The cofounder of Huel says our diets are bad for our health and the planet. He has 3 solutions that he follows himself.

• James Collier is a dietitian and the cofounder of the "complete food" brand Huel.

• Collier thinks the average person's diet in the West is bad for their health and the planet — but has a solution.

• Collier thinks about the whole cycle of food production, from farm to plate.

James Collier, a dietitian and the co-founder of the multi-million dollar "complete food" brand Huel, believes he can fix our food system.

It troubles him that we rely on what he views as unethical, intensive farming that worsens the climate crisis, and that not enough people know that eating more fiber — preferably from plant-based sources — can improve their mental and physical health.

Collier, 52, described to Business Insider his approach of "contemplative nutrition" — thinking about the whole cycle of food production, spanning ethics and sustainability as well as its direct nutritional value.

If you keep these in mind, Collier believes, you, and the planet, will be happier and healthier.

Here's how he practices "contemplative nutrition" day-to-day.

1) Eat plants and lots of fiber

Collier believes we are in a "fiber crisis."

Eating fiber is hugely beneficial, including for gut health. However, a 2023 study by Texas Woman's University found that only 5% of men and 9% of women in the US consume the recommended daily 28 to 34 grams, depending on age and sex.

Collier said eating more plants will help the average person get more of the nutrients they need, including fiber. It's typically more sustainable too, he said.

"I became more and more sure that there's an overconsumption of meat," Collier said. "Then I started looking at the ethical considerations and thought the way we treat animals in intensive farms just doesn't sit right with me."

In 2019, he decided to mostly avoid intensely farmed meat and poultry where possible, and limit his animal-derived calories to 10%.

"A couple of days a week, I almost have zero animal-derived products, I have smaller portions of meat at meals, and I make that up with other protein sources," Collier said. "If you have a plant-rich diet, then the fiber takes care of itself."

He added: "One of the simplest things you can do to impact climate change is to change your diet. It really doesn't affect you that much and you can have a huge impact by doing that. It's easy and you don't have to be vegan."

2) Avoid 'junk food'

Growing public knowledge about "ultra-processed foods," made using ingredients and techniques not found in the home, has only confused people about what to eat because it lacks nuance, Collier said. Other dietitians who have spoken to BI agree.

A slice of high-fiber, wholegrain bread, for example, may be ultra-processed, but isn't equal to, say, a doughnut or a packet of chips, they argue.

It's for this reason Collier uses the term "junk food," which he says is easier to understand. If you minimize your intake of "junk food," you will likely be eating a nutritious diet.

So although Huel products are technically ultra-processed, Collier consumes them at least once a day. The original powder, which is marketed as a nutritionally complete food (he insists it's not a "meal replacement"), ready-to-drink bottles, bars, and "hot and savory" meal pots may be all he has if he's at the office.

Dietitians who have previously spoken to BI advocate for a "food-first" approach to getting the right nutrients, as opposed to using shakes or supplements.

Collier doesn't suggest people have Huel products for every meal. But in a world where people don't always have the time or resources to cook a nutritious meal from scratch to enjoy with family and friends, in his eyes it's "the best plan B."

Professor Thunder Jalili, a nutritionist at The University of Utah, told an episode of the "Who Cares About Men's Health" podcast that while Huel shouldn't be the foundation of a person's diet, it's fine "once in a while."

3) Socialize and stay active

It's well established that strong social connections and keeping active are linked to living healthy longer, and Collier prioritizes this as much as exercise.

"I'd rather people go to the pub and have a pint than be socially isolated," said Collier, who is based in the UK.

Collier said he feels lucky to have lots of family and friends, and keeps active and social with a mixture of resistance training, circuits, running, stretching, and yoga.

Collier's sick mother inspired him to eat more vegetables as a child

Around the age of 11, Collier started eating more vegetables after his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and became vegetarian. He could never prove it, but wondered if that contributed to her living for another decade.

Collier also experienced first-hand how nutrition science is constantly evolving. When he got into bodybuilding, he would eat six high-protein meals a day at a time when "protein spacing" was advised, thinking that was the only way to reach his goals. Now, dietitians recommend consuming protein as part of regular meals and snacks.

He went on to study nutrition at university and worked as a dietitian for the UK's National Health Service for seven years, which he said made him compassionate.

In 2015, when the entrepreneur Julian Hearn contacted him and asked him to co-found Huel, he jumped at the chance to create a product that was nutritious and convenient. At the time, he wasn't really thinking about Huel being sustainable, that was a happy accident.

By 2021, Collier started writing a book to bring his philosophies together, and "Well Fed: How Modern Diets Are Failing Us and What We Can Do About It" was published in January 2025.

"I want people just to pause and think about their food choices just a little bit," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider