Huel vs Rootana

By Matt Smith

Published: April 9, 2025

Both Huel and Rootana are well-made, healthy meal shakes that have been designed to help busy people to improve their nutrition and reduce the amount of time and money that is spent on tricky meals such as breakfast and lunch. But how do they differ? Huel vs Rootana is a competition that is fantastic for the industry. Raising standards and leaving subpar products in their wake.

Rootana

Huel

400 Calorie Serving

Yes

Balanced Meal

27 Vitamins & Minerals >20% RI

Stevia-Free

Sucralose-Free

Monk-Fruit Free

Maltodextrin-Free

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Huel vs Rootana Ingredients List

Both Huel and Rootana share a lot of the same ingredients. Both shakes use oats, pea protein, flaxseed, sunflower oil, xanthan gum, sunflower lecithin, and a vitamin and mineral blend.

There are a few ingredients that only appear in Rootana, though, and there are a few ingredients that only appear in Huel.

Rootana Ingredients: Guar gum (a form of fiber) and coconut sugar, which is a natural sweetener used to improve the flavor of Rootana.
Huel Ingredients: Tapioca flour, medium-chain triglyceride powder, acerola cherry powder, kombucha powder, sucralose, and bacillus coagulans.

As you can see, there are a number of ingredients in the Huel recipe that are not present in Rootana. The acerola cherry powder and kombucha proved quite controversial with the Huel community, and it is interesting to note that the latest version of Huel is removing it completely.

The use of tapioca flour is not particularly controversial, although it does not have any nutritional benefits. MCT powder can be an excellent fat source, but the amount present per serving of Huel is negligible, with sunflower oil being the major healthy fats contributor in the recipe (same with Rootana).

Bacillus coagulans are used to improve digestibility. The major difference in ingredients is that Huel uses the artificial sweetener sucralose, while Rootana uses naturally occurring coconut sugar.

Huel vs Rootana Macros

For this section, we will compare Cinnamon Swirl Huel vs Cacao flavored Rootana. There is a slight difference in macro ratios between Original Rootana and Cacao, with Original having 21 more calories and having a little more protein and healthy fats.

Huel contains 400 calories, with 13 grams of fats, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 7.5 grams of fiber, and 30 grams of protein.
Rootana contains 400 calories, with 14 grams of fats, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 9.4 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of protein.

As you can see, the two shakes have very similar macros. The main difference is that Rootana contains more complex carbohydrates, while Huel contains more protein.

Rootana’s formula was developed using recommendations published by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institutes of Medicine, which recommended a distribution range of 45-65% carbohydrates, 20-35% fat, and 10-20% protein [1].

Huel vs Rootana Sweeteners

The biggest difference between the two shakes, by far, is the use of artificial sweeteners in the Huel formula. Rootana was specifically designed to be free from artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, and sugar alcohols. Instead, it uses naturally occurring coconut sugar.

Coconut sugar comes from the sap of the coconut tree rather than the coconuts themselves. The sap is dried out in the sun, where it crystalises and becomes coconut sugar. It is similar to normal sugar but contains more micronutrients and is less processed.

The amount of coconut sugar in each serving of Rootana is minimal, as Rootana is made to have a subtly sweet taste, which is perfect for anyone who dislikes the overly-sweet taste that many artificially sweetened meal shakes offer.

Artificial sweeteners are deemed safe by nutrition experts, but it is undeniable that some people can suffer adverse reactions to them. While others dislike the artificially sweet taste that they produce.

You may not see any side effects from taking artificial sweeteners, but the lab-made ingredients may not fit your personal idea of healthy, natural foods.

It is for these reasons that Rootana avoids the use of artificial sweeteners. We wanted to create a shake that was suited to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores who care about what foods they consume. Aspartame may not be the evil food ingredient that 90s chain emails portrayed it to be, but there are many people who still wish to avoid it wherever possible.

If you would like to learn more about some of the reported side effects of artificial sweeteners, then you can check out our articles here.

What About Taste? Price? Variety?

This article has deliberately avoided subjective comparisons. This is because it is unfair to compare the tastes of two shakes when everyone has their own unique likes and dislikes.

We truly believe that Rootana is a delicious shake that comes at a very fair and economical price point. We also know that Huel has a reputation for some great-tasting shakes of their own and that they also come at a fair price point.

Ultimately, we believe that customers will make their choice based more on the ingredients (or lack thereof), the macronutrient ratio, and whether they believe that the product represents the best choice for their health, lifestyle, and personal beliefs.

Have you just bought your first bag of Rootana? If so, then check out our articles on helpful tips and tricks to customise and possibly even improve upon our superb plant-based shakes.

References

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16004827/

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOTANA

The Nutrition You Need. And Nothing You Don't.

Complete Nutrition: Perfect Balance of Macros, Vitamins & Minerals

No Sweeteners: No Stevia, No Sucralose, No Aspartame, No Acesulfame K, No Monk Fruit

No Half Measures: 400 Calories Per Serving

Tastes Like Real Food: Because It Is Real Food

LEARN MORE

the nutrition you need. and nothing you don't.

A 400 calorie complete meal made from real food. Oats, pea protein and flaxseed, with all 27 vitamins and minerals. No sweeteners, no maltodextrin, no unwanted extras. It tastes like real food because it is real food.

Complete nutrition

A scientifically balanced macro split: low-GI complex carbs for steady, gradual energy, plant protein for the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, healthy fats and fiber. Plus all 27 essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, D, zinc and selenium, which contribute to normal immune function.

No half measures

Many shakes are too low in calories and too high in protein to be a real meal. Rootana's 400 calories fuel you properly, with the macro balance a meal should have.

Zero sweeteners

No stevia, no sucralose, no aspartame, no acesulfame K, no monk fruit. Sweeteners add no nutrition and carry the risks above, so Rootana is naturally flavored with a small amount of coconut sugar instead.

Tastes like real food

With nothing engineered in the recipe, there's no artificial aftertaste, none of the bloat many sweeteners cause, and it's easy to digest. Just a gentle, oaty sweetness.

Shop Real Food Shake

Zero sweeteners

No stevia, no sucralose, no aspartame, no acesulfame K, no monk fruit. Sweeteners add no nutrition and carry the risks above, so Rootana is naturally flavored with a small amount of coconut sugar instead.

Tastes like real food

With nothing engineered in the recipe, there's no artificial aftertaste, none of the bloat many sweeteners cause, and it's easy to digest. Just a gentle, oaty sweetness.