Huel vs Rootana
Both Huel and Rootana are well-made, healthy meal shakes that have been designed to help busy people to improve their nutrition and reduce the amount of time and money that is spent on tricky meals such as breakfast and lunch. But how do they differ? Huel vs Rootana is a competition that is fantastic for the industry. Raising standards and leaving subpar products in their wake.
| Category | Rootana | Huel |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per serving | 400 | 400 |
| Flavours | 2 | 10 |
| Protein | 20-21g | 30g |
| Fats | 14-16g | 13g |
| Carbs | 43-44g | 37g |
| Fiber | 7-9g | 7.5g |
| Micronutrients | 27 | 27 |
| Servings per Pack | 14 | 17 |
| Vegan Friendly? | Yes | Yes |
| Artificial Sweeteners? | No | Yes |
| Subscription Available? | Yes | Yes |
Huel vs Rootana Ingredients List
Both Huel and Rootana share a lot of the same ingredients. Both shakes use oats, pea protein, flaxseed, sunflower oil, xanthan gum, sunflower lecithin, and a vitamin and mineral blend.
There are a few ingredients that only appear in Rootana, though, and there are a few ingredients that only appear in Huel.
- Rootana Ingredients: Guar gum (a form of fiber) and coconut sugar, which is a natural sweetener used to improve the flavor of Rootana.
- Huel Ingredients: Tapioca flour, medium-chain triglyceride powder, acerola cherry powder, kombucha powder, sucralose, and bacillus coagulans.
As you can see, there are a number of ingredients in the Huel recipe that are not present in Rootana. The acerola cherry powder and kombucha proved quite controversial with the Huel community, and it is interesting to note that the latest version of Huel is removing it completely.
The use of tapioca flour is not particularly controversial, although it does not have any nutritional benefits. MCT powder can be an excellent fat source, but the amount present per serving of Huel is negligible, with sunflower oil being the major healthy fats contributor in the recipe (same with Rootana).
Bacillus coagulans are used to improve digestibility. The major difference in ingredients is that Huel uses the artificial sweetener sucralose, while Rootana uses naturally occurring coconut sugar.
Huel vs Rootana Macros
For this section, we will compare Cinnamon Swirl Huel vs Cacao flavored Rootana. There is a slight difference in macro ratios between Original Rootana and Cacao, with Original having 21 more calories and having a little more protein and healthy fats.
- Huel contains 400 calories, with 13 grams of fats, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 7.5 grams of fiber, and 30 grams of protein.
- Rootana contains 400 calories, with 14 grams of fats, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 9.4 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of protein.
As you can see, the two shakes have very similar macros. The main difference is that Rootana contains more complex carbohydrates, while Huel contains more protein.
Rootana’s formula was developed using recommendations published by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institutes of Medicine, which recommended a distribution range of 45-65% carbohydrates, 20-35% fat, and 10-35% protein [1].
Huel vs Rootana Sweeteners
The biggest difference between the two shakes, by far, is the use of artificial sweeteners in the Huel formula. Rootana was specifically designed to be free from artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, and sugar alcohols. Instead, it uses naturally occurring coconut sugar.
Coconut sugar comes from the sap of the coconut tree rather than the coconuts themselves. The sap is dried out in the sun, where it crystalises and becomes coconut sugar. It is similar to normal sugar but contains more micronutrients and is less processed.
The amount of coconut sugar in each serving of Rootana is minimal, as Rootana is made to have a subtly sweet taste, which is perfect for anyone who dislikes the overly-sweet taste that many artificially sweetened meal shakes offer.
Artificial sweeteners are deemed safe by nutrition experts, but it is undeniable that some people can suffer adverse reactions to them. While others dislike the artificially sweet taste that they produce.
You may not see any side effects from taking artificial sweeteners, but the lab-made ingredients may not fit your personal idea of healthy, natural foods.
It is for these reasons that Rootana avoids the use of artificial sweeteners. We wanted to create a shake that was suited to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores who care about what foods they consume. Aspartame may not be the evil food ingredient that 90s chain emails portrayed it to be, but there are many people who still wish to avoid it wherever possible.
If you would like to learn more about some of the reported side effects of artificial sweeteners, then you can check out our articles here.
What About Taste? Price? Variety?
This article has deliberately avoided subjective comparisons. This is because it is unfair to compare the tastes of two shakes when everyone has their own unique likes and dislikes.
We truly believe that Rootana is a delicious shake that comes at a very fair and economical price point. We also know that Huel has a reputation for some great-tasting shakes of their own and that they also come at a fair price point.
Ultimately, we believe that customers will make their choice based more on the ingredients (or lack thereof), the macronutrient ratio, and whether they believe that the product represents the best choice for their health, lifestyle, and personal beliefs.
Have you just bought your first bag of Rootana? If so, then check out our articles on helpful tips and tricks to customise and possibly even improve upon our superb plant-based shakes.
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