Huel and Queal Compared

Is Queal better than Huel?

You’ve taken a great step forward by choosing for a complete meal product. Huel and Queal are both great options when it comes to meal replacements. Here we will help you choose which one fits best with you on price, nutrition, and variation.

By reading this page we hope you’ll be interested in giving Queal a try. But if it ends up being the case that Huel is the better option for you, then we’re still glad we were able to help you come to the right decision.

Comparison to Huel

Queal and Huel are two of the very first companies that offer complete meals to everyone in Europe. They are both good options and nutritionally they are both complete. Each company has made their own choices regarding specific ingredients and nutritional composition. These are the differences you should consider when choosing which product to go with.

Both Huel and Queal are based on EU nutrition guidelines (EFSA). Both products contain gluten (although Huel has a gluten-free option) and they are both 100% vegetarian. Because Huel makes use of pea and rice protein (as does Queal with the Vegan line) instead of whey protein, Huel is a 100% vegan as well. Besides lactose and gluten, Queal also contains soy.

Because Queal believes that nutrition isn't only about the food you buy, you can also find a personalised dashboard when you place an order. Here you can find your environmental impact (which both companies greatly reduce), other statistics and recipes. Huel has an active forum and connects with many influencers to get spread the word about Complete Foods.

Nutrients

Aside from small differences in fibres and fats, Huel and Queal are very similar in nutrients. Both have chosen to provide you with more than the recommended daily amounts of protein. And both have a healthy amount of fibre.

The main source of carbs in Queal is evenly balanced between the complex carbohydrate Maltodextrin (made from corn), the slightly slower carbohydrate Isomaltulose (made from red beets) and finely cut Scottish Oats. The Maltodextrin has a high Glycemic Index (GI, how fast carbs are processed), and the Oats a low GI. This balance ensures a quick release of energy, but also a sustained continuous release of energy for several hours, resulting in a balanced energy level. Huel has a lower GI of 27, which means energy is released slower than in Queal.

Although Queal is higher in sugars than Huel, it must be noted that the 25grams are still under the dietary reference values of the EFSA (Europe), WHO, and FDA (America, maximum of 50grams).

The protein used in Queal Steady Standard and Athletic is whey protein. This is derived from the cheese-making process. It provides you with a full amino acid profile (building blocks of protein). The protein in Huel comes from pea protein and rice protein. These are also the protein sources in Queal's plant-based products. Both rice and pea protein are good sources of protein, they are being combined to make sure all essential amino acids are covered.

Ingredients

Both Queal and Huel are made from real food. They use different ingredients, both make a complete meal. And both have their own vitamin & mineral mix that tops up the micronutrients where needed.

Ingredients Huel: Oats, Pea Protein, Flaxseeds, Brown Rice Protein, MCT Powder (from Coconut), Sunflower Oil Powder, Vitamin & Mineral Blend, Vanilla Flavour & Sweetener

Ingredients Queal: Whole Grain Oats, Isomaltulose, Maltodextrin, (Whey or Rice&Pea) Protein, Soy Flour, Vegetable Oils, Vitamin & Mineral Mix, Flavour (10 variations) & Sweetener

Notably, Queal has chosen to use Maltodextrin and Isomaltulose as a source of carbohydrates. And Huel has chosen to use Coconut (MCT) oil versus Vegetable oil in Queal. Both use a little bit of flavouring and sweetener for an optimal taste experience.

Non-nutritional considerations

Queal and Huel are in friendly competition for selling the most amounts of meals to people all over the world. But the real competitor is malnutrition and the bad food habits that have taken over western countries.

Although everyone wants to eat a healthy meal, time constraints, knowledge or just plain laziness were barriers for people to change their habits. With Queal and Huel you know that you can have a complete meal at any time.

We believe a great strength of Queal is the variety of products we offer. Not only can you choose from a wide range of flavours, you can also choose from 3 diet types. Queal recognises not everybody is the same, and different people have different dietary needs. This is why Queal offers four different variations of their recipe. Standard (2100kcal), Athletic (2300kcal with higher % protein), Vegan (pea & rice protein). You will also never get bored with a new Limited Edition flavour each month!

Queal vs Huel summarised

We are, of course, fans of Queal and its great products. We truly believe it offers an excellent choice in quick, complete, and affordable nutrition. After all, that’s the reason we created it in the first place!

But in the end, it’s your choice and responsibility to pick the best option out there for you. We’d love for you to try Queal, and even compare it with the other options in the market. Find out for yourself which you’d prefer. We’re betting you’ll come back to us soon enough.