How healthy is eating liquid meal replacements for an entire year?

Nutritional company Huel is offering 35,000 euros (approximately $40,000 in US dollars) if participants do not put one piece of food in their mouth for 365 days. What is the company asking them to eat?
What they are asking them to drink is the better question. Huel is a liquid meal replacement that was formulated by registered dietitian Julian Hearn. The goal of Huel, a powder formula, is to provide 100% of the macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) and 100% of micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) needed to function. Simply mix the powder with water and voilà! Dinner is served. But is this safe to do for an entire year?
What’s in it?
From a pathophysiological standpoint, Huel would be completely safe to consume solely for an entire year. The body has a list of essential ingredients that one must get from natural compounds to support biological function. Peas and brown rice are the main sources of protein supplying 150 grams per day. (Whether this is too much protein is up for another discussion.) Vitamin B12 is added to balance the vegetarian source of protein.
For the fatty acid needs, flaxseed oil, coconut MCT powder (medium chain triglycerides), and sunflower lecithin are mixed in to provide an optimum ratio of omega 6 to omega 3s of approximately 1:1.
While carbohydrates are not necessarily essential, many individuals cannot function on a diet less of than 20 to 40%. Thus, oat flour is included at a ratio of 40% of the total caloric content. The oat flour also adds much needed fiber to help with digestion and health of the GI track.
The complete array of recommended vitamins and minerals were added to meet all governmental guidelines. The sources of all these ingredients are claimed to be from a natural source; however, the actual sourcing of each ingredient is left off the company’s website, leaving room for interpretation.
While Huel consumers going for the prize may only be allowed to eye the vat of wings covered with barbecue sauce on game day, they may be gaining back in other ways. Food cost, time management, and environmental factors could possibly negate the loss of such simple pleasures. The company’s mission “is to make a nutritionally complete, universally affordable food, with minimum impact on the environment.” And, this is the essence of the challenge: to fully understand the role of food outside of the pathophysiological workings.
So, the questions are still out: Will life be bearable without a daily pumpkin spiced latte? Will friendships crash over no happy hours? We shall soon find out.
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Feature Image: Huel