7 ms·

Introducing Soylent 1.6 Powder

54 points by x43b 10y ago

wasd 10y ago
What's the difference between soylent 1.x and 2.y?
- skybrian 10y ago
  1.x is powder that you mix yourself. 2.y comes in bottles.
  - profmonocle 10y ago
    They also have a very different taste and texture. I love the drink, but I when I tried the powdered stuff (1.5) it made me gag. (And I know people who have had the exact opposite reaction.)
cisstrd 10y ago
I will comment on Soylent as a product, not the 1.6 update specifically, sorry, just want to make a few points (I think some of you are in for a tough ride, just passionate, not my intention to attack anyone personally): -) psychological value: eating has a great psychological value, it's pleasure (if not, you should eat better food) -) social value: you probably won't go out with friends to have a glass of Soylent, would you? -) Arguments about "increased productivity" because of less food preparation are ridiculous... if you can work all day long without needing a break, congratulations, you are everything common sense and science tells me is not possible. We need breaks, regularly, and why not use that to cook something. And cooking doesn't take hours a day. -) Health: Because the supplement industry is such a thoroughly regulated and well behaving industry? If you believe that, do your research. I want to know what I am eating, and I don't when buying this mix of various powders they most likely buy in themselves. Would you give this crap to your children? Do you think we already have unlocked the key towards the perfect nutrition? (spoiler: no, we haven't, studying this is hard) -) You can't cook: It's not hard, have you ever really tried? You don't need a Michelin star to cook solid and good food. -) Unhappy with your current diet? Then change it, why ditch food altogether? -) Cost, so it's not about productivity or health now, but about saving a few bucks? I doubt you save much if anything at all, it's not that expensive to buy good food, and isn't this mainly marketed towards high income people to begin with? You can afford it. -) Soylent is revolutionary: It's not, 100% food replacements have been used in medicine for decades (just no one was crazy enough to ditch real food for it if not needed) - you can even buy it, it's far more expensive though than this, and of course I am still not for it as a food replacement for healthy adults. -) Trust your body: Every body is different, the reason we have cravings for food is because the body tells us what it needs. This can fail us, for example when we eat too much sugar and our blood sugar levels are creating massive cravings for more down the line (I am not making a case for Coca-Cola here though), but all in all, it's an incredibly accurate and needed thermostat. If you eat more, you will ditch your blanket at night subconsciously to burn more calories by cooling down, if you eat less you will feel more cold and not do so. It's downright arrogant to think that some individual having read some studies and reports knows what is absolutely best (besides commonplace arguments like "sugar is bad", "being overweight is incredibly unhealthy", no proper doctor would ever make such bold and arrogant claims) My opinion: This is part of a not well regulated industry, a repackaged and cleverly marketed mix of food supplements that have been available for decades, sold with incredibly high profit margins. They buy in their stuff, they mix it, prep it up with some nice fancy talk, sell it, and see dollar signs in their eyes. Everyone should be able to do whatever he wants to as long as he is not harming others. If you think Soylent is great, then by all means, I won't stop you, I am passionate about food and am disgusted just looking at this. If someone thinks this is healthy (spare me your cherry-picked study citations), then - with all due respect - you are delusional
- thatswrong0 10y ago
  Every time I see a comment like this, I'm amazed at the commenters inability to not take everything to the extreme. YOU CAN EAT SOYLENT AND STILL EAT FOOD. If you don't have much time on your hands, and you want a quick meal, it works really well and is better than, say, McDonalds. 1) Eating isn't pleasure for me 2 to 3 times a day. I eat lunch because I'm hungry. I'll go out and eat a nice meal once or twice a week. You can drink Soylent and still eat food. Everyone is different. 2) You can drink Soylent and still eat food. And I only eat socially a couple times a week anyways. 3) Cooking takes time to prepare, time to fetch ingredients, and time to cleanup. This is a non-negligible amount of time. I'd rather spend 10 minutes total on a meal than 30+ mins. 4) Do you know if everything that goes into every processed food you eat? Do you have verification? 5) You can eat Soylent and still eat food. 6) This clearly isn't about cost. 7) Soylent is evolutionary in the sense that it's one of the first food replacement marketed to consumers that doesn't have a load of sugar in it. 8) Doesn't every company have dollar signs in their eyes? How is that a fault? They're providing a product that people want at a price point people are willing to pay. There isn't much to complain about there.
  - cisstrd 10y ago
    I am going by how they market it, not by how you use it. If company makes market claim "x", which is ridiculous and I criticize that claim, someone then saying that he personally hasn't bought it because of claim "x" does not make my point invalid at all. 1) We differ there, I can well get all of my calories from normal food without being annoyed by eating. 2) But it's marketed as complete food replacement, not as a simple nutritional supplement. Though I don't fancy the supplement industry either. 3) I think it's stupid to consider this time as waste instead of time well spent. I had rice with fresh salmon today: Wash rice, put it in the rice cooker with 1 1/2 parts of water and some salt - wait 15 minutes (you can do whatever you want there) - use a non-stick pan, some olive oil, fry the salmon, use some spices, in between you can start cleaning up whatever kitchen equipment you have used - 5 minutes later rice is cooked, salmon finished, arrange it on a plate, some soy sauce and Wasabi on the side. Total time of work maybe... 8 minutes? Total time to clean up... 2? Total time to eat (quick eater)... 5?! And that's a pretty decent dish I think, I have my go to foods too, when I really can't be bothered. I can easily have a banana, an apple, eat some peanuts (100 grams have 620 calories, important and healthy fats, 25 grams of protein), can make some hard boiled eggs (can make them in the morning, eat them during the day), I can just take some bread, butter, tomatoes, and salt, sit in front of the computer watching something and eat during that. Takes no time really, and in the end you don't have much to clean. Food allows for creativity, be creative. Have we all forgotten how to deal with real food?! I hate to go to the store to buy, what I can I buy in bulk, sometimes I buy things frozen (it's often incredibly healthy food, when immediately frozen the nutritional value is great) and when I really can't avoid making an effort, it's not a waste considering what I get out of it. 4) Standards for food production are higher, I can touch it, I can see it, I can ask where it's from. Not sure where you have been buying your food. A banana I eat is not the product of a badly regulated industry, where hobbyists create mixtures of their liking. 5) It's the same point you made with 2) 6) It's an argument I have encountered multiple times, and it's also something I remember from the early days of Soylent. "It only costs x dollars a day and is all you need" (see my intro) 7) You mean "revolutionary"? It's not revolutionary by any means, if you mean it's revolutionary because it has taken something previously not used as mainstream food and marketed it as such, then yes maybe. I don't think that's a great achievement. 8) You are only addressing part of my ending here, talking about the high profit margins and that I think they are acting in bad faith was part of the larger point, that what they are doing is fundamentally easy and a lot of it is simply improvised, they don't really know themselves, but they claim to know. They buy it in, they mix it, dress it up, and market it. Anyone can do it, I can't however raise cattle, grow tasty bananas, peanuts, and catch delicious fish every day. So talking about profit margins, I think their profit margins are quite higher than people realize, their expertise is lower than what people think, their claims are 100% marketing, what they do is easier than people give them credit for.
ben_jones 10y ago
Is this a point of discussion or an Ad? Here are some previous discussions which I feel cover everything their is to be said about the product: [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6247552 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6247552 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9995303 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9995303 [3]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7814005 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7814005 [4]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9109371 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9109371 [5]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6115114 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6115114
- m0v_eax 10y ago
  Regardless, a 1.6 release is still a newsworthy item.
  - sikosmurf 10y ago
    It's at least as relevant as the "Electrn v0.0.5-rc finally released!" style posts that seem to accompany every random web framework version release.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
afarrell 10y ago
As someone who very occasionally gets very nervous about something to the point of not wanting to chew, soylent+chocolate powder in a blender bottle is really helpful.
- ubercow 10y ago
  How much chocolate powder do you usually use? I've been trying to experiment with different things to put in mine and haven't thought of chocolate powder before.
  - mikeknoop 10y ago
    I suggest shaking in 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup into the Soylet 2.0 bottles.
  - gnoway 10y ago
    I was putting two heaping tbsp of cocoa powder per bag + a pinch of extra sucralose - the 1.4/1.5 soylent only had enough sucralose to offset the bitterness of some other ingredients, so adding 2+ tbsp of cocoa without something to balance made it taste bad.
  - afarrell 10y ago
    It is chocolate protein powder and I don't have an exact formula. I think it is usually like 25%
flogic 10y ago
I would really like a version of Soylent that doesn't use sucralose. That stuff leaves a nasty aftertaste.
- pbreit 10y ago
  Yeah, I can't believe they're stuck on that. Surely there's gotta be something better? Stevia? Monk fruit? The -tol's? Honey?
  - flogic 10y ago
    I would just like them to leave it out to be honest. Then I could mix in my own questionable amounts of whatever sweetener I choose.
  - burfog 10y ago
    How about sugar of lead? It's 100x as sweet as sugar. It was popular with the Romans, who made it from storing wine in lead. It's cheap too.
    - pbreit 10y ago
      And actually toxic!
  - toomuchtodo 10y ago
    Unfortunately, surcralose is the best sweetner for this purpose. Can you explain what would be better? It can't be processed by the human gut, its has no risk of toxicity in any reasonable dose, and very little of it is required for sweetness.
- pkulak 10y ago
  It's currently the sugar-substitute that tastes the best to the most people, so I'm sure that they could replace it with something that would please you, but it would probably displease many more.
  - 10y ago
galistoca 10y ago
Anyone know if there's anything like Soylent but for protein only? Sometimes I go on a no-carb diet (sometimes to lose weight and sometimes because carbs make me sleepy) and I am too lazy to buy ingredients and cook at home. I just want soylent, but with 0 carbs. Anyone know?
- bfstein 10y ago
  Why not just get protein powder? EDIT: Alternatively, you could go on http://blendrunner.com/ http://blendrunner.com/ which gives a comparison of the various meal-replacement drinks out there.
  - eltoozero 10y ago
    Standard protein powder is usually animal protein which even if you're not a vegetarian is kinda gross.
    - chris_7 10y ago
      Why would a vegetarian have a problem with protein powder? It's just milk, it's not made of cows.
    - noir_lord 10y ago
      If you aren't a vegetarian why would be it be 'kinda gross' in fact even if you are. Protein powder is mostly whey, which is a milk component and most vegetarians eat dairy.
- aab0 10y ago
  You could try googling 'keto soylent', which I assume would be 0 carb recipes.
- calebsurfs 10y ago
  Most protein powders have some vitamins sprinkled in. Ive been using Isopure whey protein isolate for a couple years. http://www.theisopurecompany.com/product/isopurezerocarb.html http://www.theisopurecompany.com/product/isopurezerocarb.htm...
Animats 10y ago
Synthetic food ad copy: "In addition to sensory and macronutrient improvements, Soylent 1.6 is the first powder iteration to use whole algal flour and high oleic algal oil - innovative ingredients that are yet another step toward sustainable food production. We have also introduced soy protein isolate as the primary protein source, replacing the rice protein. Its benefits include a superior ratio of amino acids for nutrition and smooth digestion. Soy protein is isolated from other components of the whole soy plant and offers an exceptional level of purity from inorganic compounds compared to the rice protein." Synthetic motor oil ad copy: "Synthetic oil is not only refined but also distilled, purified and broken down into its basic molecules. This process not only removes more impurities from the crude oil but also enables individual molecules in the oil to be tailored to the demands of modern engines. These customized molecules provide higher levels of protection and performance than conventional oils. But the synthetic base oil is only half the story. The correct blend additives must go into the mix to create the oil. Base oil makes up nearly 80% of a motor oil formulation, and additives make up the remaining nearly 20%. The chemically engineered molecules in synthetic base oil have more uniform properties, while the molecules found in conventional base oil differ in shape and levels of impurity."
- jey 10y ago
  So what?
  - Spooky23 10y ago
    Both read similar and are pretty much complete bullshit.
    - lowmagnet 10y ago
      How is synthetic oil bull? It is literally the process that prevents oils from degrading, and results in cars that use far less oil over their lifetime due to a tripling of change time and mileage limits.
calebsurfs 10y ago
Does soylent include creatine? Its not an essential nutrient but if a human exercises a lot and does not eat meat, creatine levels can get very low. This leads to a lack of energy both mental and physical. Studies have shown [0] improved mental performance in vegans when supplemented with creatine. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201202/your-brain-creatine https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry...
- gnoway 10y ago
  No it doesn't.
- angrow 10y ago
  Its ingredient list is public, and does not include creatine or anything in which creatine naturally occurs. Luckily, creatine is cheap and mixes easily in a shake, or even just in water.
- mytochar 10y ago
  It also doesn't have near enough protein for someone who is actively working out, so they're going to need to supplement it, too: People that don't tend to work out need around 0.8g / kg; but, people that do work out tend to need 1.2-1.4g / kg a day.[1] http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/414351 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/414351
  - LA_Banker 10y ago
    Precisely. I get the appeal of Soylent (quick meal replacement when otherwise obtaining food would be too big a distraction), but I don't get the appeal over meal replacement protein powders – many of which already taste better, have more protein, and are cheaper than Soylent.
mkolodny 10y ago
I've stopped drinking Soylent since I found out that it contains more than the recommended amount of soy in a single meal. Excess soy has been found to "feminize" men [1]. It also "may cause some reversible sexual disruption in men". Researchers decided the safe amount of soy (isoflavones) in a single day is 75mg [2]. If you drink Soylent as one of three meals in a day, Soylent contains about 87mg (52mg * 5 bottles / 3 meals a day) [3]. [1] http://blog.zocdoc.com/does-soy-feminize-men-fact-vs-myth/ http://blog.zocdoc.com/does-soy-feminize-men-fact-vs-myth/ [2] https://www.fsc.go.jp/english/evaluationreports/newfoods_sphealth/soy_isoflavones.pdf https://www.fsc.go.jp/english/evaluationreports/newfoods_sph... [3] https://faq.soylent.com/hc/en-us/articles/205682935-Soy-Protein https://faq.soylent.com/hc/en-us/articles/205682935-Soy-Prot...
- supernintendo 10y ago
  This is empirically wrong. Soy contains phytoestrogens which have no effect on the human endocrine system. You are more likely to become "feminized" by consuming cow's milk, which contains mammalian estrogen.
  - mkolodny 10y ago
    I'd love for that to be true, but the research I linked to says otherwise. If you have research you could point me to that supports what you're saying I'd be happy to read it.
    - torgoguys 10y ago
      >I'd love for that to be true, but the research I linked to says otherwise. Source 1 is not "research." It is case reporting. Source 2: While I admit I didn't read the whole thing (merely quickly went through the intro and conclusion plus a couple of other key paragraphs), it sounded like they were talking about setting levels of supplementation beyond normal dietary intake, right? If correct, that's at 75mg plus normal Japanese intake (which is higher than standard US intake, I believe). I'm happy to be corrected if I misunderstood something in my quick skimming. Plus, as is the case with most of these guidelines, especially with initial stabs at setting limits, they acknowledge that this threshold they set is conservative. The real best guess at a safe level would be higher--even according to them--because it is their job to be artificially conservative.
jey 10y ago
I'm amazed the powder is still selling well enough to warrant further development after the release of the drink form. It's it primarily an issue of the drink being too expensive for many?
- clamprecht 10y ago
  I prefer the taste of the powder, and it isn't feasible for me to buy, transport (to Argentina), and store the liquid form.
- gnoway 10y ago
  I quit buying the powder earlier this year, but never considered the drink. I don't want to be tossing a bunch of empty bottles or paying to ship a liquid; it's honestly a little weird that they are prioritizing all this sustainable food stuff but want to truck a prepared liquid to me. The liquid does (or did, not sure now) cost more per kcal and comes in 400kcal bottles, so I would want 4-5 a day; they ship in 12 packs so I would be buying and shipping a lot. I'm not sure I buy the soy-feminizes-men stuff but it was also at the back of my mind. I don't particularly enjoy other soy things so I was disappointed when they went that route.
  - deegles 10y ago
    I thought about this, but all the food you eat was trucked to a distribution center, then trucked to the store, then driven home by you. There’s lots of packaging involved there too. Meanwhile a shipment of soylent goes straight to you, cutting out all those middlemen. I'd be interested to see if someone has done the analysis to see if 2000kcal of soylent uses less resources to ship than the same amount of calories from a grocery store.
    - raisedbyninjas 10y ago
      It may use less than legacy solid foods, but it's significantly less efficient than powder in bags. With that said, bottled Soylent is much more convenient. I'm hopeful that they will improve the powder packaging and composition to make preparation easier.
jgalt212 10y ago
Nice piece on Soylent Soylent: How I Ate No Food For 30 Days http://motherboard.vice.com/read/soylent-how-i-stopped-eating-for-30-days http://motherboard.vice.com/read/soylent-how-i-stopped-eatin...
GreaterFool 10y ago
Now if they would ship internationally... I'd love to order 6 months supply of 2.0
teolemon 10y ago
Can someone with access to the pack take pictures using the Open Food Facts app ? http://android.openfoodfacts.org http://android.openfoodfacts.org or http://ios.openfoodfacts.org http://ios.openfoodfacts.org
teolemon 10y ago
Can someone with access to the pack take pictures using the Open Food Facts app ? http://android.openfoodfacts.org http://android.openfoodfacts.org or http://ios.openfoodfacts.org http://ios.openfoodfacts.org

54 points by x43b 10y ago

wasd 10y ago

What's the difference between soylent 1.x and 2.y?

skybrian 10y ago
1.x is powder that you mix yourself. 2.y comes in bottles.
- profmonocle 10y ago
  They also have a very different taste and texture. I love the drink, but I when I tried the powdered stuff (1.5) it made me gag. (And I know people who have had the exact opposite reaction.)

cisstrd 10y ago

I will comment on Soylent as a product, not the 1.6 update specifically, sorry, just want to make a few points (I think some of you are in for a tough ride, just passionate, not my intention to attack anyone personally): -) psychological value: eating has a great psychological value, it's pleasure (if not, you should eat better food) -) social value: you probably won't go out with friends to have a glass of Soylent, would you? -) Arguments about "increased productivity" because of less food preparation are ridiculous... if you can work all day long without needing a break, congratulations, you are everything common sense and science tells me is not possible. We need breaks, regularly, and why not use that to cook something. And cooking doesn't take hours a day. -) Health: Because the supplement industry is such a thoroughly regulated and well behaving industry? If you believe that, do your research. I want to know what I am eating, and I don't when buying this mix of various powders they most likely buy in themselves. Would you give this crap to your children? Do you think we already have unlocked the key towards the perfect nutrition? (spoiler: no, we haven't, studying this is hard) -) You can't cook: It's not hard, have you ever really tried? You don't need a Michelin star to cook solid and good food. -) Unhappy with your current diet? Then change it, why ditch food altogether? -) Cost, so it's not about productivity or health now, but about saving a few bucks? I doubt you save much if anything at all, it's not that expensive to buy good food, and isn't this mainly marketed towards high income people to begin with? You can afford it. -) Soylent is revolutionary: It's not, 100% food replacements have been used in medicine for decades (just no one was crazy enough to ditch real food for it if not needed) - you can even buy it, it's far more expensive though than this, and of course I am still not for it as a food replacement for healthy adults. -) Trust your body: Every body is different, the reason we have cravings for food is because the body tells us what it needs. This can fail us, for example when we eat too much sugar and our blood sugar levels are creating massive cravings for more down the line (I am not making a case for Coca-Cola here though), but all in all, it's an incredibly accurate and needed thermostat. If you eat more, you will ditch your blanket at night subconsciously to burn more calories by cooling down, if you eat less you will feel more cold and not do so. It's downright arrogant to think that some individual having read some studies and reports knows what is absolutely best (besides commonplace arguments like "sugar is bad", "being overweight is incredibly unhealthy", no proper doctor would ever make such bold and arrogant claims) My opinion: This is part of a not well regulated industry, a repackaged and cleverly marketed mix of food supplements that have been available for decades, sold with incredibly high profit margins. They buy in their stuff, they mix it, prep it up with some nice fancy talk, sell it, and see dollar signs in their eyes. Everyone should be able to do whatever he wants to as long as he is not harming others. If you think Soylent is great, then by all means, I won't stop you, I am passionate about food and am disgusted just looking at this. If someone thinks this is healthy (spare me your cherry-picked study citations), then - with all due respect - you are delusional

thatswrong0 10y ago
Every time I see a comment like this, I'm amazed at the commenters inability to not take everything to the extreme. YOU CAN EAT SOYLENT AND STILL EAT FOOD. If you don't have much time on your hands, and you want a quick meal, it works really well and is better than, say, McDonalds. 1) Eating isn't pleasure for me 2 to 3 times a day. I eat lunch because I'm hungry. I'll go out and eat a nice meal once or twice a week. You can drink Soylent and still eat food. Everyone is different. 2) You can drink Soylent and still eat food. And I only eat socially a couple times a week anyways. 3) Cooking takes time to prepare, time to fetch ingredients, and time to cleanup. This is a non-negligible amount of time. I'd rather spend 10 minutes total on a meal than 30+ mins. 4) Do you know if everything that goes into every processed food you eat? Do you have verification? 5) You can eat Soylent and still eat food. 6) This clearly isn't about cost. 7) Soylent is evolutionary in the sense that it's one of the first food replacement marketed to consumers that doesn't have a load of sugar in it. 8) Doesn't every company have dollar signs in their eyes? How is that a fault? They're providing a product that people want at a price point people are willing to pay. There isn't much to complain about there.
- cisstrd 10y ago
  I am going by how they market it, not by how you use it. If company makes market claim "x", which is ridiculous and I criticize that claim, someone then saying that he personally hasn't bought it because of claim "x" does not make my point invalid at all. 1) We differ there, I can well get all of my calories from normal food without being annoyed by eating. 2) But it's marketed as complete food replacement, not as a simple nutritional supplement. Though I don't fancy the supplement industry either. 3) I think it's stupid to consider this time as waste instead of time well spent. I had rice with fresh salmon today: Wash rice, put it in the rice cooker with 1 1/2 parts of water and some salt - wait 15 minutes (you can do whatever you want there) - use a non-stick pan, some olive oil, fry the salmon, use some spices, in between you can start cleaning up whatever kitchen equipment you have used - 5 minutes later rice is cooked, salmon finished, arrange it on a plate, some soy sauce and Wasabi on the side. Total time of work maybe... 8 minutes? Total time to clean up... 2? Total time to eat (quick eater)... 5?! And that's a pretty decent dish I think, I have my go to foods too, when I really can't be bothered. I can easily have a banana, an apple, eat some peanuts (100 grams have 620 calories, important and healthy fats, 25 grams of protein), can make some hard boiled eggs (can make them in the morning, eat them during the day), I can just take some bread, butter, tomatoes, and salt, sit in front of the computer watching something and eat during that. Takes no time really, and in the end you don't have much to clean. Food allows for creativity, be creative. Have we all forgotten how to deal with real food?! I hate to go to the store to buy, what I can I buy in bulk, sometimes I buy things frozen (it's often incredibly healthy food, when immediately frozen the nutritional value is great) and when I really can't avoid making an effort, it's not a waste considering what I get out of it. 4) Standards for food production are higher, I can touch it, I can see it, I can ask where it's from. Not sure where you have been buying your food. A banana I eat is not the product of a badly regulated industry, where hobbyists create mixtures of their liking. 5) It's the same point you made with 2) 6) It's an argument I have encountered multiple times, and it's also something I remember from the early days of Soylent. "It only costs x dollars a day and is all you need" (see my intro) 7) You mean "revolutionary"? It's not revolutionary by any means, if you mean it's revolutionary because it has taken something previously not used as mainstream food and marketed it as such, then yes maybe. I don't think that's a great achievement. 8) You are only addressing part of my ending here, talking about the high profit margins and that I think they are acting in bad faith was part of the larger point, that what they are doing is fundamentally easy and a lot of it is simply improvised, they don't really know themselves, but they claim to know. They buy it in, they mix it, dress it up, and market it. Anyone can do it, I can't however raise cattle, grow tasty bananas, peanuts, and catch delicious fish every day. So talking about profit margins, I think their profit margins are quite higher than people realize, their expertise is lower than what people think, their claims are 100% marketing, what they do is easier than people give them credit for.

ben_jones 10y ago

Is this a point of discussion or an Ad? Here are some previous discussions which I feel cover everything their is to be said about the product: [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6247552 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6247552 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9995303 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9995303 [3]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7814005 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7814005 [4]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9109371 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9109371 [5]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6115114 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6115114

m0v_eax 10y ago
Regardless, a 1.6 release is still a newsworthy item.
- sikosmurf 10y ago
  It's at least as relevant as the "Electrn v0.0.5-rc finally released!" style posts that seem to accompany every random web framework version release.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

afarrell 10y ago

As someone who very occasionally gets very nervous about something to the point of not wanting to chew, soylent+chocolate powder in a blender bottle is really helpful.

ubercow 10y ago
How much chocolate powder do you usually use? I've been trying to experiment with different things to put in mine and haven't thought of chocolate powder before.
- mikeknoop 10y ago
  I suggest shaking in 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup into the Soylet 2.0 bottles.
- gnoway 10y ago
  I was putting two heaping tbsp of cocoa powder per bag + a pinch of extra sucralose - the 1.4/1.5 soylent only had enough sucralose to offset the bitterness of some other ingredients, so adding 2+ tbsp of cocoa without something to balance made it taste bad.
- afarrell 10y ago
  It is chocolate protein powder and I don't have an exact formula. I think it is usually like 25%

flogic 10y ago

I would really like a version of Soylent that doesn't use sucralose. That stuff leaves a nasty aftertaste.

pbreit 10y ago
Yeah, I can't believe they're stuck on that. Surely there's gotta be something better? Stevia? Monk fruit? The -tol's? Honey?
- flogic 10y ago
  I would just like them to leave it out to be honest. Then I could mix in my own questionable amounts of whatever sweetener I choose.
- burfog 10y ago
  How about sugar of lead? It's 100x as sweet as sugar. It was popular with the Romans, who made it from storing wine in lead. It's cheap too.
  - pbreit 10y ago
    And actually toxic!
- toomuchtodo 10y ago
  Unfortunately, surcralose is the best sweetner for this purpose. Can you explain what would be better? It can't be processed by the human gut, its has no risk of toxicity in any reasonable dose, and very little of it is required for sweetness.
pkulak 10y ago
It's currently the sugar-substitute that tastes the best to the most people, so I'm sure that they could replace it with something that would please you, but it would probably displease many more.
- 10y ago

galistoca 10y ago

Anyone know if there's anything like Soylent but for protein only? Sometimes I go on a no-carb diet (sometimes to lose weight and sometimes because carbs make me sleepy) and I am too lazy to buy ingredients and cook at home. I just want soylent, but with 0 carbs. Anyone know?

bfstein 10y ago
Why not just get protein powder? EDIT: Alternatively, you could go on http://blendrunner.com/ http://blendrunner.com/ which gives a comparison of the various meal-replacement drinks out there.
- eltoozero 10y ago
  Standard protein powder is usually animal protein which even if you're not a vegetarian is kinda gross.
  - chris_7 10y ago
    Why would a vegetarian have a problem with protein powder? It's just milk, it's not made of cows.
  - noir_lord 10y ago
    If you aren't a vegetarian why would be it be 'kinda gross' in fact even if you are. Protein powder is mostly whey, which is a milk component and most vegetarians eat dairy.
aab0 10y ago
You could try googling 'keto soylent', which I assume would be 0 carb recipes.
calebsurfs 10y ago
Most protein powders have some vitamins sprinkled in. Ive been using Isopure whey protein isolate for a couple years. http://www.theisopurecompany.com/product/isopurezerocarb.html http://www.theisopurecompany.com/product/isopurezerocarb.htm...

Animats 10y ago

Synthetic food ad copy: "In addition to sensory and macronutrient improvements, Soylent 1.6 is the first powder iteration to use whole algal flour and high oleic algal oil - innovative ingredients that are yet another step toward sustainable food production. We have also introduced soy protein isolate as the primary protein source, replacing the rice protein. Its benefits include a superior ratio of amino acids for nutrition and smooth digestion. Soy protein is isolated from other components of the whole soy plant and offers an exceptional level of purity from inorganic compounds compared to the rice protein." Synthetic motor oil ad copy: "Synthetic oil is not only refined but also distilled, purified and broken down into its basic molecules. This process not only removes more impurities from the crude oil but also enables individual molecules in the oil to be tailored to the demands of modern engines. These customized molecules provide higher levels of protection and performance than conventional oils. But the synthetic base oil is only half the story. The correct blend additives must go into the mix to create the oil. Base oil makes up nearly 80% of a motor oil formulation, and additives make up the remaining nearly 20%. The chemically engineered molecules in synthetic base oil have more uniform properties, while the molecules found in conventional base oil differ in shape and levels of impurity."

jey 10y ago
So what?
- Spooky23 10y ago
  Both read similar and are pretty much complete bullshit.
  - lowmagnet 10y ago
    How is synthetic oil bull? It is literally the process that prevents oils from degrading, and results in cars that use far less oil over their lifetime due to a tripling of change time and mileage limits.

calebsurfs 10y ago

Does soylent include creatine? Its not an essential nutrient but if a human exercises a lot and does not eat meat, creatine levels can get very low. This leads to a lack of energy both mental and physical. Studies have shown [0] improved mental performance in vegans when supplemented with creatine. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201202/your-brain-creatine https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry...

gnoway 10y ago
No it doesn't.
angrow 10y ago
Its ingredient list is public, and does not include creatine or anything in which creatine naturally occurs. Luckily, creatine is cheap and mixes easily in a shake, or even just in water.
mytochar 10y ago
It also doesn't have near enough protein for someone who is actively working out, so they're going to need to supplement it, too: People that don't tend to work out need around 0.8g / kg; but, people that do work out tend to need 1.2-1.4g / kg a day.[1] http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/414351 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/414351
- LA_Banker 10y ago
  Precisely. I get the appeal of Soylent (quick meal replacement when otherwise obtaining food would be too big a distraction), but I don't get the appeal over meal replacement protein powders – many of which already taste better, have more protein, and are cheaper than Soylent.

mkolodny 10y ago

I've stopped drinking Soylent since I found out that it contains more than the recommended amount of soy in a single meal. Excess soy has been found to "feminize" men [1]. It also "may cause some reversible sexual disruption in men". Researchers decided the safe amount of soy (isoflavones) in a single day is 75mg [2]. If you drink Soylent as one of three meals in a day, Soylent contains about 87mg (52mg * 5 bottles / 3 meals a day) [3]. [1] http://blog.zocdoc.com/does-soy-feminize-men-fact-vs-myth/ http://blog.zocdoc.com/does-soy-feminize-men-fact-vs-myth/ [2] https://www.fsc.go.jp/english/evaluationreports/newfoods_sphealth/soy_isoflavones.pdf https://www.fsc.go.jp/english/evaluationreports/newfoods_sph... [3] https://faq.soylent.com/hc/en-us/articles/205682935-Soy-Protein https://faq.soylent.com/hc/en-us/articles/205682935-Soy-Prot...

supernintendo 10y ago
This is empirically wrong. Soy contains phytoestrogens which have no effect on the human endocrine system. You are more likely to become "feminized" by consuming cow's milk, which contains mammalian estrogen.
- mkolodny 10y ago
  I'd love for that to be true, but the research I linked to says otherwise. If you have research you could point me to that supports what you're saying I'd be happy to read it.
  - torgoguys 10y ago
    >I'd love for that to be true, but the research I linked to says otherwise. Source 1 is not "research." It is case reporting. Source 2: While I admit I didn't read the whole thing (merely quickly went through the intro and conclusion plus a couple of other key paragraphs), it sounded like they were talking about setting levels of supplementation beyond normal dietary intake, right? If correct, that's at 75mg plus normal Japanese intake (which is higher than standard US intake, I believe). I'm happy to be corrected if I misunderstood something in my quick skimming. Plus, as is the case with most of these guidelines, especially with initial stabs at setting limits, they acknowledge that this threshold they set is conservative. The real best guess at a safe level would be higher--even according to them--because it is their job to be artificially conservative.

jey 10y ago

I'm amazed the powder is still selling well enough to warrant further development after the release of the drink form. It's it primarily an issue of the drink being too expensive for many?

clamprecht 10y ago
I prefer the taste of the powder, and it isn't feasible for me to buy, transport (to Argentina), and store the liquid form.
gnoway 10y ago
I quit buying the powder earlier this year, but never considered the drink. I don't want to be tossing a bunch of empty bottles or paying to ship a liquid; it's honestly a little weird that they are prioritizing all this sustainable food stuff but want to truck a prepared liquid to me. The liquid does (or did, not sure now) cost more per kcal and comes in 400kcal bottles, so I would want 4-5 a day; they ship in 12 packs so I would be buying and shipping a lot. I'm not sure I buy the soy-feminizes-men stuff but it was also at the back of my mind. I don't particularly enjoy other soy things so I was disappointed when they went that route.
- deegles 10y ago
  I thought about this, but all the food you eat was trucked to a distribution center, then trucked to the store, then driven home by you. There’s lots of packaging involved there too. Meanwhile a shipment of soylent goes straight to you, cutting out all those middlemen. I'd be interested to see if someone has done the analysis to see if 2000kcal of soylent uses less resources to ship than the same amount of calories from a grocery store.
  - raisedbyninjas 10y ago
    It may use less than legacy solid foods, but it's significantly less efficient than powder in bags. With that said, bottled Soylent is much more convenient. I'm hopeful that they will improve the powder packaging and composition to make preparation easier.

jgalt212 10y ago

Nice piece on Soylent Soylent: How I Ate No Food For 30 Days http://motherboard.vice.com/read/soylent-how-i-stopped-eating-for-30-days http://motherboard.vice.com/read/soylent-how-i-stopped-eatin...

GreaterFool 10y ago

Now if they would ship internationally... I'd love to order 6 months supply of 2.0

teolemon 10y ago

Can someone with access to the pack take pictures using the Open Food Facts app ? http://android.openfoodfacts.org http://android.openfoodfacts.org or http://ios.openfoodfacts.org http://ios.openfoodfacts.org

teolemon 10y ago