On: Ask HN: What's the next big thing that few people are talking about?

[kulikalov]

What do you think about food replacements like US Soylent or EU JimmyJoy?

It looks to me like a big deal, but I don’t see much enthusiasm from other people and these products have been around for a while.

[wyager → kulikalov]

We don't know enough about human biology to make a healthy food replacement in a factory. We do know enough about human biology to know that we currently can't.

Everyone who eats these "food replacements" long enough and frequently enough looks weak and sickly; it's not a coincidence.

[esel2k → kulikalov]

I personally did not look at them but also think it is a minority that will switch: first the price and I second I am not sure if labgrown is that appealing to most people.

Agriculture revolution doesn’t only mean labgrown stuff. Crop rotations, resistant plants, derisking a good harvest etcetc. And the approaches are endless: Predictions, tools, robots, satellite imagery etcetc.

[iostream25 → kulikalov]

It would seem that animals evolved to eat plants and other animals are probably not going to switch to dead packaged food from a singular company en-masse. There are also cultural factors. Meals are one of the few social excuses for hanging out and wasting work time together.

[tarte-au-poire → iostream25]

Exactly. Being from a place where food is important: they are already starting to go back to the country side. Your regular accountant / dev / office employee is proud to grown eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, milk for fun.

Some culture care way more about food than the US can imagine.

[kulikalov → iostream25]

Agree with the cultural value of dinners. I do that too, just eating the dead packaged food 2 out of 3 meals. I don’t need to go grocery shopping every day, don’t need to count nutrients and so on.

[Strom → kulikalov]

I love the concept and really tried to get on the JimmyJoy train. However it causes severe nausea for me. I don't have any known allergies or intolerances and no other food ever has caused similar issues. So, I think they have some ways to go.

[7373737373 → kulikalov]

Just test these for a week or two. I found the taste and texture intolerable after two days

[kulikalov → 7373737373]

Been on it since 2018. Also watching my health closely with tons of lab tests. I’ve never been in a better shape. I’m 29.

As for the taste - not sure about Soylent, but JimmyJoy is very tasty.

[bambax → kulikalov]

Really? I tried JimmyJoy and had to throw it all in the trash after the first three. I found it absolutely horrible.

I would love a pill that would give me all the amino acids I need; but I couldn't swallow this.

[kulikalov → bambax]

They are continuously improving the taste, particularly after 2020

[Daneel_ → 7373737373]

I think it's a matter of experimentation. I've been having Aussielent (Australian version of Soylent) for about 5 years for breakfast and still really enjoy it. I use the vanilla flavour, make it with hot water, and put a squirt of honey in it - it's like liquid porridge.