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Boom times in Silicon Valley call for hard work, and hard work — at least in technology land — means that coders, engineers and venture capitalists are turning to liquid meals with names like Schmoylent, Soylent, Schmilk and People Chow. The protein-packed products that come in powder form are inexpensive and quick and easy to make — just shake with water, or in the case of Schmilk, milk. While athletes and dieters have been drinking their dinner for years, Silicon Valley's workers are now increasingly chugging their meals, too, so they can more quickly get back to their computer work.
Demand for some of the powdered drinks, which typically mix nutrients like magnesium, zinc and vitamins, is so high that some engineers report being put on waiting lists of one to six months to receive their first orders. And the drinks are taking off across techie social circles. Venture capitalists have also poured money into the companies that offer the meal replacements, and investors including Alexis Ohanian, a founder of Reddit, count themselves as fans of the drinks.
[Editor's Comment: Original Submission]
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:20PM
If people want to emancipate themselves from food and taste, what's wrong with that?
You aren't sold on any convenience or taste arguments, but what about health? Soylent is the ultimate measured approach to calorie and nutrient control. It's perfect for the quantified self and wearable IoT.
Dan Sparks doesn't like the "taste", but I've read quotes about proponents that want even less taste. They want it to taste neutral like water, not the vaguely doughy taste of some versions.
It's no surprise that Elon Musk is thinking about Soylent. A nutrient sludge would be optimal for space travel and the man is America's top Martian.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:35PM
Emancipate themselves from food and taste? Eating is now like slavery? Sure. If you don't want to eat or taste them that is a personal preference I guess. I just doubt that the time saved here would be massive. That seems to be what the article really is saying, even tho I do believe there is more to the story then time saving. There might also be the case that people just don't know how to cook anymore, or can't be bothered to learn. It's not like when you cook that is all you do. There is time to think about other things. It's not like you are a kitchen-zombie standing there looking into the oven or staring at the pot waiting for something to boil. Cooking in some regard is about time-management.
I also do believe that time spent away from your desk can be productive. It's not like you don't or can't think of "work-stuff" when you are not chained to your desk. As I recall now certain high-tech places such as Google as their own kitchen staff and cooks. Sure there might be a security thing involved as in they don't want their people off their property talking to strangers over meals -- secrets might slip out. But there is also a social aspect to eating. Something that is probably lost when your meal is sipped at the kitchen sink before you go back to your desk.
But a real meal is as far as I know quite healthy, sure it depends on what you make and how you cook it but beyond those factors. If it wasn't I'm sure my doctor would have indicated that something was horribly wrong with my diet. It has not happened so far. The thing for the people mentioned in the article is the time-factor. They want to save time. So they don't want to eat take-out food or reheated leftover or whatnot. Which is deemed "unhealthy" then I guess. If that is the case or not I'm not sure. Having a pizza, a burger or taco or whatnot every now and then is dietary fine I would think. To live on it every day probably not as much.
Having the shakes taste like water would probably be an improvement.
I'm not surprised Musk is thinking about nutrient sludge, Mars and space stuff either. I'm surprised he wants to eat it here, on earth, as a replacement for a real meal cause he is to busy and he thinks it will save him so much time.