ka’Chava and Purition. Both are low in calories and contain a long list of ingredients, and both of them are limited geographically. While Purition can only be found in the UK, Ka’Chava is in the US only.
That being said, Ka’Chava is well worth a place on this list, it tastes great, has an exciting ingredients list, and it has a great protein-to-calorie ratio. It is certainly a very different meal replacement to Huel and may suit some people perfectly.
At a Glance
Ka’Chava contains 240 calories per serving, with 7 grams of fat, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fibre, and 25 grams of protein. There are five flavours available: vanilla, chocolate, coconut acai, chai, and matcha.
There are a lot of similarities between Ka’Chava and Purition. Both are low in calories and contain a long list of ingredients, and both of them are limited geographically. While Purition can only be found in the UK, Ka’Chava is in the US only.
That being said, Ka’Chava is well worth a place on this list, it tastes great, has an exciting ingredients list, and it has a great protein-to-calorie ratio. It is certainly a very different meal replacement to Huel and may suit some people perfectly.
At a Glance
Ka’Chava contains 240 calories per serving, with 7 grams of fat, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fibre, and 25 grams of protein. There are five flavours available: vanilla, chocolate, coconut acai, chai, and matcha.
Want to try kachava?
Pros
- Very high protein-to-calorie ratio
- High in fibre
- Vegan-friendly formula
- 85+ top-quality ingredients
Cons
- The calorie content is too low to be effective
- Expensive per serving
- Many of the ingredients are underdosed and ineffective
Conclusion
Ka’Chava is a fun health food shake, but it suffers from the same downside as Purition. It is too small to properly replace a healthy meal. What does this mean? Either you consume too few calories, or you double up the serving size. Either way, you are spending a lot of money on a meal replacement.
Take Ka’Chava as a healthy supplement alongside your regular meals, and you are probably going to get the best out of it.
Overview
The final meal replacement shake on our list of Huel alternatives is BeNu Complete nutrition shake by My Protein. If you have heard of My Protein, then you will know that they specialise in cheap and cheerful supplements that may not be spectacular but are great for lifters on a budget.
BeNu Complete fits this profile quite well, but it is a better meal replacement shake than you may expect. Sure, the ingredients list contains a lot of complex scientific words, which is never a great thing, but you are getting a high-protein, high-fibre meal replacement shake at an absolute bargain price.
If you aren’t fussed about real food ingredients and just want something that tastes nice and is easy to prepare, then BeNu Complete is a great option.
At a Glance
A single serving of BeNu Complete nutrition shake contains 402 calories. It has 14 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 9.4 grams of fibre, and 33 grams of protein. There are three flavours available; cinnamon bun, banana split, and cereal milk.
Ingredients
The main ingredients in BeNu Complete are oat flour, whey protein concentrate, soya protein isolate, and a number of complex-sounding ingredients such as soya lecithin, anti-caking agent, and modified tapioca starch (for example). As we said, this is not a product for anyone who likes their shakes to be as natural as possible.
How it Differs from Huel
In many ways, BeNu Complete is the polar opposite of Huel. It is very cheap, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The benefit is that it is more accessible to people on tight budgets while providing a high-protein and high-fibre shake. The downside is that many of the ingredients are highly processed, and it really doesn’t feel like proper food.
You are either going to care deeply about that last point or not at all. If you don’t mind a highly processed shake, then BeNu Complete offers a great-tasting shake at a very reasonable price per serving. If you do mind, then this is not the shake for you!
Want to try BeNu?
Pros
- Very good value for money
- High in protein
- High in fibre
- Great taste
Cons
- A lot of low-quality ingredients
- Only three flavours are available
- Not vegan-friendly
Conclusion
BeNu Complete is not a natural meal replacement shake like Huel, Rootana, Purition, Instant Knockout Complete, or Ka’Chava. But it doesn’t pretend to be. It is a highly processed product that is very cheap to buy and will “get the job done” in terms of nutrition. If you are on a budget, and the likes of Huel are beyond your means, then BeNu is a great alternative.
Our Top Picks
Still can’t decide? Go back to the top and take a look at our top picks.
The Best Huel Alternative
At the beginning of this article, we named Rootana as our best Huel alternative, and we’re happy to stick to that recommendation. While other meal replacement shakes, such as Instant Knockout Complete and Ka’Chava, have their own unique benefits, no other meal replacement shake is as balanced as Rootana.
Rootana has similar macronutrients and identical calorie content, but it has improved its formula by avoiding the use of cheap, artificial sweeteners, and has opted for natural coconut sugar instead. This makes it a viable alternative to Huel, and it is why it tops our list.