Things in plants other than basic nutrients are what keep you alive, well and free of cancer. Soylent is an obviously horrible idea for your health.
What things?
Soylent 1.4: a quick review
41–50 of 105 posts
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#42I'm not going to run-on and on here, but I'm on 1.4 right now (first time Soylent user) and I'm pleasantly surprised. I was very skeptical about it at first and got it just to convince myself I didn't need it. Immediately I felt pretty good and didn't crave the burrito I wanted for lunch. I'm also very excited that it's vegan because that's been my diet for over 8 years.
One thing that's surprisingly not mentioned at all in their FAQ is the actual process of preparing the stuff. Do you have to use a blender or can you get away with just stirring it up with a spoon?
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#43It still seems very expensive. $12/day? Also I wish I could buy a 1 day sample. I'd hate to be out $85 if I don't like it.
Are you in SF? I'll give you a bag, but I only have the previous version (with the separate oil).
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#44I'm almost finished with my first shipment (formula 1.3) and my results have been positive. I use it to replace some, but not all, meals in my diet. I think it especially excels in situations where I am in a hurry or too lazy to cook, because it's far more nutritious and cost-effective than the meals I would eat/skip otherwise.
I currently have my subscription set up so that I receive 2 weeks work of Soylent every month.
Breakdown: 500 calories per meal ~$2.33 per meal
How I use it:
Complete meal/snack replacement for breakfast and lunch most days. Rarely have it for dinner.
What I've learned so far:
Don't drink it right after you mix it unless you shake it really really well, otherwise you'll encounter clumps. Given at least an hour to soak in water, it reaches a clumpless consistency.
The taste is fairly neutral with a slight hint of malty sweetness. Some people rave about using it as a coffee creamer, but I myself have not tried that.
The texture is grainy in comparison to a smoothie, but this is to be expected with a powder-based meal.
It's filling, very easy to drink when chilled, and the bowel movements are regular in frequency (and consistency!) with no notable increase in gas.
So far I'm pretty happy with it. It strikes me as a good deal healthier and ridiculously more convenient than anything else I'd make for myself, meal-wise, if you can tolerate sacrificing flavor and texture.
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#45Things in plants other than basic nutrients are what keep you alive, well and free of cancer. Soylent is an obviously horrible idea for your health.
What things?
Glad you asked. Let's look at Kale:
Kale, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 117 kJ (28 kcal) Carbohydrates 5.63 g Sugars 1.25 g Dietary fiber 2 g Fat 0.4 g Protein 1.9 g Vitamins Vitamin A equiv. beta-carotene lutein zeaxanthin (85%) 681 μg (76%) 8173 μg 18246 μg Thiamine (B1) (5%) 0.053 mg Riboflavin (B2) (6%) 0.07 mg Niacin (B3) (3%) 0.5 mg Vitamin B6 (11%) 0.138 mg Folate (B9) (3%) 13 μg Choline (0%) 0.4 mg Vitamin C (49%) 41 mg Vitamin E (6%) 0.85 mg Vitamin K (778%) 817 μg Trace metals Calcium (7%) 72 mg Iron (7%) 0.9 mg Magnesium (5%) 18 mg Manganese (20%) 0.416 mg Phosphorus (4%) 28 mg Potassium (5%) 228 mg Sodium (2%) 23 mg Zinc (3%) 0.24 mg Other constituents Water 91.2 g Link to USDA Database entry Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium. Kale is a source of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.[9] Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.[10]
Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying does not result in significant loss.[11] Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.[12][13] Kale has been found to contain a group of resins known as bile acid sequestrants, which have been shown to lower cholesterol and decrease absorption of dietary fat.[citation needed] Steaming significantly increases these bile acid binding properties.[14]
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
Expensive relative to what? If you're making your own meals ($3/meal), yes, it is expensive. If you eat out then it is much more reasonable. A single eat-out costs ballpark around $6/meal, so assuming you did that twice it would break even. I agree re. sample size. $85 in one go is hard to justify to the +1 when all you're really buying is food. $6 here or there is easy to ignore, but $85 is a weekly grocery shop in…
Where are you eating out for $6 a meal?
Togos daily meal deal is less than that, with tax, without chips, and exactly $6 before tax, IIRC, with chips.
Not exactly the height of the culinary arts, but then neither is Soylent.
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#47Things in plants other than basic nutrients are what keep you alive, well and free of cancer. Soylent is an obviously horrible idea for your health.
I'm unambiguously, loudly, incredibly dubious about Soylent, and personally think it's ridiculous, but even I don't think it's "obviously horrible for your health".
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#48I think the supply shortage of soylent initially helped with their marketing and buzz.
I wonder if they are now claiming an artificial shortage to try and continue to sustain the illusion.
Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#49Things in plants other than basic nutrients are what keep you alive, well and free of cancer. Soylent is an obviously horrible idea for your health.
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Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review
#50I'm almost done with my 1.3 and looking forward to 1.4. The big thing for me is the lack of the oil bottle and the sodium (I wasn't getting enough before and would get headaches). At this point, my body has fully adjusted and I crave Soylent at some times. I use it for ~1/2 my meals and could easily see it taking 2/3. I do enjoy regular food a _lot_ so I doubt I'll ever go full time, but it definitely has helped to b…
There are already better products for humanitarian use and for medical use. The medical products come in a wide variety of styles to suit different medical needs. The humanitarian products are much cheaper than soylent and don't require so much water - which is in short supply in the target regions; and they have a more suitable nutrient profile. It's baffling when people claim soylent could be used for medical or hu…
Out of curiosity, how much do those products cost?