What sweeteners does Huel use, and should I know about tolerance?
Huel uses different sweeteners in different Huel products. Here's what you need to know about Huel sweeteners and how your body may respond to them:
Huel Bars sweetener: Maltitol
Huel Bars use maltitol as a sweetener. Maltitol is listed in the ingredient list on your Huel Bar packaging.
What is maltitol? — Maltitol is a polyol (also called a sugar alcohol), which is a type of sweetener commonly used in low-calorie and sugar-free food products
Where maltitol appears in Huel — Huel Bars contain maltitol as a sweetening ingredient
Maltitol tolerance varies by person — Some people tolerate maltitol well with no side effects, while other people may experience digestive effects from maltitol
Polyol tolerance and potential laxative effects
Polyols (sugar alcohols like maltitol) can have laxative effects in some people, but polyol tolerance varies significantly from person to person.
What you should know about polyols and laxative effects:
Excessive consumption of polyols may produce laxative effects — If you consume large quantities of Huel Bars or other products containing polyols (like maltitol), you may experience laxative effects
Laxative effects are dose-dependent — Laxative effects from polyols are more likely to occur if you consume excessive amounts of products containing polyols; moderate consumption is less likely to cause laxative effects
Polyol tolerance varies by person — Your individual tolerance to polyols (and whether you experience laxative effects from polyols) depends on your personal digestive system and microbiome; some people tolerate polyols without any side effects, while others may be more sensitive to polyols
Start with moderate amounts of Huel Bars — If you're new to Huel Bars or products containing polyols, start with moderate amounts and observe how your body responds to polyols before consuming larger quantities of Huel Bars
Other Huel sweeteners
Huel Powder v3.0 and other Huel products — Not all Huel products use maltitol; some Huel products use different sweeteners (like stevia or monk fruit), so check the ingredient list on your specific Huel product packaging to see which sweetener your Huel product contains
Check your Huel product ingredients — To understand which sweetener is in your specific Huel product, review the ingredient list on your Huel product packaging or check the Huel product page on the Huel website
Key terms explained
Polyol — A polyol (also called a sugar alcohol) is a type of sweetener with fewer calories than regular sugar; common polyols include maltitol, sorbitol, and xylitol
Maltitol — Maltitol is a specific type of polyol used as a sweetener in Huel Bars and some other food products
Laxative effects — Laxative effects refer to increased bowel movements or loose stools that can occur when some people consume large amounts of polyols
Sugar alcohol — Sugar alcohol (also called a polyol) is a sweetener derived from carbohydrates; sugar alcohols are used in many low-calorie and sugar-free products because they have fewer calories than regular sugar