Soylent 1.4: a quick review • Hacker News Board

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#91

Post by vhost- » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 8:48 PM UTC

hamburglar wrote: post #42

vhost- wrote: post #7

I'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?

I don't recommend using the pitcher. I got bored with that process after a couple days. I usually make shakes with a blender. If I'm on the go heading to the gym, I will toss it in my Blender Bottle and just mix it with protein powder in there.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#92

Post by jack-r-abbit » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 9:12 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #79

Vraxx wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The price comes down with bulk and subscription (save 20% on sub). you cited "$6/meal per now" and I believe that was a mistake. If a week (7 days) supply is $85, you have $12.14 per day and about $4.05 per meal, which hits your target of "closer to $4/meal". On a separate note if you buy a months supply (don't have to eat it in one month) that is $300 for 28 days (84 meals) it comes to roughly $3.57/meal. I do agree…

> If a week (7 days) supply is $85, you have $12.14 per day and about $4.05 per meal, which hits your target of "closer to $4/meal". Many people don't spend $6 or even $4 on three meals a day. They buy lunch and dinner, both costing around $6 if they eat out or around $3 if they make a packed lunch (more for dinner). There might be someone somewhere who buys a premium breakfast for $4 a day and then spends $4-6 at lu…

> Most people are going to compare it to the meals they actually have now and what they spend.

Fair enough. Before switching to Soylent, I was regularly (meaning "nearly every work day") spending $8-$12 a day just for lunch. What I was spending on lunch for just one day is enough to fund several days of Soylent lunch. Or, during times when I am on a 100% Soylent diet, enough to fund more than an entire day's worth of meals. (I never could drink an entire pouch in one day.) So Soylent is very much saving me money. YMMV.

I would hazard a guess that a majority of people that realize a significant savings in Soylent live in places where things run a bit more expensive. I'm in Berkeley. Sure I can get a lunch for $5 but it won't be a quality lunch. And dinner? I can't think of any place where I can touch dinner for Side note: I've lost ~20 lbs over the last 4-5 months that I will attribute 80% of to Soylent. Even if some of that is just psychological, it is still working for me. Again, YMMV.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#93

Post by dragonwriter » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 9:20 PM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #83

brathouz wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed that plants are great (I've been vegan for 12 years), but Soylent provides a dependable solution for those who need a quick, nutritious meal (such as breakfast) and has opened up interesting possibilities such as sipping down lunch while taking a walk in a park. Plus, you can use Soylent as an excellent base for making smoothies that include other fruits, veggies, etc.

> has opened up The marketing hype was good - similar meal replacement products have existed for many years and so people could have bought something off the shelf of their local Walgreens[1] for their walk in the park, but they didn't appear to realise it until soylent appeared. [1] I say Walgreens because it's the only US drugstore I know. Substitute Boots in the UK or whatever for where you are.

The big difference is that the competing products have been marketed heavily to those who are elderly or have special medical needs that make regular food problematic (specialized forms have also been marketed as weight loss aids, etc., as well.)

The big innovation in Soylent is not the product (though there are some differences in the product) but in targeting healthy, upper-income demographics with marketing.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#94

Post by jack-r-abbit » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 9:39 PM UTC

mrfusion wrote: post #32

Has anyone lost weight on this? I'd also be curious if it lowered your blood pressure [1] if it was high, and if it helped with any other health issues. [1] I'm thinking the high potassium, and low sodium could lower high blood pressure?

I've lost ~20lbs since I first started drinking Soylent. My longest stretch of a 100% Soylent diet was for 2 weeks when I first got it last August. I lost ~8lbs during that time. I was mixing one pouch with enough water to make 4 pints. I would have 1 pint for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So I was getting ~1500 calories a day. From Thanksgiving into the New Year, I hardly drank any Soylent. And the scale was certainly ready to remind of that. I managed to undo much of my weight loss as a result. At the beginning of this year I added exercise to my routine. Since that first 2 week stretch last year, I've gone as much as a week at a time. But typically, I will do 2-3 days of 100% Soylent, then have a solid dinner one night. Some times stuff gets in the way and I'll not have Soylent for a day or two. It varies week to week. I'm a bit of an emotional eater so when things get hectic or stressful, I crave crappy food. So there are days when I've just said "F it... I'm getting pizza." So Soylent is not going to be some magic diet drink that will give you willpower you didn't already have. :)

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#95

Post by smellf » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 10:16 PM UTC

zzalpha wrote: post #80

dyeje wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where are you eating out for $6 a meal?

Where do you live? The US has remarkably cheap fast food, far cheaper than anywhere else I've been. As an example, compared to Canada the prices are easily 25-30% cheaper (around here finding a decent meal at lunch for less than $8 is nearly impossible, and closer to $10 is typical).

Ahhh, I suppose it depends on where you are in the US. In ultra-affluent places like some DC suburbs, the prices are closer to those Canadian ones you mentioned.

At the absolute bottom fast food chains (McDonalds and Taco Bell) you can get meals <$7, but at any other nationwide fast food chain it'll be $7-9. Local places (fast casual) are typically $10+.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#96

Post by dragonwriter » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 11:30 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #60

dragonwriter wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Also worth noting that Soylent will have to pay tax if they get large enough, just like Amazon does in many states now.

For food (at least, under many state sales tax regimes in the US), food that isn't sold in a restaurant (roughly, the exact rules are a bit different) isn't subject to sales tax. Its not a size issue, its a what they are selling issue.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#97

Post by rjurney » Thu, Mar 26, 2015, 1:04 AM UTC

mrfusion wrote: post #67

rjurney wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 F…

I've been using kale in smoothies. Do you think all of those beneficial things stay around after the blending process?

Of course. Even if you burst all the cells, the ingredients are stable.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#98

Post by rjurney » Thu, Mar 26, 2015, 1:05 AM UTC

pixie_ wrote: post #82

rjurney wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The one thing we know for sure is that we haven't discovered most of what about fruits and vegetables causes ppl who eat the to live longer. Cutting the two food groups that actually extend life from your diet is the dumbest thin you can do.

Live longer? How many old people have horrible diets, smoke, and are pretty much on track to die at 70/80? Guess what, you can eat all the kale and fruit you want, but you're going to get old and die, all the while people with worse diets are going to live longer than you. It's not fair, but that's life. Eat some fruit, go for a run, get hit by a bus.

Have you heard of Nihilist Arbys? :)

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#99

Post by rjurney » Thu, Mar 26, 2015, 1:06 AM UTC

brathouz wrote: post #74

rjurney wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The one thing we know for sure is that we haven't discovered most of what about fruits and vegetables causes ppl who eat the to live longer. Cutting the two food groups that actually extend life from your diet is the dumbest thin you can do.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. For example, just because Indian food exists doesn't mean you can't include Chinese or Mexican food in your diet. Similarly, just because people consume Soylent doesn't mean they've cut out all other forms of food. A lot of people simply use Soylent for one or two meals (such as breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday).

I get this. To be honest, I had gastric surgery last year, so my stomach isn't big enough to process enough plants to get basic nutrition. I have to take lots of vitamins, or I will get malnutrition.

Why anyone would CHOOSE to have to eat this way though, if they don't have some terrible health problem, is beyond me.

Re: Soylent 1.4: a quick review

#100

Post by rjurney » Thu, Mar 26, 2015, 1:07 AM UTC

brathouz wrote: post #69

rjurney wrote: post #37

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.

Agreed that plants are great (I've been vegan for 12 years), but Soylent provides a dependable solution for those who need a quick, nutritious meal (such as breakfast) and has opened up interesting possibilities such as sipping down lunch while taking a walk in a park. Plus, you can use Soylent as an excellent base for making smoothies that include other fruits, veggies, etc.

This sounds completely reasonable to me.