Using Soylent in the Armed Forces

Yossarian

Forum Resistance Leader
Soylent,

An substance created by an New York Based Software information Engineer is what many journalist and critics are calling "future food".

In essence after researching about Soylent things such as NASA space meals, or dry high sodium rations in emergency life rafts on ships at sea come to mind. And even memories of trying out already mass issued MRE's. But one thing that comes to mind on the topic of food replacement. Is apart from trying to solve a number societal issues, such as world food shortage and economic unavailability of food for many. Is potential military use.

Now Soylent itself like other food replacements that have been on the market for years already. Is essentially just that, a food replacement. It is a combination of basic nutrients the human body must have to survive and many people have already lived long periods of time up to months on a pure Soylent diet.

Other food replacers have similar results with others and many medical professionals claim as of now, other than the depression of not enjoying the enjoyment of solid food are considered without any serious healthy problems. Especially with dieters who stay properly hydrated.

Now what I am wondering , if this concoction was refined to hold more calories and help a heavily active Serviceman/ Woman maintain muscle mass and weight while enduring intense physical activity on a daily basis. Would this food replacement be a good supplement for military forces deployed in the field? Or even used on Submarines and naval vessels where storage space is limited?

Even use by high mobile units who operate either without access to traditional logistical means to get chow.

Now I mean this a food supplement for troops in an modern military, a substance that combat personal for instance can carry with them alone with water and be able to sustain them while under the dietal stress of field operations.

Maybe it can become lighter than traditional MRE's? Maybe it can be refined to provide the absolute critical nutrient requirements of military personnel?

Thoughts on the matter? And could this be the future of Armed Conflict for as of today such as in Napoleon's an army on an empty stomach is doomed.

-Yo.
 
I am suspicious of this posting. Soylent was a term used in a film many years ago called: "Soylent Green". The movie described a post-apocalyptic world in which the food source was a manufactured material called Soylent, available in different colors and flavors, the latest and greatest of which was the aforementioned Soylent Green. The hero of the film discovers that Soylent Green is, in fact. made of re-cycled human remains.
Many attempts have been made to produce a very lightweight, convenient, energy-packed ration for military / humanitarian purposes. The U.S. makes several different
varieties for different purposes. But, if the troops don't like, they won't eat it and their Congressman is going to hear about it! The latest is the First Strike ration which is really snack food, designed to be eaten on the fly without preparation. It appears to be successful and I don't think it's made of human remains, although some of the items might look like it.
 
I was stationed on the DMZ in Korea in winter 1971, we were put in ROK Army Quonset huts with no windows , electricity or heat. We ate frozen C rations from WW2. Soylent Green sounds pretty tasty. Try a can of frozen eggs and ham, or turkey loaf and tell yourself it's ice cream, hehe. Darn, I miss that time, though.:cry: That was a great movie, btw.
 
I am suspicious of this posting. Soylent was a term used in a film many years ago called: "Soylent Green". The movie described a post-apocalyptic world in which the food source was a manufactured material called Soylent, available in different colors and flavors, the latest and greatest of which was the aforementioned Soylent Green. The hero of the film discovers that Soylent Green is, in fact. made of re-cycled human remains.
Many attempts have been made to produce a very lightweight, convenient, energy-packed ration for military / humanitarian purposes. The U.S. makes several different
varieties for different purposes. But, if the troops don't like, they won't eat it and their Congressman is going to hear about it! The latest is the First Strike ration which is really snack food, designed to be eaten on the fly without preparation. It appears to be successful and I don't think it's made of human remains, although some of the items might look like it.

Indeed it was a Charlton Heston film and I thought rather a bad one, that being said I have seen it twice.

Soylent is claimed to be made from powdered starch, rice protein, olive oil, and raw chemical powder, essentially it looks like tasteless food made for lazy people, I imagine that it was named after the movie rather than for the contents of Soylent Green.
 
I recently purchased a package of hardtack, a ration from the 19th century, used in the military, on ships, in expeditions. It is nothing but flour and water baked until there is no moisture left. This means that it will keep for up to a year if kept dry because mold requires moisture. It is a cracker three by three inches and about 3/8 inch thick. Just about tasteless, but it was a main food item during the American Civil War. Soldiers lived on hardtack and coffee for long periods and suffered not only digestive upset, but eventually, scurvy.
The Soylent product sounds much like hardtack. I don't see it being a success. Military personnel today have much higher expectations than their forefathers. MRE's are a gourmet meal compared to either Civil war rations or Soylent.
 
For those on a real nostalgia trip, I refer you to a company in Salem, Oregon USA that makes reproductions of military rations for use by military re-enactors. They reproduce the rations actually used by militaries of the past, no matter how horrible.
www.reprorations.com
 
The Soylent product sounds much like hardtack. I don't see it being a success. Military personnel today have much higher expectations than their forefathers. MRE's are a gourmet meal compared to either Civil war rations or Soylent.

I agree I don't see a use for Soylent on the grounds that there are alternatives in place already that do the job and are palatable.
 
I am suspicious of this posting. Soylent was a term used in a film many years ago called: "Soylent Green". The movie described a post-apocalyptic world in which the food source was a manufactured material called Soylent, available in different colors and flavors, the latest and greatest of which was the aforementioned Soylent Green. The hero of the film discovers that Soylent Green is, in fact. made of re-cycled human remains.
Many attempts have been made to produce a very lightweight, convenient, energy-packed ration for military / humanitarian purposes. The U.S. makes several different
varieties for different purposes. But, if the troops don't like, they won't eat it and their Congressman is going to hear about it! The latest is the First Strike ration which is really snack food, designed to be eaten on the fly without preparation. It appears to be successful and I don't think it's made of human remains, although some of the items might look like it.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_%28food_substitute%29

https://campaign.soylent.me/soylent-free-your-body

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/soylent-no-food-for-30-days


Oh trust me it's real, in fact the inventors took inspiration from the movie. Now my point is while although as is today may not be fit for military use, a re engineered substance with increased nutritional value could be. And if so would it be useful?

Also I am wondering if governmental emergency branches could stockpile the stuff for natural disasters as a get me by until food distribution is restored?
 
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