This is without a doubt the most requested product Huel has ever had, and the most anticipated ready-to-drink meal replacement (RTD). In this Huel Black Ready to Drink review, I will have a deep dive to the more convenient RTD version of Huel’s best-selling product, Huel Black.

But what is Huel, what is Huel Black, and why should you care? If you are new to Huel meal replacement shakes, then the short answer is that Huel makes plant-based, affordable, convenient, complete and balanced meals.

In turn, Huel Black is their best selling gluten-free meal replacement powder without artificial sweeteners, and extremely high in protein with 40g of carbs per 400kcal serving. It’s also low in carbohydrates and comes in 8 different flavours.

For years, they have offered Huel RTD, a plant-based 400kcal meal with 20g of protein, and up to 8 flavors to choose from. However, many Hueligans requested a version with a higher protein count to fuel their workouts.

Finally, it is here. Huel Black Ready to Drink contains 35g of protein, 0 artificial sweeteners, no gluten, 26 vitamins and minerals, and 6g of fiber in a sleek 400kcal bottle.

So, after all this waiting and requesting is Huel Black Edition RTD worth it?

Let’s find out.

Flavors: Vanilla, and Chocolate

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Huel Black RTD was perhaps the most anticipated product. Even though the formula is close to Huel Black Powder, I feel like there are a few shortcomings that make this a good, but yet not great product.

The lack of flavor variety is the first, and the taste could be improved a little, too.

What I Like

1. Unbeatable convenience.

2. 35g of plant based protein.

3. Complete and balanced.

4. Similar to Huel Black powder.

5. Soy free, gluten free, no artificial sweeteners.

6. Filling.

What I Dislike

1. Only 2 flavors to choose from.

2. Not available in the US, YET.

3. Taste could be improved.

4. Two box minimum order.

The meat and potatoes of Huel Black Edition RTD is similar to the rest of the line up. It’s a fully plant-based complete meal with 35g of protein, no gluten, no artificial sweeteners, high in fiber and low in sugars.

It contains at least 20% of the DV for 26 vitamins and minerals, and it’s a good source of plant-based omega-3s.

Huel Black RTD Nutrition Overview

Kcal/meal	400
Macros (C/P/F)	27/35/38
Vegan	Yes
Keto	No
Features	GF, Soy Free, Dairy Free
Non-GMO	Yes
Gluten Free	Yes
Organic	No
Includes Probiotics	No
Artificial Sweeteners	No
Synthetic Additives	Yes
Contains All Micronutrients	Yes
Controversial Ingredients

Carbs

Per 400kcal serving:

• Total Carbs: 23.0g, 9% of RI.
• Sugars: 5.8g, 6% of RI.
• Fiber: 6.6g, 19% of RI.

The Huel Black line up has always been lower in carbohydrates and gluten free. The Huel RTD Black is no exception, and contains very little carbohydrates.

However, it does contain almost 6g of added sugar (coconut sugar) to sweeten the drink, since it contains no artificial sweeteners.

Huel Black Ready to Drink is also a good source of fiver thanks to the tapioca starch.

Protein

Per 400kcal serving:

• Total protein: 35g, 60% of RI.
• Protein Source(s): Pea, Faba Bean Protein, hemp protein

One distinguishing feature of Huel Black is the high protein content, with 40g per 400kcal. While the RTD does not reach 40g, 35g of plant-based protein per serving puts it at the top of any meal replacement.

As integrated in their latest Huel Noodles and powders, they have started using a mix of pea, faba bean and hemp protein to provide you with a full amino acid profile. That said, the amount of hemp protein in the mix is minimal, and it’s mostly comprised of faba and pea protein.

Fats

Per 400kcal serving:

• Total fats: 17g per serving (24% of RI).
• Saturated Fats: 6g per serving (30% of RI).
• Omega-3 (ALA): 2.2g per serving.
• Omega-6 (Linoleic): 2.8g per serving.

Another distinguishing feature of Huel Black shakes is that they are high in fat content. Huel never shies away of providing you with healthy fats, including 2.2g of omega-3 fatty acids which are lacking in our diets. These are particularly important for people following plant-based diets.

Arguably, ALA from flaxseed powder is not the best source, as it’s poorly converted to EPA and DHA, but it’s better than nothing.

Besides, it’s a little bit weird that Huel Black RTD contains 6g of saturated fats. Even if these are partially medium-chain triglycerides, the benefits of MCTs are not worth the addition in my opinion.

Micronutrients & More

As usual, Huel shakes are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including 100% of vitamin D (which many are deficient of), and at least 20% of every vitamin and mineral.

They also include 150mg of green tea extract in every Huel Black RTD shake, a plant that’s high in antioxidants and has multiple health benefits. 150mg is not much, though.

Allergens

Huel Black RTD might contain mustard.

What Are the Benefits of Taking Huel Black?

According to Huel, Huel Black RTD has 172 scientifically proven health benefits. Even though most of these are largely overblown due to marketing purposes, there are some clear benefits of taking a meal replacement.

Among others, Huel Black RTD claims to help you with:

• Muscle Function
• Immune Support
• Hair, Skin, and Nails
• Heart Health,
• Reduced Fatigue
• Digestive Support

Does Huel Black RTD Work?

For anyone following an standard diet, Huel Black RTD will be a huge boost of nutrients.

As previously mention, Huel Black Ready to Drink contains 100% of the recommended intake for vitamin D. This is a vitamin that 35% of US adults and 20% of UK population are deficient on. Considering that, vitamin D plays a crucial role in numerous bodily functions such as bone health, mood regulation, immune support or heart health, this will be of great benefit.

Huel Black RTD also contains 35g of plant-based protein, which will be great for anyone looking to build muscle, lose weight, and increase lean body mass percentage.

Similarly, Huel Black RTD is a good source of fiber which is key to regulate waste removal, and boost healthy gut bacteria. Considering that gut bacteria is heavily linked to our immune system and mood, eating enough fiber is of utmost importance.

Besides, Huel Black RTD is a good source of plant-based of omega-3 fatty acids, which are hard to come by. Most people don’t consume enough of them, thus having a Huel Black shake can help you fight inflammation, improve blood vessel health, reduce cognitive decline and more.

Overall, consuming Huel Black Edition RTD is going to be a boost to your nutrient intake, improving your diet. In particular, when compared to other eat-on-the-go options.

Is Huel Black RTD Good for Weight Loss?

Some Huel Black powder users like using it because it’s highly satiating and helps them with weight loss. While neither is a meal replacement shake designed for weight loss, they can be helpful to lose some pounds.

Not only they are healthier than simple protein shakes, they contain more nutrients, but Huel Black RTD is also more filling.

On top of that it allows you to easily track your calories, while taking all the essential nutrients that your body needs and plenty of protein to fuel your muscles.

Pricing

Huel only sells through their website. At the time of writing this Huel Black RTD review, it’s only available in the UK and Germany, but it will soon be available in the US, too.

There are multiple ways to buy the Huel Black RTD, including as a single bottle when you purchase other products at checkout.

For standard purchasing, it comes in packs of 12 bottles.

• Without subscription it costs a total of £45.50 or £3.79 per bottle.
• With subscription, Huel Black RTD costs £41 per 12 pack or £3.42 per bottle.

Unlike with other Huel products, they do not offer any bulk discounts.

Is Huel Black Edition Ready to Drink Worth It?

Ultimately, the price or value is a very subjective matter. Certainly, most Huel products are not among the cheapest meal replacement shakes, and usually slot in the middle. Furthermore, the Huel Black line up is slightly more expensive, in part, due to the higher protein content.

The standard Huel RTD costs £3.17 per bottle (same calories) and has 22g of protein, all essential nutrients, and comes in more flavors, including some of our favorites like Salted Caramel.

When compared to other competitors like YFood, Huel Black is slightly more expensive.

At the end of the day, £3.42 is a great price in our opinion for the quality and the nutritional value of what you get. In particular, the higher protein content, gluten-free, and artificial sweetener free shake.

That said, having more flavors would be welcome.

Huel Black Edition Testimonials and Customer Reviews

Huel Black has been out for a few weeks now, and the initial reception has been a little colder than expected. While the initial response after the reveal was of expectation and hope, people seem to have a few issues regarding mostly to the flavor variety, taste and the price.

Also, this product is only available in the UK and Germany, so we will get more Huel Black reviews when it arrives to the US.

Regarding the price, most people seem to believe that Huel Black Vanilla is a little bland and the Chocolate not as tasty as the regular one.

Tastes delicious. I’d say it’s about 80% similar to the normal vanilla RTD, with the same texture, just a little less strong flavour. The normal vanilla RTD is a bit more exciting on the tastebuds with stronger flavour and more aroma, but there is not a significant difference IMO.

u/HEX in Huel Forums

It’s ok. But for some reason I find the flavour to be a bit odd. It does taste a bit more chocolatey than standard rtd. But there are some other flavours in there competing with the chocolate that don’t quite balance/work for me.

u/Jeff_M in Huel Forums

Looking at Huel Black RTD Huel reviews, people seem to quite enjoy them:

It’s now my go to, couldn’t be happier!

Always used to use the Black Edition powders at home but I’ve never really gotten on super well with the texture or flavour. I’ve tried every which way to mix them & they’re never exactly “enjoyable” to drink, but the benefits outweighed the negatives.

I’d occasionally buy a regular RTD when out and about and I always preferred the texture and flavour, Black RTD seems no different taste or texture wise to those for me, but maybe I’m just unobservant haha, would probably need both side by side to really tell.

Another important factor to assess is how does Huel Black ready to drink shake fair vs the competition.

The most interesting alternatives in the UK to Huel Black RTD are:

• YFood: Has vegan and whey based versions
• Huel RTD 2.0: The standard Huel RTD
• Mana Drink: for those who are not concerned about high protein

In the US, there are other options like Soylent, OWYN or Plenny Drink.

Huel Black RTD vs Huel RTD vs YFood

Category	Huel Black RTD	Huel RTD 2.0	YFood	Vite Ramen GO
serving price	£4.79	£4.71	£3.49	$7.66
kcal/serving	400	400	500	450-520
Flavors	2	8	16	6
Protein (g)	35	22	35	31
Sugar (g)	6	5	22	2
Fiber (g)	6	6	8	7
Fats (g)	17	18	23	14
Carbs (g)	23	34	35	67
Vegan	Y	Y	Y*	N
Certified Organic	N	N	N	N
Micronutrient	27	27	26	25
Artificial Sweeteners	N	N*	Y	N
Synthetic Additives	Y	Y	Y	Y
GMO?	N	N	N	N
Minimum Order	2	3	1	1
Protein Source	Pea, Fava Bean	Pea	Milk Protein*	Wheat, Quinoa
Availability	UK, EU	International	EU, UK	International

Huel Black RTD vs Huel Ready to Drink

So how does the original Huel RTD compared to the Black Edition?

The Original RTD is cheaper and has more flavor options. For those who don’t care about the extra protein, or having no artificial sweeteners I recommend buying the original. In fact the 2.0 is delicious and contains no artificial sweeteners.

Is there a reason to pay extra to get Huel Black RTD?

Yes, if you really want that extra protein, Huel Black RTD is the way to go. While the flavor options are more limited, it’s a better post-workout drink.

Huel Black RTD Review – Verdict

Finally, Huel has launched their most requested product. Huel Black Ready to Drink. So was it worth the wait and the hype?

In essence, Huel Black RTD has all the ingredients that make Huel Black Powder great: more protein than the competition, no gluten, no artificial sweeteners. So in this regard, Huel has nailed the product.

That said, customer reception has been a little cold. The lack of different flavors and the taste being less exciting than the regular RTDs, as well as the higher price point go against Huel Black RTD.

Even then, I think that Huel Black RTD is a great product for those who are looking for a plant based on-the-go meal that has plenty of protein. It’s easily digestible, has all the benefits of a complete meal, and with 35g of protein per 400kcal, it’s the best for active people.