I have been using Soylent now since late 2014. In a nutshell, Soylent is a meal replacement drink. You mix Soylent with water and everything you need for a healthy diet is included. Soylent 1.4 was recently released.

A fresh glass of Soylent 1.4.

A fresh glass of Soylent 1.4.

Soylent appeals to its customers for many reasons. For me, its appeal is the replacement of "fuel" meals. These are quick, non-social meals that interrupt the working day. In the past, these meals would be met mostly with fast food fare. Thus, for me, Soylent is an occasional healthy time saver. I replace about 1/4 of my meals with Soylent. When someone asks me what Soylent tastes like I say "not bad." It is filling and does not leave you feeling drowsy like other fast lunchtime meals.

One of the more interesting aspects of Soylent is that the company is constantly improving the formulation of the product. Soylent has a nutritional advisor and with input from its customers, releases new versions of the product occasionally. This week was the first week I started using Soylent 1.4.

The differences in Soylent 1.4 from Soylent 1.3 are summarized in Soylent's release notes. While the nutritional changes are notable (and provide an interesting introduction to nutrition), the two most noticable changes are the flavor and the lack of the oil blend.

Soylent 1.3 had a very subtle vanilla flavor to it. This was provided by an artificial flavor additive -- and was removed for Soylent 1.4. This is probably an improvement in that it allows customers to either avoid the artifical flavoring completely, or flavor Soylent as desired. I have found that Soylent 1.4 without any flavoring is not pleasant. It is just too bland. Frankly, it taste like plaster. Luckily, there is a solution. Milk Splash makes several flavor enhancers, but their Cookies 'N Cream version is the best with Soylent. Be careful though -- a little of this flavorer goes a long ways. The smallest squirt you can manage is enough in a single glass of Soylent.

Flavor that Soylent!

Flavor that Soylent!

Soylent 1.3 required the addition of an oil blend during mixing. The oil blend provided fat sources that are now included in Soylent 1.4 via powdered oils. This is a welcome change as the oils would settle out and required frequent mixing.

Soylent 1.3 (left) and Soylent 1.4 (right).

Soylent 1.3 (left) and Soylent 1.4 (right).

So enjoy your Soylent! Several stories exist that explain the name Soylent. The name is often associated with the 1973 cult classic Soylent Green -- although I assume no human remains are used in the product's creation...

Posted
AuthorErik Evenson