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The Register puts Soylent to the test

theregister.co.uk

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Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#41

Post by iknowno_one »

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.

I have gall-stones and another unidentified digestive problem that does not allow me to eat very much sugar or fat in any of my food, essentially knocking out about 99% of foods found in the world today out of my diet.

I mostly eat protein power drinks with almond milk, basic grains, vegetables, very lean meats, etc. etc.

I used to be a professional cook. I now cannot eat anything remotely fun or tasty. But soylent seems like one thing I could actually add to my regimen.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#42

Post by Anderkent »

danielbarla wrote: post #20
mrgoldenbrown wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not everyone enjoys preparing food (I don't, for example. And the popularity of restaurants and prepared foods indicate to me that I am not alone) and not every meal is a great joy, especially if you want it to be healthy. If I could reduce the time wasted on cooking/eating 2/3 of my meals, and then truly savor the last 1/3, I would be quite happy.

I get that, but I'd consider it a fairly rare stance. Perhaps I muddled things up in the comment by including cooking. I happen to enjoy both, but I'd argue that most people enjoy at least the eating part. To try to save time on it sounds like a terrible trade off (unless other people eat for hours on end?).

Cooking, eating and cleaning up after it take time. If I can prepare a daily meal in 10 minutes, with no washing up, consume it on the go, and it turns out healthier than what I would otherwise eat (I'm no good at healthy cooking)... I don't see the drawback.

I suppose I'd still eat recreationally, at least from time to time. And on social occasions, obviously. But saving up even half an hour every day is huge.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#43

Post by Anderkent »

Nursie wrote: post #37
gadders wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What if every meal is an experience to savour with friends and/or family? (well ok, every evening meal) I like to live that way. But then I also couldn't eat the same thing for lunch every day. Stuff that has actual flavour and texture gets boring fast. This would be boring before I'd finished the glass.

Then this is not a product for you. But I'd say you're the exception, at least from my anecdotal experience.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#44

Post by Anderkent »

ctdonath wrote: post #38
raldi wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In that case, how is it different from the stuff hospitals feed old people with no teeth? For example: http://ensure.com/products/ensure-complete-shakes or http://www.amazon.com/Nutrament-Energy-Fitness-Drink-Banana/...

Ensure Complete describes itself as "Provides balanced amounts of macronutrients and essential vitamins and minerals." Lacks the micronutrients needed. Strikes me as intended for "we really don't have any other options at this point" and consequential symptoms will be treated as illness. Nutrament describes itself as "This nutritional drink is ideal as a snack, an occasional meal replacement, or a perfect post-workou…

There are solutions that claim to be nutritionally complete (Sustagen Hospital Formula) and anecdotally are sustainable for months: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5399994

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#45

Post by carbocation »

Swizec wrote: post #26
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 compl…

> 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.

If it's getting absorbed but excreted, it sounds like you're taking more than enough. Usually absorption is limited by cofactors. Allusions to fruit being better than isolated Vitamin C should be backed up by evidence.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#46

Post by NathanRice »

Wow. The marketers have done a good job to get such an insipid product so much attention in diverse media outlets. Meanwhile, there are probably dozens of more substantial products failing because their creators don't know how to sling bullshit. #FailuresOfCapitalism.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#47

Post by hermaj »

ctdonath wrote: post #24
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.

No it is not a serious attempt at proving everything a body needs, not in the slightest.

If it was a serious attempt the soylent team would be composed of scientists with expertise in nutrition. Instead their website lists a lot of people with absolutely irrelevant skills. I can't think of anything associated with y-combinator which is quite as embarrassing as this.

Sadly one part of hopes this takes off, so that in 10 years time we have an idea of the long term results of a diet of this kind of nonsense. It will have been tested on the kind of people who have the arrogance to believe that because they understand business / computing the can 'solve' the worlds nutrition problem.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#48

Post by navs »

venomsnake wrote: post #13

Start the soylent diet. Then take some pill to suppress your libido. Know that now you lost all joy in life, not only half of it.

Hmmm so this and a combination of my anti-depressants should make for a real treat. I don't see how food is so fundamental to enjoyment.

Regardless, the man behind this admits it's not about completely removing the traditional meal but rather removing the time spent in trying to find a nutritional meal. So meals become more about enjoying food, the textures, the smell and the company rather than worrying whether that $30 lunch is going to be enough to satiate your hunger and nutritional requirements.

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#49

Post by sopooneo »

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.

I agree. Especially since he isn't the first. None other than Scott Adams of Dilbert fame marketed a burrito with the exact same goals a while back. Combined with water it was to be a complete food source with first adopters potentially techs who didn't want to bother with food. The name (no joke): "Dilberito". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilberito

Re: The Register puts Soylent to the test

#50

Post by sopooneo »

hermaj wrote: post #47
ctdonath wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

No it is not a serious attempt at proving everything a body needs, not in the slightest. If it was a serious attempt the soylent team would be composed of scientists with expertise in nutrition. Instead their website lists a lot of people with absolutely irrelevant skills. I can't think of anything associated with y-combinator which is quite as embarrassing as this. Sadly one part of hopes this takes off, so that in…

I agree with everything you say. But I am also reminded of all the highly accomplished people, who, looking back on their lives, say that "the only reason who took this on was that we had no idea how hard it was going to be."
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