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.<p>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.<p>I'm also very excited that it's vegan because that's been my diet for over 8 years.
I'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.<p>I currently have my subscription set up so that I receive 2 weeks work of Soylent every month.<p>Breakdown:
500 calories per meal
~$2.33 per meal<p>How I use it:<p>Complete meal/snack replacement for breakfast and lunch most days. Rarely have it for dinner.<p>What I've learned so far:<p>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.<p>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.<p>The texture is grainy in comparison to a smoothie, but this is to be expected with a powder-based meal.<p>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.<p>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.
I'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).<p>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 balance out my nutrition fully.<p>I continue to feel that Soylent is the first company that will likely feed the world - literally. Without the oil bottle and the ability to scale manufacturing, it is only a matter of time before we see Soylent as part of humanitarian convoys and/or used in medical settings. The possibilities are quite frankly amazing...
Glad to see they've integrated the separate oil bottle -- that will make it way more portable.<p>On another note, I hope that the increase in manufacturing capacity will eventually allow Soylet to be purchased through traditional retail channels -- it'd be nice to just buy it by the package instead of bulk-orders online.
I like the idea of Soylent, but everything I have read lately on nutrition seems to suggest that gettings vitamins and minerals from real food should be a priority and is against multivitamins. I wonder what is people's view on Soylent as a replacement for fruits/vegetables? Is the nutritional makeup somehow different from a multi-vitamin? If it isn't, then it just seems like an overpriced protein powder alternative. I can't seem to find any info on their site.
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.<p>[1] I'm thinking the high potassium, and low sodium could lower high blood pressure?
You'll get more detailed user opinions on the soylent forum.<p>I go through 3 bags a week. I'm on my second of 1.4:<p>The sugar crashes I would get in previous versions are significantly reduced in 1.4.
The artificial vanilla flavor made 1.3 tastier; 1.4 is easier to prep but its blend of oils and lack of grittiness makes it smoother and slimier.<p>Unmodified 1.4 digests slightly better than 1.3 for me.
1.3 digested best for me when I added psyllium husk.
I'll be adding that again next batch to test.
I think the supply shortage of soylent initially helped with their marketing and buzz.<p>I wonder if they are now claiming an artificial shortage to try and continue to sustain the illusion.
You can powderise oils using maltodextrin, it's a trick that a lot of gastro-chefs have been using for years. Turns back into oil in the presence of any liquid.