Introduction to Meal Replacements

Meal replacements are nutritious liquid foods that can temporarily or permanently substitute solid meals, depending on their composition.

vybey and Huel are supplementary meal replacement shakes formulated to replace only one or two meals per day.

Both options give you all the nutrition of a full meal - proteins, carbs, vitamins, minerals, you name it - but in an easy-to-mix, portable package.

It’s the convenience factor of meal replacements that makes them so popular, although plenty of people consume them for weight loss and calorie control. Athletes and sports people use them to boost energy before workouts.

vybey Complete Meal Powder and Huel Powder are market-leading options with an ideal balance of nutrition. Still, only vybey goes big on probiotics and throws in the nootropic lion’s mane to benefit your cognitive health.

vybey also offers:

•         100% natural ingredients
•         Vegan and vegetarian flavours
•         The powerful nootropic lion's mane
•         No subscription requirement
•         A slightly lower calorie intake per serving

We provide more colour below.

Under the Microscope: vybey and Huel

vybey and Huel are meal-replacement shakes but have different ingredient combinations and nutritional profiles.

One similarity between them is they both deliver between 380 and 400 calories per 100g serving (vybey has slightly lower calories) – that’s around a sixth of your daily requirements if you need 2,500 calories for weight maintenance.

We can deduct from these calorie counts that vybey and Huel are not meant to replace meals in their entirety. Instead, they are meant as a quick meal replacement with similar nutritional qualities to a healthy, solid meal.

After diving deep into the nutritional information of both the vybey salted caramel meal shake and the Huel salted caramel v3.0, the main takeaways are:

•         Both Huel and vybey deliver 100% nutritional meals
•         vybey contains premium ingredients, including nootropics and probiotics, compared with Huel’s more basic nutritional profile
•         Huel has a significantly higher level of sodium (salt) than vybey
•         The vybey shake includes organic ingredients. Huel does not
•         Huel comes in more flavours than vybey, although the reviews for some of the more ‘interesting’ flavours aren’t that great

Check out this table comparing Huel and vybey:

Let’s break down that table:

•         vybey has more carbohydrates than Huel
•         vybey has more protein than Huel
•         vybey has significantly less sodium than Huel
•         vybey has less fat than fuel
•         Both shakes contain the same number of vitamins and minerals

If we read between the lines, both meal replacements are healthy, but vybey has a better nutritional profile than Huel, especially on the fibre and sodium side.

Probiotics Comparison

Compared to vybey, there is a notable lack of probiotics (particularly Bacillus Coagulans) in the Huel salted caramel powder.

The Huel salted caramel powder contains a relatively low dose of only 150 million colony-forming units (CFUs) of probiotics compared to the 1 billion CFUs in vybey – an enormous difference that makes vybey superior.

Probiotics like Bacillus Coagulans survive the harsh, acidic environment of the stomach and make their way to the intestines, where they can proliferate and provide a host of health advantages.

Spores allow these good bacteria to remain dormant until they reach the intestines, where they germinate and colonise the gut.

This colonisation is key, as probiotics balance the gut microbiome, crowd out harmful bacteria, and promote healthy digestion [8]. They produce enzymes that break down food, synthesise vitamins, and strengthen the intestinal lining. Probiotics also boost immune function, reduce inflammation, and positively impact mood and cognition.

Given the critical importance of gut health, the higher probiotic content in vybey is a significant advantage over the Huel salted caramel powder.

The robust 1 billion CFU dose of Bacillus Coagulans in vybey is much more likely to have a meaningful, beneficial impact on the user's internal health and wellness. This, combined with vybey's other premium ingredients, arguably sets it far ahead of local and global meal replacement competitors in Australia, Europe, and the UK.

vybey vs Huel Flavours

Huel comes in ten flavours, including the unflavoured version, while vybey only comes in two, making Huel the clear winner for flavour choice.

But vybey doesn't have many flavours for an excellent reason – we rigorously test them to ensure they are perfect. We want at least a year's worth of refinement before the launch of a new flavour. Huel pushes them out faster.

The secret to vybey's fantastic flavours lies in how we process the plant-based proteins, which traditionally, don't taste and mix well. We use a finer powder and higher quantities of natural flavourings to mask vegetal flavours.

Huel is reviewed chiefly as a 'passable' meal replacement shake with bland, hold-your-nose vibes. Some find it too sweet, while others find it leaves a nasty aftertaste—you can find these comments in the reviews.

vybey takes a quality-over-quantity approach, with chocolate caramel and vanilla flavours built from natural ingredients like cocoa powder, coconut, and plant-derived flavour extracts.

There are less than 1 in 100 complaints of bad aftertastes or over sweetness with vybey, so it is a better-reviewed meal replacement shake for taste.

Pouches and Bottles

Vybey is available as a loose powder in 1.5kg bags or smaller 80g and 100g packs for when you’re on the go.

Another fantastic way to take vybey is vybey powder bottles, which contain no liquid, allowing you to add water, milk, or any other liquid.

You can also mix and match vybey products with a starter bundle to benefit from Braincare Smart Focus and Braincare Smart Greens.

Huel also comes as a loose powder in bulk bags, and the company offers a wide range of pre-mixed bottles, savoury pouches, and pots, but these don’t always replicate the powder (they usually have a different nutritional profile).

Mixing and Matching Flavors

With vybey's variety of flavours, you can create delicious and nutritious combinations. Here’s how to mix and match the available options:

• Chocolate Caramel and Coffee Kick: Blend vybey’s chocolate caramel flavour with a splash of cold brew coffee for a mocha-like shake with an extra boost of energy. This combination delivers a rich, satisfying taste with added caffeine.
• Vanilla and Berry Delight: Combine vanilla with a mix of frozen berries for a creamy and fruity shake. The berries add natural sweetness and antioxidants, while vanilla provides a smooth, comforting base.
• Chocolate Caramel and Peanut Butter: Mix chocolate caramel with a spoonful of peanut butter for a decadent, dessert-like shake. This blend adds a nutty flavour and extra protein, perfect for a satisfying post-workout snack.
• Vanilla and Spinach: Blend vanilla with a handful of spinach for a nutrient-packed green shake. Spinach boosts the vitamin and mineral content without overpowering the vanilla flavour.
• Chocolate Caramel and Banana: Combine chocolate caramel with a banana for a creamy, naturally sweet shake. This mix offers a boost of potassium and energy, making it a great option for a pre- or post-workout snack.

These combinations let you enjoy vybey in various tasty and nutritious ways, keeping your meals both exciting and satisfying.

Vegan and Gluten-Free

Huel is vegan, GMO-free, and lactose-free, with a gluten-free option in Huel Gluten Free Complete Food and Huel Black Edition.

vybey is vegan or vegetarian depending on the flavour - the only flavour that is not vegan is the dairy vanilla (which is vegetarian). It also contains no artificial flavours or colours.

vybey powder is not gluten free due to our oats, but we are developing an oat-free version that’ll be 100% gluten-free.

Innovation

Huel is a leading nutrition company known for developing new meal replacement shakes and supplements.

vybey is the same but takes a longer approach to innovation, ensuring that every product bearing the vybey name delivers satisfaction.

Recent vybey innovations include the nootropic coffee alternative Braincare Smart Focus, a cognitive enhancer to replace your daily caffeine fixes.

Another recent innovation is vybey Lion’s Mane powder (yes, the ingredient in vybey Complete Meal Powder), letting you add lion’s mane to your shakes, hot drinks, and wet foods to benefit from the powers of medicinal mushrooms. 

Purchasing Methods

Huel has two annoying things about their purchasing:

•         Subscription requirement
•         Minimum purchase value

Huel allows you to manage your subscription online, including pausing or cancelling it. If you prefer, you can also make a one-time purchase without a subscription.

A minimum purchase value is also in effect, although this constantly changes.

For instance, we just tried buying Huel Powder for £25.75, but the system wanted us to spend £9.25 more to continue.

vybey doesn’t have either of these purchasing barriers – you can order single units or subscribe and save to get better value over time. There’s no minimum order value, letting you scale your purchasing up and down.

Basically, it’s easier to buy with vybey than Huel.

Nootropics Comparison

Nootropics are dietary supplements that protect the brain from stress and improve focus, concentration, memory, and learning.

Huel contains no nootropics, while vybey contains lion's mane, a potent fungus with promising effects on cognition and immunity.

Lion's mane extracts are rich in compounds known as beta-glucans, which are adored by your intestinal tract. They improve colonic microbes for digestion and pass into the small intestine to spread their benefits.

Lion's mane also contains several bioactive compounds, like hericenones and erinacines, which easily cross the blood-brain barrier to promote neuron growth factor synthesis and have anti-inflammatory effects in the brain.

Those of you struggling to sleep might also benefit from lion's mane, with supplementation helping to improve sleep disorders in people.

Additional benefits of lion's mane:

•         Better focus and clarity
•         Reduced brain fog
•         Improved mood
•         It may protect against neurodegenerative diseases

vybey contains 450mg of lion's mane per serving, with the recommended maximum daily dose being around 1,000mg. So, one or two shakes are fine.

Organic and Premium Ingredients

Huel contains no organic ingredients, while vybey contains organic coconut flour, flaxseed flour, brown rice protein, and cocoa powder.

Organic foods are grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers, or other artificial chemicals, making them purer and higher in nutrients.

People with allergies to chemicals, or preservatives may benefit from fewer symptoms when they eat only organic foods [10].

You get:

•         Plant-based proteins to preserve lean muscle
•         Fibre to promote satiety and digestive health
•         Healthy fats to support heart health and vitamin absorption
•         Probiotics and prebiotics for gut health
•         Lion's mane
•         B vitamin complex
•         Minerals including calcium, chromium, copper, iron, and magnesium

The decision to source organic ingredients – which are significantly more expensive – demonstrates vybey's commitment to providing the cleanest possible products, not ones with the highest profit margins.

Impact on Energy Levels and Physical Performance

Both vybey Complete Meal Powder and Huel provide essential nutrients that can impact your energy levels and physical performance. With their balanced mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, these meal replacements offer a quick and convenient way to fuel your day.

vybey’s meal powder contains high-quality proteins and complex carbohydrates, which provide sustained energy release and help maintain steady blood sugar levels. This can be particularly beneficial for athletes or active individuals looking to enhance their performance and recovery.

Protein Quality and Muscle Maintenance

Protein quality is crucial for muscle maintenance and overall health. vybey Complete Meal Powder is packed with high-quality plant-based proteins, including brown rice protein and flaxseed flour, which provide all the essential amino acids needed for muscle repair and growth.

The superior protein blend in vybey helps support muscle maintenance and recovery after workouts, making it an excellent choice for those engaging in regular physical activity or strength training.

Conclusion

Both vybey and Huel contain high-quality natural ingredients and decent calories to replace one or two meals per day.

vybey is the clear winner for nutritional content, macros, and premium ingredients, while Huel has more flavours and reviews.

A few significant points:

•         Huel contains over twice the sodium of vybey (710mg vs vybey's 377mg)
•         Huel contains significantly less Bacillus Coagulans probiotic than vybey (150mn compared to vybey's 1bn)
•         Only vybey contains lion's mane, a nootropic that shows promise to boost mental clarity, sleep, and immunity

Add these benefits together, and you have a superior shake to Huel.

Huel can't beat vybey's great taste, macros, and purchasing flexibility, with no requirement to create a subscription. Grab a Starter Bundle and give it a go.