Bret's Soylent: Oat, Whey. Complete, low price. Tasty!

by hess8
Last updated November 15, 2023 Copy
AmountVolumeIngredient$ / daySource
216gOat Flour Honeyville Farms$0.98Honeyville
2.7gSalt$0.01Amazon
1pillKirkland Signature Daily Multivitamin$0.03Amazon
5.1gPotassium chloride$0.10Amazon
1.5g1tbspSucralose (Splenda)$0.04Amazon
78mlcupCanola Oil$0.13Local, 5qt (Costco)
47gSugar, white$0.13Amazon
0.03g0.01tspVanilla (equiv to 1 tbsp of liquid extract) imitation$0.01Amazon
1.24gCholine Bitartrate$0.03Amazon
1.8gtspXanthan gum (see notes on amount)$0.06Amazon
0.7pillCalcium and vitamin D$0.03Amazon
0.081pillVitamin K$0.00Amazon
57gWhey 80% protein concentrate$0.82Honeyville Farms
Amounts for:
Total Daily Cost:
$2.38Add Ingredients
to Amazon Cart

This has a nice texture and a milky vanilla taste...a bit of yogurt "tart" also. Note that the sucralose (Splenda) is essential to the good taste...it masks the vitamins, and gives a more rounded taste. Likewise, the vanilla is not just a flavor, it's essential to rounding out the taste.

If you want to use pure vanilla rather than imitation, here is a powder source which costs $0.30 per day (3/4 tsp or 2.8 g is equivalent to 1 tbsp liquid extract).

Very close to the macro nutrition profile of Soylent 1.4, which is 43-40-17 carb/fat/protein by calories percentage. This is 44-39-17. At about 1/4 the price.

See my other recipes using rice protein , corn and wheat protein, and wheat protein. They taste very different.

Yes, the great price is for real and I update the ingredient prices when I buy more. You need to buy in bulk (see the links) to get these savings. And an Amazon prime account might help. Costs: The recipe editor on this site automatically calculates price per day. It shows you how many days that each purchase lasts... look at the recipe editor tab, column "days/unit". So it's about $500 investment to get started, then averages about $2/2000 calories after that to order replacements.

See instructions here for how to use this mix and adjust to soylent.

If you want to try it before you invest in ingredients, I'll send you a day's supply of powder to try by priority mail (2-3 days), if you send me $23 ( $30 for 2 days, $50 for 4 days, $65 for 6 days, $80 for 8 days) by SquareCash ($brethess), Venmo (BCHess), Google Wallet or PayPal to: bret dot hess at gmail.com (replace the "dot" and "at" with the real symbols). Be clear about whether you want the rice, wheat, or whey version, or a combination. I sell only samples (no continuing orders). A "day" here is 2000 calories.

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Background

My family used official Soylent (1.1 through 1.4) for about 5 months for about 2 meals a day. At the same time, I experimented with my own recipes, while matching the official Soylent nutrition, and finding the right prices for the ingredients. In Feb 2015 I found a rice protein recipe that was a hit with the family, who said it tastes better than the official product (v1.4). I now rotate between all of my recipes.

I find that weight loss/maintenance is a lot easier with soylent for two meals a day than eating traditional meals. It's very satisfying, and you know you're getting complete nutrition without worrying about what to prepare and eat.

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Mixing

I mix a 28 day supply of powder (everything but the oil and water) in a 5 gallon bucket with a mixer that's powered by my drill in reverse. Pour it into a second bucket (to turn it upside down) to do the final mixing of what was on the bottom of the first bucket. I measure amounts on a digital scale in a very large bread mixing bowl (holds about 3 kg of flour) and put it into the bucket for mixing. You'll be glad if you get a lid like this for the bucket.

Here's a spreadsheet calculator for mixing any number of days you want of the mix or the vitamin mix. Just replace "Days to Mix" number with the number of days you want to mix.

To save time, I mix about 4-6 months at a time of the vitamins and minerals (the pills go in the blender with a tight lid...I put plastic over the blender and then the lid..the dust is not pleasant) including salt and xanthan, and mix all in the large bowl with a whisk. I save the powder to add to the monthly batches. Then just add the number of grams of this vitamin mix that the calculator above says. So it's only 3 ingredients plus this vitamin powder to mix the monthly batches. This method means you can get good vitamin accuracy with a scale with 1 g resolution.

For example, for 180 days of vitamins/minerals, I go to the recipe calculator and choose 180 days. This is many multivitamin pills, but I don't count them, I just weigh them. The calculator gives the number of grams of multivitamins to use, and the number of other pills (I just round to whole or half pills) Then I blend them all up. Then add this to the vitamin powders in the big bowl and whisk.

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Protein

The protein comes from whey and oats, and is complete See the protein essential amino acid analysis (blue columns are the summary). This recipe provides at least 175% of the WHO recommended of each essential amino acid, and the balance is very good. There is a lot of tryptophan in oats, but in amounts similar to meats, fish, cheeses and beans (ref). Larger amounts of tryptophan in foods does not seem to change the blood levels of tryptophan, as opposed to the purified form in supplements (ref).

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Oats

All my recipes have some oat flour. It's easy to digest and has excellent protein and fiber (why add a fiber supplement when this grain is so good?).

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Xanthan gum

This adds a little thickening for texture, and keeps it from separating as you drink it (It will separate in the fridge). It also reduces all tastes somewhat, including sweetness (slips right past those tastebuds if you put in a lot). Optional. I mix it in with my big powder batches so I don't have to add it on a daily basis. If you do choose to add it separately into the blender each day, use only half as much! It's a more effective thickener before it's mixed with the other powders.

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Sodium Most nutritional and medical associations have lowered their recommendations to 1500 mg/day (down from 2300 mg). The amount here (1250mg per 2000 cal) is below that, and below that in official Soylent 1.5 (1440). If you want to lower sodium further, it also tastes good with 1000 mg.

But I actually don't recommend lowering the salt further: two recent major studies (2016 and 2018) have shown that there is a sweet spot in sodium intake (around 3 g sodium, which is 7.5 g of salt). There is increased disease at both high and low intake. I think the study of disease as the final judgement on sodium intake is the right one. See https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180809202057.htm. This may convince me to raise the salt in the recipe, but for now I don't want to get into the controversy.

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Chloride

The potassium comes with chloride. In the past I used some potassium citrate for part of the potassium to keep the chloride within the typical "maximum" amount. But I researched this, and there is no chloride toxicity from chloride in the range of double the "maximum" amount. Because there is no danger from chloride itself, the "maximum" amount was simply set to match the amount of chloride that comes in the recommended amount of salt. In other words, it's sodium that can be dangerous, and whoever set the "maximum" amount of chloride was making things up: "The AI for chloride is set at a level equivalent on a molar basis to that of sodium, since almost all dietary chloride comes with the sodium added during processing or consumption of foods."(ref) In fact studies of patients taking potassium chloride (in addition to a steady salt intake) showed a reduction in sodium levels in the body.(ref), caused by the presence of potassium.

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Sugars

The sugar amount is within the WHO guidelines: - "In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation). • WHO suggests a further reduction of the intake of free sugars to below 5% of total energy intake (conditional recommendation). • Free sugars include monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates."

This recipe is less than 5% calories from free sugars.

Some sucralose (Splenda) is used because it masks the taste of the vitamins. It makes a BIG difference in taste.

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Oil

Official Soylent went from 30% to 40% of calories by fat in version 1.4 and 1.5, and I've followed that here. I think this reflects the increasing understanding that getting a significant portion of our calories by healthy fats can be very healthy and satisfying. The problem with our diets wasn't too much fat, but too many calories, too much sugar and unhealthy fats.

Oil preference is more a matter of fad than science these days, so if you're against Canola, find a new oil...I don't mind. It won't really change the price or calories. But the research in these notes has convinced me that canola oil is quite healthy:

"Canola oil is low in saturated fat and contains both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a ratio of 2:1. If consumed, it also reduces low-density lipoprotein and overall cholesterol levels, and as a significant source of the essential omega-3 fatty acid is associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality" Wikipedia. "In 2001, researchers at a conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health concluded that the two classes of fatty acid should be consumed in a 1:1 ratio. As of 2007, the Japanese government recommended a ratio of 4:1, while the Swedish government recommended a ratio of 5:1, and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science in the United States recommended a ratio of 10:1. (In all cases, the number to the left of the ratio is omega-6 fats, while the number to the right is omega-3s.)" Wikipedia.

"Several sources of information suggest that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of approximately 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1-16.7/1. Western diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and have excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids ... A ratio of 2.5/1 reduced rectal cell proliferation in patients with colorectal cancer, whereas a ratio of 4/1 with the same amount of omega-3 PUFA had no effect. The lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio in women with breast cancer was associated with decreased risk. A ratio of 2-3/1 suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a ratio of 5/1 had a beneficial effect on patients with asthma, whereas a ratio of 10/1 had adverse consequences" 2002 study.

So the ratios are all over the place. But the info above makes me think that the high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in western diets is probably an extreme to avoid. This recipe has a total ratio of about 3:1.

Another issue in the oils controversy that wrongly criticizes canola and is not an issue in this recipe is the form of vitamin E, gamma vs alpha. One correlation study suggests that the consumption of higher gamma over alpha in the US could reduce the lung capacity for 1% of people. Another study says that the gamma form might guard against cancer and dementia. So it's not decided, but regardless, high gamma consumption in the US is due to soybean oil (76% gamma) and corn oil, not canola (7% gamma).

In any case, the multivitamin vitamin E used here has the alpha-form, which is where almost all of the vit. E comes from, and so the vitamin E in this recipe is overwhelmingly alpha form; the gamma form is very small here (about 1%), and you probably should be glad to get a little of it, since just one form is probably not great.

So canola seems to work well with a good ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, and no issues with vitamin E.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Day
40% Carb, 17% Protein, 43% Fat
Calories1899
% Daily Values*
93%
Total Carbohydrate191g
105%
Dietary Fiber 28g
100%
Protein80g
101%
Total Fat90g
Saturated Fat8g
Monounsaturated Fat51g
Polyunsaturated Fat27g
271%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids7g
201%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids20g
Cholesterol0mg
Calcium
102%
Vitamin A
117%
Chloride
188%
Vitamin B6
170%
Chromium
100%
Vitamin B12
250%
Copper
196%
Vitamin C
100%
Iodine
100%
Vitamin D
113%
Iron
112%
Vitamin E
253%
Magnesium
126%
Vitamin K
102%
Manganese
476%
Thiamin
251%
Molybdenum
1060%
Riboflavin
148%
Phosphorus
172%
Niacin
145%
Potassium
109%
Folate
142%
Selenium
234%
Pantothenic Acid
209%
Sodium
104%
Biotin
100%
Sulfur
Choline
102%
Zinc
163%
 
* Percent Daily Values are based on "Solylent 1.4, 2000 calories as published, other U.S. government DRI male 19-50". You may use the Nutrient Calculator to personalise your own profile, then select it from the list on the Recipe Editor tab.
Nutrient Profile: Solylent 1.4, 2000 calories as published, other U.S. government DRI male 19-50Change

2 Reviews

1 review
5 years ago
Good overall taste
A little gritty
Snacky betwen meals
Reviewer tried this recipe once
Reviewer is currently using another recipe

Lots of mistakes Many nutrients missing from key items meaning you are likely over dosing on some vitamins And... How can there be 80 grams of protein in 56 grams of whey? If you are only consuming 56 grams of 80% whey protein, that means you are only getting 44.8 grams of protein per day with this recipe..

1 review
9 years ago
Good overall taste
A little gritty
Snacky betwen meals
Reviewer tried this recipe 2-5 times
Reviewer is currently using this recipe

I have no other versions to compare to but here goes. I mixed my first batch last night. I had to do some math as I only got the 1 vanilla so made 90 days worth of vitamins. The items round off to a tbsp. of vitamin mix for me, 2 tbsp. splenda, and 1 tbsp. of sugar...slightly heaping. Oil, oats, whey, 4 cups water and poof a days worth, resulting in 2 liters. I chilled for a few hours and had a glass in the evening. I blended on medium in my vitamix. When making soup I have created foam when used to high, but pureed all things to liquid, so didn't want to over aerate the first batch. On medium I got a gritty drink what I compared to a malt. The recipe as far as I am concerned is great considering. I had no issue drinking it down. I did find myself wanting to chew while drinking at this consistency. I could taste a hint of the salt but more of a bran type flavor, completely tolerable. I didn't feel like I was forcing liquid cardboard down, and had no issue drinking another in the morning with my coffee. I am a one meal a day person for a few reasons, and this is my attempt to correct this. I found myself hungry within 4-5 hours from the breakfast serving. When I got home I finished what was in the container, about 1.5 of the glass I had had before. I did get hungry later and ate an apple and small snack. But feel fine. I don't feel bloated or other side effects. It was said it takes a bit to get use to it, but where my palette may not be refined, I didn't have any issue right off. I have seal-a-meal containers that are perfect for one days worth of the non-vitamin dry ingredients so I only have to add the spoon full of vitamins, liquids, and the rest of the premade mix. Tomorrows mix I used only 3 cups of water, but mixed on high. Figured I can always add more water. Would suggest.