SUPERSONIC vs Huel and other meal replacement products. Composition analysis.

Due to the rapidly developing world, the food market is also developing. Innovation is constantly emerging, and food is evolving of its kind. The result is the emergence on the market of a segment of new products from the category of meal replacement products, that is, meal replacements with a balanced composition, providing the body with all the micro- and macronutrients necessary for it.

Products in this category rely primarily on proteins, carbonated ingredients and fats. Regardless of the origin of the individual ingredients, the composition of all mrp products is composed in such a way as to provide the body with an adequate amount of calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber and vitamins and minerals. Although all of them are properly balanced in terms of nutritional value, manufacturers of different brands use different ingredients and present a diverse offer.

Summary

• SUPERSONIC Food is based on four types of plant-based protein: pea, rice, pumpkin and hemp, while competing products are usually based on two types of plant-based protein or on soy or milk protein.
• The source of carbohydrates in SUPERSONIC Food is oatmeal, flaxseed, which provide complex carbohydrates and fiber, while in its composition there is no maltolphtline, which has a high glycemic index.
• Supersonic Food formula is enriched with raw materials with exceptional, health-promoting properties (superfoods, plant extracts, phytocomponents), which most competing products do not have.
• Thanks to carefully selected raw materials, most of the necessary minerals and vitamins are naturally found in the SUPERSONIC Food formula and are not added to it (13 micronutrients are added to SUPERSONIC, to Huel 16, to YFood 22, to Jimmy Joy – 25).
• SUPERSONIC Food is the only one in the world to supply omega 3-6-9 acids in the form of liquid flax and hemp esters, and competing products contain powdered, processed oils susceptible to oxidation and runcidity.
• Supersonic Food formula adds superfoods, functional ingredients and plant extracts, and most competing products are not enriched with them.
• The SUPERSONIC Food formula has been developed by scientists and nutritionists.

Proteins – source of origin

Three main trends can be seen, distinguished by the origin of the proteins used by companies and their quantity. The first is products whose recipe uses ingredients of animal origin and is based on milk proteins – an example is YFood. The second is products based on soy protein (Mana, Jimmy Joy, Soylent), while the third group of products is formulated on vegetable proteins other than soy (SUPERSONIC, Huel).

In SUPERSONIC, the main source of energy is proteins, the content of which in one meal is as much as 40 g – this is 27.5% more than for a portion of Huel 3.0. Protein is the basic building block of the body and performs many key functions in it, among other things, it is responsible for the body’s immunity and regenerative processes. In addition, it provides a feeling of deliciousness after a meal, which prevents snacking and consuming excessive amounts of calories (1). SUPERSONIC Food Food Powder is a product based on four types of proteins – pea, pumpkin, rice and hemp. Thanks to this, the product has a complete set of amino acids – proteins of different origins complement each other to provide the body with all the amino acids necessary for its proper functioning. By comparison, Huel v.3.0 and Huel Black rely on only two proteins – peas and brown rice (2).

Some MRP products are based on soy protein because of its amino acid composition and assimilation similar to animal proteins (milk, meat or eggs). However, soybean is controversial for several reasons. It is highly sensitising and has been classified as one of the 8 most common allergens in the world (3). In addition, most of the soybean grown in the world is genetically modified and highly toxic chemicals are used for its cultivation. The most well-known pesticide used for soybean cultivation is Roundup, the main ingredient of which is glyphosate , a substance assessed by the WHO as “potentially carcinogenic”. Despite this, the pesticide is still in use, which is not without impact on the environment and health of people living in areas where soybeans are grown. In these places, 43% of all deaths are caused by cancer, and glyphosate has been detected, among others, in breast milk, cotton and personal care products. Studies have shown that it leads to the formation of irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, heart and gastrointestinal tract (4). In addition, savannahs are used for soybean cultivation and tropical forests are being cut down, resulting in the loss of a very large number of animal species, some of which are threatened with extinction (5). In addition, scientific studies indicate the effect of soybean on hormonal balance and estrogen production, which can disrupt the proper functioning of the body, especially for men (6). That’s why SUPERSONIC – unlike companies like Soylent, Jimmy Joy and Mana – uses other sources of plant proteins whose crops are sustainable and only benefit from their consumption. An alternative to soybean can also be proteins of animal origin, which are used in Yfood products. These are proteins of cow’s milk with a balanced amino acid profile, but are not suitable for vegans and people with allergies to them. In addition, it should be remembered that most cows are fed with GMO feed, based on soybean.

Carbohydrates

The source of carbohydrates in SUPERSONIC Food Powder is mainly oatmeal and flaxseed, as in Huel v.3.0. Oatmeal is a gluten-free raw material containing numerous health-promoting ingredients such as B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and antioxidants. Particular attention should be paid to the fiber fraction found in oat grains – β-glucan. It lowers the level of “bad” cholesterol in the body, slows down glucose absorption, regulates blood sugar levels and has a prebiotic effect on the intestinal microbiota (7). Other products, such as Mana and Yfood, also contain maltodekstrin (obtained by starch decomposition) – chemicals that are “cheap carbohydrate filler”. They are characterized by a high glycemic index, which means that they are very quickly absorbed and metabolized (causing a rapid increase in blood glucose levels, and then an equally sharp decrease), thus providing a feeling of fullness for a short time, followed by a bout of hunger. In addition, long-term consumption of maltodoscrin can disturb the balance in the intestinal microflora, affecting the reduction of the amount of beneficial bacteria for health (8).

What distinguishes SUPERSONIC from other products is the second source of β-glucan, the unique yarrowia lipolytica yeast strain, which includes novel food, a novel food that has undergone thorough and rigorous testing and has been approved for consumption by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Β-glucan of yeast origin has a different effect from oatmeal: it improves the body’s immunity and has an anti-cancer effect (9).

Source of fats

Most meal replacement manufacturers choose oil for the main fat source in the product: in the case of Jimmy Joy it is sunflower oil, Yfood contains sunflower and rapeseed oils, and mana oils are rapeseed, sunflower, oatmeal and flaxseed. In Huel 3.0 and Huel Black we find three sources of fat: sunflower oil powder, flaxseed and MCT coconut powder – that is, medium chain triglyceride, which are saturated fatty acids. Although they are an increasingly popular supplement, there is no scientific research clearly indicating that they are harmful, like other saturated fats. Sunflower oil, the most common source of fat among MRP products, has an adverse health ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids – a significant excess of omega 6 acids can cause inflammatory processes in the body. It is chosen on the basis of economic aspects and general consumer acceptance (10). An additional downside to the use of oils is the need to carry them out in powder form – this requires processes using high temperatures, which can lead to the destruction of unsaturated fatty acids (including omega-3 and omega-6) and to change the profile of fatty acids in the finished product and their oxidation (11).

In most products we also find flaxseed, which is a native raw material with a very beneficial for health profile of fatty acids. Ground flaxseed is a source of fat in SUPERSONIC Food Powder. It contains about 20% α-linolenic acid, which is included in the group of essential omega-3 fatty acids and has an antioxidant function in the body, protecting against the development of cardiovascular diseases and the development of inflammation (12). In addition, patented liquid esters of omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids derived from flax and hemp are added to SUPERSONIC, which are unprocessed and applied in the most digestible form for the body. As a result, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is almost 1:1, while the ratio of the recommended intake of these acids is from 1:2 to 1:5. The ratio of fatty acids in SUPERSONIC is very beneficial for health, because in the modern diet there is a significant excess of omega-6 acids, which can cause, among other things, an increase in inflammatory processes, which is why it is so important to provide the right amount of omega-3 (1) in the diet.

Supefoods and vitamins and minerals

Manufacturers trying to enrich the composition of their products add to them the so-called Superfoods – that is, raw materials of natural origin containing health-promoting nutrients. An example would be Huel, which adds antioxidant green tea extract and kombucha powder to Huel Black, supersonic food powder is a source of B vitamins, such as chia seeds – a source of omega-3 and antioxidants (13), powdered maca root, which regenerates the body and adds energy (14) and vesicular hake, which is a source of iodine (15). Thanks to the addition of superfoods, which provide the necessary vitamins and minerals for health, it was possible to limit the addition of these ingredients to a level that allows the creation of a complete, sustainable product. SUPERSONIC Food Powder contains all the necessary 26 vitamins and minerals, of which 13 are added to make the meal full-fledged. In comparison, 16 micronutrients (2) are added to Huel Black, 19 of 26 (16) are added to Mana’s ManaFood Powder, and Jimmy Joy’s Plenny Shake has 25 (17) added.

SUPERSONIC Food Food Powder was developed to provide consumers with the highest quality product, which in addition to attractive taste and consistency and balanced composition, will be based solely on natural and health-promoting ingredients. Each MRP product is unique and noteworthy, and final purchasing decisions are a matter of individual taste, price and nutritional preferences. We encourage you to experiment and share your experiences.

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Bibliography:

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2. Huel. Date of access: 06.11.2020. https://pl.huel.com/collections/huel-Food Powder
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8. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322426#is-maltodextrin-safe Date of access: 05.11.2020
9. Perczyńska A., Marciniak-Łukasiak K., Żbikowska A. (2017) The role of B-glucan in the fight against civilization diseases. Space – Problems of Biological Sciences 66 (3) 379-388.
10. https://poznajsienatluszczach.pl/2016/11/21/olej-slonecznikowy/
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13. da Silva Marineli, R., Moraes, É. A., Lenquiste, S. A., Godoy, A. T., Eberlin, M. N., & Maróstica Jr., M. R. (2014). Chemical characterization and antioxidant potential of Chilean chia seeds and oil (Salvia hispanica L.). LWT-Food Science and Technology,  59(2), 1304-1310.
14. Wang, Y., Wang, Y., McNeil, B., & Harvey, L.M. (2007). Maca: An Andean crop with multi-pharmacological functions. Food Research International,  40(7), 783-792.
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16. ManaFood Powder™ Origin. Date of access: 05.11.2020 (https://drink-mana.com/products/mana-Food Powder-mark6-origin).
17. Jimmy Joy, Plenny Shake Vanilla. Date of access: 05.11.2020 (https://jimmyjoy.com/products/plenny-shake).