Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Register puts Soylent to the test

theregister.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 57 posts

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#21

Post by ctdonath »

danielbarla wrote: post #15
Kurtz79 wrote: post #7

Regardless of what anyone can think about the actual product, I find it remarkable how the author managed to get such resonance in the media. It might be the name, it might be that the subject matter generates strong opinions in people, but in terms of generating buzz and getting attention it has been quite a success.

Personally, I'm slightly surprised that it's proving to be so popular. Making and eating awesome food is a great joy in life; why would you try to work around that? Interesting concept, nevertheless.

A perfectly balanced meal in a glass? Of course it's popular. Most people don't come close to "balanced meal", and suffer the consequences via various illnesses. Most people have other things to do most of the time than making and eating awesome food; for a great many it's more an inconvenience of making hunger pains go away for a few hours.

Soylent's creator makes it very clear he still enjoys making and eating awesome food - he just doesn't want to deal with doing so 1,095 times every year. If anything, he appreciates good food even more.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#22

Post by rfvtgb123 »

sp332 wrote: post #5
jaachan wrote: post #3

I can't find anywhere what it's actually made of (not on the campaign page either). And none of the people listed in the company has any training regarding food or medicine. #slightlyworried Other than that, could be awesome. You could just have a cup with you all day and drink some whenever you feel hungry. Question then remains, why isn't it green?

The ingredients list is over here: http://robrhinehart.com/?p=424 It's been modified repeatedly since then, but that's what it started as anyway.

So it's basically a pricey bag of sugar, protein shake and mineral drink.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#23

Post by sheri »

I think Michael Pollan described it well when he said food in America was undergoing a process of 'nutrification', i.e., breaking it down into its nutrients, and trying to create supplements with those nutrients. The studies in the book, though, say that we haven't yet cracked the code. I.e., taking the equivalent of one apple's nutrients isn't the same as eating an apple. The reasons weren't quite known yet. I read the book a long while back, so my recollection may be spotty.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#24

Post by ctdonath »

raldi wrote: post #19

How is this different / better than any other shake-based diet powder? Edt: As my wife just put it, "It sounds like guys are too insecure to drink Slim-Fast, so the idea is being re-branded to be more manly. Like the Axe of diet shakes."

It's not a cheap diet-oriented meal replacement (little more than protein, sugar, and vitamin mix) intended to provide satiating filler with minimal meaningful content but still requiring "a sensible meal". It's a serious attempt at providing EVERYTHING a body needs, including hard-to-manage micronutrients.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#25

Post by ctdonath »

sheri wrote: post #23

I think Michael Pollan described it well when he said food in America was undergoing a process of 'nutrification', i.e., breaking it down into its nutrients, and trying to create supplements with those nutrients. The studies in the book, though, say that we haven't yet cracked the code. I.e., taking the equivalent of one apple's nutrients isn't the same as eating an apple. The reasons weren't quite known yet. I read…

I've been struck by the decades-long change "health food stores" have made from raw bulk fresh/dried produce to endless rows of little white plastic bottles.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#26

Post by Swizec »

sheri wrote: post #23

I think Michael Pollan described it well when he said food in America was undergoing a process of 'nutrification', i.e., breaking it down into its nutrients, and trying to create supplements with those nutrients. The studies in the book, though, say that we haven't yet cracked the code. I.e., taking the equivalent of one apple's nutrients isn't the same as eating an apple. The reasons weren't quite known yet. I read…

I read that in the case of C vitamin, for instance, the body simply doesn't recognise it as C vitamin when it doesn't come directly from fruit. Just ignores it and passes it onto urine.

A nootropicist friend I have suggested that C vitamin only works in combination with Magnesium supplements ... etc. It gets pretty complicated. I'd rather just eat a stupid piece of fruit. It's tasty, efficient, and awesome. Why complicate things with dystopian future pills?

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#27

Post by ctdonath »

jaachan wrote: post #3

I can't find anywhere what it's actually made of (not on the campaign page either). And none of the people listed in the company has any training regarding food or medicine. #slightlyworried Other than that, could be awesome. You could just have a cup with you all day and drink some whenever you feel hungry. Question then remains, why isn't it green?

Question then remains, why isn't it green?

Because it's not made of people.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#28

Post by rfvtgb123 »

The article fails to mention how much product is in the bag you get (weight) and it's kcal/day ratio. The bag looks really small in the picture... Also, think about how much you will hate the flavor after a while. Anyone who ever bought cherry flavored protein powder by mistake will know what I'm talking about. Have fun forcing the stuff down your throat the 10th or 20th time. I going to eat my steak an laugh at you.

That said I would be really interested to use the product on expeditions IF it provides a significant advantage. So - how is this superior to a load of sugar(s), whey protein and a micronutrients supplement?

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#29

Post by sp332 »

rfvtgb123 wrote: post #22
sp332 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ingredients list is over here: http://robrhinehart.com/?p=424 It's been modified repeatedly since then, but that's what it started as anyway.

So it's basically a pricey bag of sugar, protein shake and mineral drink.

So are you.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#30

Post by gadders »

danielbarla wrote: post #15
Kurtz79 wrote: post #7

Regardless of what anyone can think about the actual product, I find it remarkable how the author managed to get such resonance in the media. It might be the name, it might be that the subject matter generates strong opinions in people, but in terms of generating buzz and getting attention it has been quite a success.

Personally, I'm slightly surprised that it's proving to be so popular. Making and eating awesome food is a great joy in life; why would you try to work around that? Interesting concept, nevertheless.

Not every meal is a gourmet experience that you savour with friends. Sometimes, you just need to refuel your body. Soylent could be perfect for that.
Post reply on HN