Efficiency
over Experience

The Cost of Drinkable Meal Replacements and Nutrition Optimization

gen z loves iced coffee
45% of 18–24 year old coffee drinkers had a cold coffee yesterday

This demonstrates a generational prioritization of efficiency over experience - cold coffee is faster to drink, easier to carry around, and more likely to be consumed on the go.

In the era of short-form content and short attention spans, it's no surprise that the next step after cold coffee is the drinkable meal replacement. We're trying to shorten everything, even our meals.

This has given rise to many ventures centered around efficient nutrition:

Hover over a founder to see their venture and background. A lot of these founders don't have knowledge/experience in nutrition.

Julian Hearn

Julian Hearn

Huel

Marketing & entrepreneurship, no formal nutrition training.

John Coogan

John Coogan

Soylent

Software engineer, no nutrition background. Framed food as an engineering problem to be optimized away.

Chris Ashenden

Chris Ashenden

AG1

Real estate entrepreneur. Convicted in 2011 for 43 violations of New Zealand's Fair Trading Act before founding AG1. No nutrition or health science credentials.

Peter Rahal

Peter Rahal

David

Food entrepreneur (co-founded RXBAR). Backed by Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia. Faced a class action in 2026 alleging 400% more fat and 80% more calories than labeled — lawsuit later dropped.

Dave Asprey

Dave Asprey

Bulletproof Coffee

IT executive, no medical or nutrition degree. Claims Bulletproof Coffee raised his IQ by 20+ points — no evidence provided. British Dietetic Association listed his diet as a fad diet. Accused of false health claims about COVID-19 supplements.

But these products come at a cost.

Hover over each panel to reveal the research.

🦠
Gut Microbiome

Disrupted Gut Flora

"In concert, these results demonstrate that the gut microbiome can rapidly respond to altered diet, potentially facilitating the diversity of human dietary lifestyles."

[Citation]

🧠
Food Psychology

Disordered Eating Patterns

"Almost all studies reported a relationship between loneliness/social isolation and eating behaviours usually considered harmful such as low fruit and vegetable intake and lower diet quality."

[Citation]

🌿
Missing Nutrients

The FDA's Role

"Because the FDA doesn’t routinely test meal replacement products for quality before sale ... it’s imperative to thoroughly review ingredient and nutrition labels."

[Citation]

⚗️
Artificial Sweeteners

Potential Negative Effects

"Total artificial sweetener intake was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (1502 events, hazard ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.18, P=0.03)"

[Citation]

👥
Social Isolation

The Loneliness of the Solo Shake

"27 out of 29 studies found at least one association between loneliness or social isolation and one or more food/eating behaviors that would usually be considered harmful."

[Citation]

So, why do we trust them?

Founders (looking for the next "big thing") → Health Podcasts (Huberman, etc.) → Health-focused Consumers

And it's no surprise that they're targeting this demographic. The global wellness industry is worth $4.5 trillion, and the meal replacement market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2023 to 2030.

It seems we're trusting anyone with our nutrition. At least, according to current legislation.

The FDA Doesn't Approve Supplements

The FDA treats dietary supplements as more of foods than drugs, meaning they don't have to prove their safety or efficacy before being sold.

Citation

The Law That Created the Loophole

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 established a regulatory framework that allows supplements to be marketed without pre-market approval from the FDA.

Citation

FTC vs. Bogus Health Claims

The FTC has taken action against companies making false or misleading health claims about their dietary supplements before.

Citation

Class Action, 2026

A class-action lawsuit against David Protein for false advertising of caloric and fat content.

Citation

A meal is more significant than just food.

But, convenience has real value.

For people with demanding schedules, limited access to kitchens, or medical conditions that make eating difficult, liquid meal replacements can be a game-changer.

The main problem arises when a useful tool for busy days starts to quietly replace the cultural and social benefits of real meals, when eating becomes another problem for us to find an optimal solution to.

The health risks aren't a reason to ban these products, but instead a reason to be honest about their abilities and what they can and cannot replace.

Here's what we can do.

Advocate for better regulation.

The DSHEA in 1994 was written before the wellness industry exploded into a $4.5 trillion market. This codified the FDA's hands-off approach to dietary supplements but can't keep up with our reality today.

Evidence of Benefits Before Sale

Advocate for requiring evidence of safety and efficacy before supplements can be sold.

Accurate Nutrition Labels

Advocate for requiring accurate and comprehensive nutrition information on supplement labels.

Stricter Endorsement Rules for Influencers

Advocate for stricter regulations on influencer endorsements of dietary supplements.

Additionally, support transparent, research-backed brands like:

Thorne Research Thorne Research
Pure Encapsulations Pure Encapsulations
Nordic Naturals Nordic Naturals
Garden of Life Garden of Life
Life Extension Life Extension

For now, look for these third-party verifications when purchasing supplements:

NSF International

Products are tested for contaminants, label accuracy, and banned substances. The NSF Certified for Sport mark is especially trusted by athletes.

U.S. Pharmacopeia

Confirms the product contains the ingredients listed on the label in the declared amounts, with no harmful levels of contaminants.

Informed Sport / Informed Choice

Every batch is tested for over 250 substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list before it reaches consumers.

ConsumerLab.com

An independent testing organization that purchases products off store shelves and checks them for purity, potency, and safety — publishing results publicly.

Meal replacements have everything your body needs, except the meal.

Not everything needs to be optimized.