Soylent and Queal Compared
Philosophy, Products, Alternatives, Variation, Pricing
Complete Food that does more than replace a meal
Soylent was introduced in 2014 and is marketed as a staple meal. The mission of the company is to take the hassle out of food. The founder, Rob Rhinehart, even experimented on himself by not eating anything else than his powdered meals for 30 days. Soylent now offers a wide variety of products and provides functional food to many who are busy.
Queal makes complete food with a slightly different philosophy. For every moment of the day, we want to be your complete choice of food. Next to powders the company sells bars and a nootropic. We want to be your one-stop-shop for everything related to complete food. To make this possible they provide nutritional information and a personalised dashboard for every customer.
Buy QuealFour types of meals
'Soylent' has become the defacto name for the products that the Complete Food companies sell. But that doesn't mean there is only one type of complete meal out there. Even Soylent (the company) offers three different versions of their meals. The first (and original) is a powdered meal. Just add some water and you have yourself a meal. This is also the type of product Queal started with, and is still our flagship product.
Since its inception, Soylent has kept on innovating and also offers a ready-to-drink (RTD) product (at a slightly higher price). You can compare the RTD to a milky drink, but one which is also rich in vitamins and minerals. Soylent also sells Squared, a small meal in a square bar. Queal has branched out to meals in a bar and a breakfast/porridge product, which both add another level of convenience to Complete Foods.
Because it's silly to compare bars and RTDs, we've summarised the similarities, differences and unique characteristics of the powders of Queal and Soylent.
| # | Soylent | Queal |
|---|---|---|
| Flavours | Original, Cacao | Chocolate, Strawberry, Cookies & Cream, Forest Fruit, Banana, Chocolate Hazelnut, Apple Pie, Vanilla, Macchiato (+Limited Editions) |
| Nutrition | 37% carbs, 43% fats, 20% protein | 47% carbs, 32% fats, 21% protein* |
| Ingredients | Soy protein, Canola oil, Isomaltulose, Vitamins & Minerals | Whole Grain Oats, Isomaltulose, Maltodextrin, (Whey or Rice&Pea) Protein, Soy Flour, Vegetable Oils, Vitamins & Minerals |
| Animals? | Vegan | Vegan (rice- and pea protein) & Vegetarian (whey protein) |
| Price per 400kcal (subscription price) | from $1.66 (€1.53) | from €1.43 |
*Queal Steady Shakes are available in 3 variations (Athletic, Standard, Vegan), the numbers are for Standard.
Sugar
Soylent uses Isomaltulose as its main source of energy. Isomaltulose comes from beets, it's a carbohydrate that is partially classified as a sugar. However, it is a slow- and sustained-release carbohydrate and has a low Glycemic Index (GI, how fast carbs are processed).
For Queal, Isomaltulose is combined with Maltodextrin (another complex source of carbohydrates, made from corn) which has a higher GI. This even split ensures a quick release of energy, but also a sustained continuous release of energy for several hours, resulting in a more balanced energy level.
Fiber
Queal is a little higher in fibers than Soylent (34 vs. 30 grams on a daily basis, based on a 2000kcal diet). Both are above the EFSA recommendations of 25 grams of dietary fiber a day, which is a win for your gut health.
Fats
The balance between fats and protein is also noticeably different between Soylent and Queal. Where Queal has gone for a higher level of carbs, Soylent has gone for a higher fat content. Although the fats in Soylent are of the “good” variety, it does not meet the guideline for <35% percentage energy as total fat but instead providing a significantly substantial 43% of calories as fat.
Both Queal and Soylent provide the recommended daily amount of all “good” fats and fatty acids such as Omega-3 and Omega-6.
Protein
Although the protein content per serving in Soylent and Queal is around the same (20g per 400kcal), the source is different. Soylent's protein mostly comes from soy, which has a lower nutritional value than the proteins of Queal. Steady Standard has whey protein, which has a wide spectrum of amino acids. Because this kind of protein is not suitable for vegans, Queal Steady Vegan contains a combination of pea- and rice protein. Compared to soy protein, these kinds offer broader spectrums of amino acids too.
Also, for those seeking extra protein: Queal has an Athletic variant too. This one has 25,8 grams of protein per 400kcal.
Original or Flavoured?
Both Queal and Soylent are two great options for when you need a complete meal. The powders remain the most price-conscious way of getting a Complete Food. And with hundreds of thousands going before you, there is already a growing movement of people who eat this every day.
Soylent can proudly call itself the father of this movement. The first experiments from Rhinehart made it possible for people to have a quick meal. Queal has added their own flavour and twist to the idea and expands on it with other products (and a dashboard) for customers. Products from Soylent are available in the US & UK, Queal is available worldwide. We encourage you to try out both.
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