The Huel Complete Protein Formula Explained

Huel Complete Protein is the world’s first nutritionally complete vegan protein powder that is high in protein with 20g per 105 kcal serve, a source of fibre, sugar-free and has all 26 essential vitamins and minerals.

Huel Complete Protein contains no lactose, soy, GMO, or any animal products.

Huel Complete Protein meets the UK and EU Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI), Reference Intake (RI) and Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) for macro- and all micronutrients [1, 2, 3]. Unlike Powder v3.1 and Black Edition, which are both 400kcal meals, Complete Protein should not be used as a meal for your sole source of nutrition. It’s perfect any time to give your body a quick protein boost whenever you need it.

Continue reading to find out more about Huel Complete Protein.

Huel Complete Protein is 12:9:76:3 Macro Split

The principal macronutrients that we obtain energy from food are carbohydrates, fat, protein, and fibre. Unlike Powder v3.1 and Black Edition, Complete Protein is not a meal – as such, we’ve set the ratio at 12:9:76:3 respectively; i.e only 12% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 9% from fat, a whopping 76% from protein and 3% 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, especially if you’re an active individual.

There are also fatty acids that are essential for life and good health, so including sources of fat is crucial too. Even though Huel Complete Protein has been formulated primarily to provide protein and thereby has very little fat, we’ve incorporated additional essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, ensuring that it’s nutritionally complete.

Carbohydrates, however, are not as essential. Although carbs have significant benefits to sustaining even energy levels, some people prefer to have a lower intake of carbs for some meals and snacks. We’ve designed Huel Complete Protein at ratios to suit people who are looking for a high protein, low carb snack.

Huel Complete Protein is High-Protein – Hemp, Faba, and Peas

The RI for protein is 50g per day, but this only covers our very basic needs and prevents protein deficiency [1, 2, 3]. If you’re an active individual or someone who frequently participates in exercise, most likely this 50g RI for protein will not be sufficient to meet your increased demands for protein.

When we exercise, regardless of the type i.e endurance or strength-based exercise, we experience an increased rate of muscle protein breakdown. For the body to recover from exercise and adapt, it needs to be provided with the building blocks of protein, i.e. amino acids.

The ‘optimal’ amount of protein in a meal to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS), in other words, the process of building new muscle, falls somewhere between 20-40g protein for healthy individuals. The range is dependent upon the individual’s lean mass (the amount of muscle someone has), height, the type of exercise you do, metabolic rate and other factors [4]. Huel Complete Protein provides 20g protein per serve.

Huel Complete Protein is suitable for vegans made from a unique blend of three plant protein sources, hemp, faba, and pea, and provides adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. Typically, vegan protein powders are notorious for having a poor flavour profile; however, we’ve combined the more neutral-tasting hemp and pea proteins and layered them with faba protein which gives a smooth and creamy profile.

Hemp protein is nutrient-rich and is a fantastic source of certain micronutrients such as vitamin E, potassium and phosphorus and naturally contains two of the essential fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and linoleic acid (omega-6). From a sustainability standpoint, hemp is top of the class. The hemp plant can grow under a variety of agro-ecological conditions and grows relatively quickly which means it’s less environmentally degrading and is more efficient, helping to minimise its environmental impact [5]. Hemp is also naturally pest-resistant, and thereby requires little or no pesticide use, making it an environmentally friendly crop [6].

Amino Acid Profile

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 genetically and are subsequently involved in primary protein synthesis in animals. Of these 20, nine are essential as they cannot be synthesized from other amino acids.

The nine essential amino acids are:

• Histidine

• Isoleucine

• Leucine

• Lysine

• Methionine

• Phenylalanine

• Threonine

• Tryptophan

• Valine

The other eleven are:

• Alanine

• Arginine

• Asparagine

• Aspartic acid

• Cysteine

• Glutamine

• Glutamic acid

• Glycine

• Proline

• Serine

• Tyrosine

Figure 1: Essential Amino Acid profile of Huel Complete Protein

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

All protein sources are not equal: some are classed as ‘complete proteins’ and some are not. A complete protein contains sufficient quantities of all nine essential amino acids (EAAs). Generally, proteins derived from animal foods (meat, fish, poultry, milk and eggs) are complete. Indeed, some proteins derived from plant foods (legumes, seeds, grains and vegetables) are often complete as well; examples include soybeans, quinoa, buckwheat, hempseed. Many plant foods have insufficient amounts of one or more of the EAAs, and are thereby considered ‘incomplete’. Some are notably low, such as corn protein, which is low in lysine and isoleucine.

Animal-based proteins e.g. whey – which are ‘complete proteins’ – are often thought of as superior compared to many individual ‘incomplete’ plant-based proteins. However, when two or more plant based proteins are combined, often the resulting total EAAs content is plenty. Figure 2 shows that as a percentage of total protein, Huel Complete Protein has significantly more EAAs compared to whey protein.

Figure 2: protein content and amino acid composition of Huel vs. other protein sources

Huel Complete Protein is a source of fibre

The protein in Huel Protein Powder comes from three of the main ingredients: pea protein, hemp protein and faba protein. This ensures a good range of all amino acids and that there are sufficient amounts of the EAAs. Hemp protein is high in the sulphur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine, plus it contains good amounts of all the others but is comparatively low in lysine. The pea and faba proteins are lower in cysteine and methionine but high in lysine. This is why we selected these three sources, ensuring everything was covered whilst keeping Huel Complete Protein vegan-suitable.

Why does the total amount of EAAs matter? Well, it appears that only the EAAs are required for kick-starting the process of rebuilding/making new proteins otherwise known as muscle protein synthesis [7]. Three of the EAAs are categorised as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and these are leucine, isoleucine and valine. Not only are BCAAs substrates of the MPS process, but leucine is of particular importance as it acts as a stimulatory signal for MPS [8] – think of it as the ignition of a car engine. Huel Complete Protein has a total of 9g EAAs and 4.5g BCAAs per serve.

Huel Complete Protein is a Source of Fibre

The fibre in Huel Complete Protein is a mixture of soluble and insoluble forms. The fibre content of Huel Complete Protein helps to ensure the formation of normal, solid stools in healthy users.

Vitamins and Minerals

Many of the vitamins and minerals – also known as micronutrients – in Huel Complete Protein are from natural ingredients. However, to meet the demands of a Western lifestyle, we’ve added a unique vitamin and mineral formula to provide, in some cases, more than 100% of the recommended amounts.

Since the UK Dietary Reference Values were compiled in 1991 [1], 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 [10-12], so we’ve added a high inclusion in the Huel Complete Protein formula. The benefits of consuming more vitamin C include a healthy immune system, healthy skin and antioxidant properties, and it also helps the absorption of some minerals like iron and zinc [12].

Choline is a conditionally essential vitamin, and although, strictly speaking, it can be synthesised in our bodies, it’s more efficient to obtain it from our diets [13]. It’s of particular importance for postmenopausal women [14,15]. As Huel is all about optimum health, the inclusion of choline was felt to be fundamental.

Summary

Huel Complete Protein is the world’s first nutritionally complete plant-based protein powder. It contains 26 vitamins & minerals and contains more essential amino acids (EAAs) than the majority of protein powders. Unlike Powder v3.13.0 and Black Edition, Complete Protein should not be used as a meal for your sole source of nutrition. It’s perfect any time to give your body a quick protein boost whenever you need it.

Ingredients

Banana Milkshake v2.0

Ingredients: Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Natural Flavourings, Hemp Seed Protein Powder, L-Leucine, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Vitamin A (as Retinol Acetate), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin D (D3, as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), L-Lysine, Corn Fibre, L-Methionine, Stabiliser: Xanthan Gum, Flaxseed Oil Powder, Sweetener: Sucralose.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie v2.0

Ingredients: Faba Bean Protein, Pea Protein, Cocoa Powder (8.5%), Hemp Seed Protein Powder, Natural Flavouring, L-Leucine, L-Lysine, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Vitamin A (as Retinol Acetate), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin D (D3, as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), Flaxseed Oil Powder, L-Methionine, Stabiliser: Xanthan Gum, Sweetener: Sucralose, Sea Salt.

Salted Caramel v2.0

Ingredients: Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Natural Flavourings, Hemp Seed Protein Powder, L-Leucine, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Vitamin A (as Retinol Acetate), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin D (D3, as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), L-Lysine, Corn Fibre, Cocoa Powder, L-Methionine, Stabiliser: Xanthan Gum, Flaxseed Oil Powder, Sea Salt (0.352%), Sweetener: Sucralose.

Strawberries & Cream v2.0

Ingredients: Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Natural Flavourings, Hemp Seed Protein Powder, L-Leucine, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Vitamin A (as Retinol Acetate), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin D (D3, as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), L-Lysine, Corn Fibre, L-Methionine, Stabiliser: Xanthan Gum, Radish & Carrot Extract, Flaxseed Oil Powder, Sweetener: Sucralose.

Vanilla v2.0

Ingredients: Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Hemp Seed Protein Powder, Natural Flavourings, L-Leucine, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Vitamin A (as Retinol Acetate), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin D (D3, as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), L-Lysine, Corn Fibre, L-Methionine, Stabiliser: Xanthan Gum, Flaxseed Oil Powder, Sweetener: Sucralose.

Unflavoured & Unsweetened v2.0

Ingredients: Pea Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Hemp Seed Protein Powder, L-Leucine, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Vitamin A (as Retinol Acetate), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin D (D3, as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), Corn Fibre, L-Lysine, Flaxseed Oil Powder, L-Methionine, Stabiliser: Xanthan Gum.

Nutrition

Banana

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

*RI = Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal)

**NRV = Nutrient Reference Values

Strawberries & Cream

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

*RI = Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal)

**NRV = Nutrient Reference Values

Unflavoured & Unsweetened

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

*RI = Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal)

**NRV = Nutrient Reference Values

Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

*RI = Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal)

**NRV = Nutrient Reference Values

Salted Caramel

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

*RI = Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal)

**NRV = Nutrient Reference Values

Vanilla

Vitamins & Minerals

Additional Information

*RI = Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal)

**NRV = Nutrient Reference Values

Huel Complete Protein Cautions and Allergen Advice

Huel Complete Protein is food, therefore it 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 - Huel Complete Protein is suitable for type 1 and type 2 diabetics. As with all food, if you're using medication to help control your diabetes you should structure your intake of Huel Complete Protein appropriately.

• Coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis - Huel Complete Protein 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 must consult your doctor or specialist clinician before having Huel Complete Protein.

• Inflammatory bowel disease - if you suffer from Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or proctitis, and are experiencing a flare-up, we advise caution when having Huel Complete Protein. However, if you’re in remission, Huel Complete Protein may actually be beneficial.

• Pregnancy & lactation - One 105kcal serving of Huel Complete Protein per day is fine to include during pregnancy and for nursing/lactating mothers. Above this amount is not advised due to the different nutritional requirements to the general population.

• Children - Huel Complete Protein is not suitable for children under four years of age.

• Eating disorders - Huel Complete Protein may be consumed by individuals with anorexia or bulimia nervosa as a useful source of complete nutrition. However, we recommend that individuals with eating disorders only use any Huel products after discussing their inclusion with their doctor or relevant clinician.

Huel Complete Protein is not suitable for those who suffer from phenylketonuria (PKU).

Medication Interactions

Huel Complete Protein is fine to consume if you’re using most medication. Although there are no obvious reasons why Huel Complete Protein should be an issue, 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.

Allergen Advice

All Huel products are 100% 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 highlight any allergens that might be present on our product packaging (and ingredient lists) 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.

Huel Complete Protein is gluten-free. It’s also avenin-free: it does not contain any oats so is also suitable for those with an oat intolerance and coeliacs who have an adverse reaction to oats.

References

1. 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. Reports on health and social subjects. 1991; 41:1-210.

2. Europe F. Guidance on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers 2013. Available from: https://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/publication/guidance-on-the-provision-of-food-information-to-consumers/.

3. England PH. Government Dietary Recommendations. In: Health Do, editor. 2016.

4. Burd; N, et al. Protein-Containing Food Is More Than The Sum Of Its Constituent Amino Acids For Post-Exercise Muscle Anabolic Potential. Date Accessed: 04/07/21. [Available from: https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/protein-containing-food-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-constituent-amino-acids-for-post-exercise-muscle-anabolic-potential]

5. Rupasinghe HPV, et al. Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa) as an Emerging Source for Value-Added Functional Food Ingredients and Nutraceuticals. Molecules. 2020; 25(18):4078.

6. Ndathur; S, et al. Sustainable Protein Sources. Elsevier: London: United Kingdom; 2017.

7. Volpi E, et al. Essential amino acids are primarily responsible for the amino acid stimulation of muscle protein anabolism in healthy elderly adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003; 78(2):250-8.

8. Philp A, et al. Signals mediating skeletal muscle remodeling by resistance exercise: PI3-kinase independent activation of mTORC1. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2011; 110(2):561-8.

9. Gorissen SHM, et al. Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant-based protein isolates. Amino Acids. 2018; 50(12):1685-95.

10. Deruelle F, et al. Vitamin C: is supplementation necessary for optimal health? Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, NY). 2008; 14(10):1291-8.

11. Combs J, et al. The Vitamins. 4th ed. Burlington: Elsevier Science; 2012. Hathcock JN, et al. Vitamins E and C are safe across a broad range of intakes. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005; 81(4):736-45.

12. Institute LP. Oregon State University. Vitamin C. Date Accessed: 04/07/21. [Available from: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C] Administration USFaD. Nutrition Labeling of Food. 2018.

13. Zeisel SH, et al. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev. 2009; 67(11):615-23.

14. Fischer LM, et al. Dietary choline requirements of women: effects of estrogen and genetic variation. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2010; 92(5):1113-9.

15. Fischer LM, et al. Sex and menopausal status influence human dietary requirements for the nutrient choline. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2007; 85(5):1275-85.