| Amount | Ingredient | $ / day | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | g | Oat Flour | $0.36 | Amazon |
| 150 | g | Maltodextrin | $0.41 | Amazon |
| 75 | g | Brown Rice Protein Isolate | $2.63 | Amazon |
| 20 | g | Psyllium Husk Powder | $0.23 | Amazon (S) |
| 9 | g | Calcium & Magnesium Citrate | $0.36 | Amazon |
| 6 | g | Potassium Citrate | $0.17 | Amazon |
| 6 | g | Soy Lecithin | $0.11 | Amazon (S) |
| 4 | g | Sea Salt | $0.01 | Amazon (S) |
| 1 | g | Choline Bitartrate | $0.04 | Amazon |
| 50 | ml | Canola Oil (not recommended - see notes) | $0.17 | Amazon (S) |
| 1 | pill | Kirkland Signature Daily Multi | $0.03 | Amazon |
| 1 | portion | Thorne Research Vitamin D / K2 Liquid | $0.02 | Amazon |
Amounts for: Total Daily Cost: | $4.55 | Add Ingredients to Amazon Cart | ||
This is an attempt to create a DIY recipe that approximates the "official" Soylent as specified here, here, and here.
In this version of the recipe, I have attempted to optimize the ingredients -- such as using a pre-combined vitamin supplement -- in order to make it significantly more suitable for assembly in a DIY context.
For the more authentic / "overly faithful" rendition of the "official" Soylent, please see: https://www.completefoods.co/diy/recipes/quidnycs-overly-faithful-diy-rendition-of-the-official-soylent
That said, I don't actually think it's a good idea for people to consume canola oil on purpose. For my recommended "Superfood" DIY formula, please see: https://www.completefoods.co/diy/recipes/quidnycs-superfood-for-him
If you're particularly concerned about costs, you might want to take a look at my "Cheaperfood" recipe, which cuts some corners without crossing any nutritional red lines: https://www.completefoods.co/diy/recipes/quidnycs-cheaperfood
On "Vegetable" Oils and Oxidative Stress:
My primary concerns about soybean oil and canola oil have to do with the role of oxidative stress, which may be particularly acute in circumstances where degraded polyunsaturated fats represent a large proportion of one's total lipid intake: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215974/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126710/
I have chosen to substitute olive oil in particular in my own recipes since there is evidence that it actually has a protective role in terms of oxidative stress: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22236145
If I had to sum up the basic organizing principle of my "Superfood" recipe, it is to ensure that all sources of polyunsaturated fat have been degraded as little as possible -- i.e., that they are fresh, minimally processed, and carefully stored. I believe industrially processed seed oils like soybean and canola are highly suspect in that regard.
I see a number of red flags when it comes to the production of canola oil (and of other seed / "vegetable" oils). The GMO seeds are heated and crushed to extract the oil, a process which immediately turns it rancid (due to oxidative damage to the polyunsaturated fats). The oil is then "refined" with hexane, bleached, and deodorized. Then, bon appétit. It's unclear to me how much that process is truly mitigating the oxidative damage that is done to the lipids, or how much it is simply covering it up. Either way, it seems prudent to get your lipids from a source where none of that is even part of the equation.
In the end, it's your call. Maybe canola isn't that bad. But personally, I'd rather consume something that has been demonstrated as safe -- and even beneficial in terms of human health -- over a period of thousands of years (i.e., extra-virgin olive oil).
