YFood is a German meal replacement brand that has some of the best tasting ready to drink shakes. However, lately they have expanded their repertoire launching bars and now the meal replacement powder option. This last is very promising, since we might be able to get YFood RTD’s incredible taste, at a much more affordable price tag. Let’s find out if this is the case in this YFood powder review.

Spoiler alert: yes, these are some (if not the) best tasting shakes I’ve ever had; and I would highly recommend them. They are far from perfect, though.

Flavours: Chocolate, Berries, Coconut, Banana, Coffee, Salted Caramel, Heavenly Hazelnut and Vanilla.

I love YFood’s Ready to Drink product, particularly due to the consistency, texture and taste. Similarly, the YFood powder is outstanding in terms of taste, particularly the Chocolate. Honestly, it is worth trying just for how delicious the shakes.

Nonetheless, my issues are not with the taste; but with the ingredients.

This is because YFood has chosen to go for a formula that resembles the RTD; but that nutritionally is weaker than the competitors. Still, it will provide you all the nutrients that your body needs, and it is a much healthier alternative to most fast food/breakfast options.

What I like

1. Very similar to the RTD. This is a pro and a con. In one hand, YFood lovers will now have the chance to enjoy a similar experience at a much more affordable price. The powder is still high in protein, it is heavily based on milk and has no new ingredients.

2. 8 great flavours to choose from.

3. Milk protein, but lactose free shake. In a market where more and more products are vegan, having non-vegan options is great. Milk protein is a high quality source and will provide you with everything that your body requires.

4. One of the best tasting shakes. The chocolate flavour is sublime; milky, frosty and super tasty. It is a pleasure to drink. Besides, I would highly recommend Coconut and Coffee, too.

5. 20% subscription discount makes the shake fairly affordable.

6. Now with a great starter pack to try out most flavours.

What I dislike

1. Nutriscore A, but weaker than some of the competition in this regard.

2. High in sugars and maltodextrin. There is no added sugars and most of these come from milk. However, lactose free milk has higher glycaemic index than regular milk; and maltodextrin has also a high GI.

3. Berry. I love (adore) most YFood powder flavours, but Berry is just not good enough. Vanilla is not the best either, but goes well when you mix it with the others flavours.

Improvements

1. More complex carbs. I know this will not happen, since it would likely affect both the flavour and the texture of the shake. Nevertheless, I hope to see a YFood powder that has a bigger focus on nutrition

2. Bulk discounts.

3. Improve the Berry flavour. Currently, it is the weakest of the three by a mile. I hope they make it stronger.

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Let’s start by saying that they have been one of the most surprising meal replacements that I’ve tried over the last years.

Despite the fact that I think Classic is much better than most other flavours; overall the YFood shakes are delicious. In fact, only Berry and Vanilla fall a little short, with a prominent milk flavour and what it feels a weak berry flavouring on top.

Best Flavour	Alpine Chocolate
Worst Flavour	Berry
Taste	These are sweet shakes, with strong flavour and a milky undertone. An absolute delight to drink.
Texture	YFood shakes are fairly thin, but can froth a little on the top when you shake them hard.
Easy to Mix	Mixes perfectly. There will be no lumps on your shake.
Satiety	A little on the weak side. You might feel hungry in about 2h.
Easy to Clean	One of the strengths of YFood shakes is that they are really easy to clean.
Afterthoughts	These shakes taste like milkshakes, and they do leave you a similar aftertaste. When you finish them you always want more; so you’ll have to make sure you limit yourself!

Pro-Tip: Mix your YFood powders. 2 scoops of Chocolate with 1 Coconut will give you an awesome Bounty shake. Similarly, you can mix 2 Chocolate with 1 Coffee for a morning Mocha. Furthermore, adding some Oatly Barista Oat Milk will take it to the next level.

Does YFood Powder Taste Good? Yes, Absolutely

There’s no doubt in my mind that most YFood shakes are delightful, and indeed, they are one of the few that I can recommend with almost 100% confidence.

However, I believe that Chocolate, Coconut and Coffee are in a level of their own. I would go even further and say that Vanilla and Berry are rather average and forgettable; while the other three are exquisite.

At the time of this review, I haven’t tried Hazelnut and Salted Caramel flavours, so I can’t say much about them, unfortunately.

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When it comes to nutrition, YFood powder will provide you with all the essential nutrients that your body needs, including vitamins and minerals.

Nonetheless, these shakes might not be as healthy as the best meal replacement shakes; since they are high in sugars (naturally ocurring), contain maltodextrin and are fairly high in fats. Plus, they don’t use many natural ingredients, thus they might not be rich in phytonutrients.

YFood Powder Nutrition Overview

	YFood Powder
Kcal/meal	400
Macros (C/F/P)	35/26/39
Vegan	No
Keto	No
Features	Vegetarian
Non-GMO	Yes
Organic	No
Includes Probiotics	No
Artificial Sweeteners	Yes
Synthetic Additives	Yes
Contains All Micronutrients	Yes
Controversial Ingredients	Maltodextrin

Carbohydrates

• Total Carbs: 30.0g, 12% of RI.
• Sugars: 15.0g, 17% of RI.
• Fibre: 6.9g, 35% of RI.

The carbohydrate sources are very similar to the YFood RTD; which relies heavily on milk and maltodextrin. On top of that they add some inulin and gluten free-oat fibers as source of, indeed, fibers.

Taking this into account, my main issue is the use of maltodextrin. While the objective of it is clear -to keep the shake smooth-; it increases the GI of the shake unnecessarily and offers nothing but pure energy. Despite the fact that this shouldn’t be a major issue (low amount of carbs and high fiber); it is not the healthiest option.

Protein

• Total Protein: 26.0g, 52% of RI.
• Source: milk protein.

Just like on the RTD, YFood opts for milk protein; which is one of the best protein sources out there (unless you are a vegan). I covered the reasons why milk protein is great in the recent Liquid Meal review; but in short, it offers high quality amino acid profile.

Plus, it has both slow and fast absorbing protein. While whey protein might be better following exercise due to the higher absorption rate; milk also contains casein (~80%) which has further health benefits.

With 26g per 400kcal, it means that YFood powder is one of the best meal replacements to take around exercise; particularly if you are following a muscle gain goal.

Fats

• Total Fats: 18.0g, 26% of RI.
• Saturated Fats: 2.4g, 14% of RI.
• Omega-3: ?

One of the most complex aspects of YFood powder is the fat profile. I say so because besides the sunflower oil and canola oil; they also add coconut milk, to provide you with some medium chain triglycerides (source of the saturated fats).

Starting with sunflower oil and canola; this is a very usual pair. The reason for this is the balance between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Canola oil is a good source for omega-3; which are some of the most essential fatty acids.

As mentioned above, coconut milk is a little more surprising. For once, it gives the shake a distinctive flavour; and on top of that it adds the amount of saturated fatty acids in the shake. However, these are partially MCTs which the body can burn more effectively for energy.

Sadly, YFood does not provide the full breakdown of the fatty acids to know how many MUFA, PUFA and O-3 fatty acids their shakes have.

Allergens

YFood powder contains milk (lactose free) and oat fiber (gluten free).

Let’s see how the powder version of YFood compares to some other meal replacements in the market. Will it beat the best shakes?

YFood Powder vs YFood RTD

For many the option will be between the RTD and the powder. Is it worth for you to change?

Flavours

YFood Powder: Chocolate, Banana, Coffee, Coconut, Berries, Salted Caramel, Heavenly Hazelnut and Vanilla.

YFood RTD: Chocolate, Vanilla, Berry, Coffee, Heavenly Hazelnut, Salted Caramel, Coconut and Banana.

Price

Price	YFood Powder	YFood RTD
EU (€)
per 400 (expensive)	1.76	2.80
per 400 (cheapest)	1.76	2.34

Taste

After trying both, you can tell they are a very similar product. They both have the milky background, and the shakes are rather sweet. Furthermore, in my experience, the best flavours for both the RTD and Powder are the same.

However, the powder version is froths, and you get a foam layer at the top after shaking. It’s not as smooth as the RTD, even if it’s very smooth for a powder based meal replacement.

Honestly, I feel like the powder has great taste for the price, and it’s better to mix flavours. On the other hand, the RTD is extremely tasty and requires 0 prep.

Nutrition

What Should I Buy?

Do you want the tastiest shake that you can have? Then go for the YFood RTD. Are you on a budget? Then, you might want to purchase the powder. Simple.

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YFood Powder vs Mana Powder

Mana is a Czech brand that has very popular ready to drink and powder products. The formula, however, is is different to YFood’s and more similar to Soylents; with soy protein and a vegan mix.

Flavours

YFood Powder: Chocolate, Banana, Coffee, Coconut, Berries, Salted Caramel, Heavenly Hazelnut and Vanilla.

Mana: Original and Choco.

Price

Price	YFood Powder	Mana Powder
EU (€)
per 400 (expensive)	1.76	1.77
per 400 (cheapest)	1.76	1.44

Mana Origin is cheaper than the other flavours.

Taste

As far as the taste is concerned, Mana offers a more buttery, fatty experience. Their Origin flavour is exceptional; not too strong and fairly milk like, but hard to get tired off. Besides, the Choco flavour has also improved a lot, giving a richer chocolate experience.

That said, I think that YFood shakes are better for those who like stronger tasting shakes. They might come as more artificial, but they can be easier to like.

Nutrition

Remember that Mana Powder is vegan, and uses soy protein isolate as source for protein as opposed to whey.

What Should I Buy?

If you are vegan you have no choice but to go for Mana Powder. The Czech company has Origin, a clean flavour that’s hard to get tired off. YFood has some extra protein, so it might be more fitting for active people. It is also the best tasting out of the two, in my opinion.

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YFood Powder vs Huel Powder

Huel is the biggest complete food manufacturer that produces both powder and ready to drink products. Ironically, YFood RTD was one of my favourite Huel alternatives for ready to drink options. So will the powder also be a good buy?

Flavours

YFood Powder: Chocolate, Banana, Coffee, Coconut, Berries, Salted Caramel, Heavenly Hazelnut and Vanilla.

Huel Powder: Original, Vanilla, Chocolate, Unflavoured & Unsweetened, Coffee, Berries, Mint Chocolate and Banana.

Huel also offers Huel Black, a low carb, high protein alternative in few other flavours.

Price

Price	YFood Powder	Huel Powder
UK (£)
per 400 (expensive)	1.52	1.47
per 400 (cheapest)	1.52	1.09
EU (€)
per 400 (expensive)	1.76	2.02
per 400 (cheapest)	1.76	1.44

The pricing for Huel in the UK is cheaper than the rest of Europe.

Taste

Huel tend to be gritty, very oaty and with mild sweetness profile. Huel shakes are definitely harder to like. Their flavours are not strong, and the background flavour is more noticeable. Plus, the texture is different too. e YFood will definitely be thinner (no oats) and likely more sweet.

Nutrition

Huel is a vegan shake that uses a mixture of pea and rice protein, together with oats (for carbs), plus sunflower and canola oil (fats). Overall, I would say Huel’s nutritional profile is better, since it has less sugars, less processed ingredients and a great fatty acid balance with plenty of omega-3.

What Should I Buy?

Huel Powder will have to be your choice if you are vegan. Otherwise, it will depend on your usage and what you value better.

Nutritionally, you might value the low sugar offer Huel offers. It feels more complete and balance.

However, if you value taste more highly, you should definitely go for YFood shakes.

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Other Powders and Alternatives

You can always browse the archive of reviews that I have; but I would recommend you starting by checking the best meal replacement shakes selections.

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Verdict – YFood Powder Review

YFood powder is the ideal meal replacement shake for those who consider taste the most important factor. There are very very few powders that taste as good as YFood’s. One of my favourite shakes, without a doubt.

For those who already consume YFood RTDs, the powder will offer them a cheaper alternative to consume a very similar product (in taste and nutrition). While the texture and consistency will be different; the taste should be pretty similar.

On the other hand, as stated throughout the YFood Powder review, my main issues are with the ingredients chosen. Particularly, the presence of maltodextrin and other highly processed ingredients is something that I dislike. They still score an A in the nutriscore scale, and they will provide you with ALL the essential nutrients.

In summary, the German brand seems to have chosen taste and texture over nutrition. And that is fine, however, it means that I would not use it in a daily basis; but rather as a “fun meal”.