Alex Webber, a 27-year old who works for a human resource consulting firm in San Francisco has been surviving for the last four months without food. Rather, he was just taking Soylent for the entire duration to provide the necessary nutrients needed by his body.
Like most techie workers based in San Francisco who typically works from 9-5, Webber finds it hard to maintain a healthy diet without spending too much money. In his interview with NextShark, he explained how he came about Soylent:
"I heard a friend of mine talking about Soylent about six or seven months ago, and it sounded like a crazy idea. I can't really cook at all and was buying fast food all the time and spending a lot of money; it was ridiculous. When you get other people to cook for you, you have to pay a premium for that. I was paying $8-$10 per meal, three meals a day, and that adds up.
"Food is like putting gas into your car. You need food to give you energy to get thru the day. So, when I moved to Emeryville, I decided to take the plunge and see if I could save a little bit of money since the rent was higher."
Soylent is an FDA-approved powdered drink that is used as a meal replacement. It is said to provide all the needed nutrients of an average adult. It was first invented in 2013 by a software engineer named Rob Rhinehart. This has amassed a lot of interest from investors and it was reported that the company raised $20 million funding earlier this year.
After a thorough research on Soylent, Webber then decided to order a month's supply worth $225, which is $10 less a day for food. The starter kit includes shaker bottles and a pitcher for mixing up the Soylent. He consumes about two shaker bottles a day, drinking if he feels hungry or needs a bit of energy. Webber also answered NextShark how things are in the bathroom department, "I heard that 99% of the waste from your body is gut flora or bacteria. The waste from drinking Soylent is soft and is a light beige color."
While Webber hasn't encountered any negative side effects from his new lifestyle, he advised existing consumers and those who are interested to try Soylent to make sure to always get hydrated. According to him, it's a bit different with powdered food. Soylent consumers should drink more water to avoid getting headaches or constipation.
Webber reportedly lost five pounds in the last three months. He has not seen a doctor since he started consuming Soylent four months ago. Webber is still living off of Soylent as of this day.
