Ka’Chava Review

Alex and I started drinking Ka’Chava in 2021. We’ve consumed 30+ bags and tried every flavor they offer.

When we wrote this Ka’Chava review we were ordering a bag monthly and we’ll share why in this review. We’ll also explain why we’ve since stopped.

In the supplement world, Ka’Chava is above average, but there are some things you should know before you decide to invest in Ka’Chava. Therefore, the goal of our Ka’Chava review is to share our experience and give you information to decide if it’s right for you.

Since most online reviews are trying to hard sell you on Ka’Chava (or throwing it under the bus to sell you something else) we promise to give you just the facts and our experience. 

KA’CHAVA REVIEW: 30+ BAG CASE STUDY

Don’t get me wrong, selling is not bad. But the problem with selling supplements is that there’s no reliable science or data to back up their claims.

Other than the nutrition label, selling supplements is based 100% on opinion. Even the science behind individual ingredients in a supplement is weak and subject to change.

Basically, I really hate writing supplement reviews. However, after Ka’Chava had a home in our pantry for over two years, I feel compelled to share our experience with some non-biased data.

What is Ka’Chava

Here is how the company describes their supplement:

“Your daily superblend. For your gut, your brain, your muscles, your skin, your hair, your heart. Your whole health.”

Ka’Chava is a 100% plant-based meal replacement shake that has only high-quality ingredients with no fillers or artificial anything.

The powder comes in a 15-day supply bag to be mixed as a smoothie. Their marketing team promotes the supplement as containing “all the good stuff your mind & body need for holistic health.”

We like that message. So many other meal supplements are “fast weight loss,” “low carb,” or “turn your body into a fat-burning machine!” types.

We also love that the company loves our Earth. They partnered with the Rainforest Trust and have saved 115,000+ acres of rainforest so far.

Since we live in Colombia, this is near and dear to us. We’ve flown over rainforests in Asia and South America and the deforestation for cattle, crops, or palm oil trees is seriously disturbing.

How we found Ka’Chava

I discovered Ka’Chava in 2020 while looking for alternatives to Shakeology. Basically I had been drinking Shakeology for 7 years at the time and I wanted to make sure I was getting the best product still.

So, I looked at over 50 products, crunched the numbers, spent way too much time analyzing nutrition labels, and made up some of my own equations to accurately compare them. In the end, I identified 10 products that I would spend money on.

Ka’Chava was one of them. And actually, back then the ingredient list was almost identical to that of Shakeology, so I was interested despite the data. 

Below is a graph showing the total nutrient rank of Ka’chava compared to other premium meal replacements on the market. For more details on how we crunched the numbers, you’ll have to head over to the full comparison, aptly titled, ‘Shakeology Alternatives.’

Why We No Longer Order Ka’Chava

After drinking Ka’Chava for several years, we stopped for several reasons. The following are listed in order of importance to us.

1. Our ideal macronutrients changed.

We learned in our 3-month metabolic flexibility study that the macronutrient spread of Ka’Chava was not ideal to promote our fat burn. Instead, we needed something with a higher quality and quantity of protein.

2. We lost trust in the brand.

In the unregulated world of supplements, you have to trust the brand. Ka’Chava is a more expensive, copycat formula of Shakeology, albeit with sexier marketing. If the company didn’t have the skill to develop the formula, do they have the skill to process all those ingredients to maintain nutritional quality? 

Doubtful. Based on our side-by-side testing, the taste and nutritional quality are inferior to Shakeology… which, again, is cheaper. We don’t feel like the company operates with integrity, even if Shaun White disagrees. 

3. Bad customer service.

When something goes wrong, the customer service is terrible and infuriating. After writing this review, several angry customers emailed us to let us know they had a bad experience. We’re not surprised their TrustPilot rating is 2.1.

If you do decide to buy Ka’Chava, we only recommend buying it from their official Amazon store. Shipping and customer service issues solved.

Our IN-Depth Ka’Chava Review and Experience

Over the years and after drinking 30+ bags of Ka’Chava, we’ve enjoyed it for its taste, convenience, nutrition, the unique flavor options.

What it’s been like as customers

First things first, Ka’Chava has the most unique flavors out there. The five flavors are Chocolate, Vanilla, Chai, Coconut Açai, and Matcha — and we like them in that order.

All of them are delicious, except for Matcha to us, at least, but we don’t normally drink matcha anyway.

These flavors as well as their ingredient list are what drew us in first. Unlike many, we drink our shakes for the micronutrients, not the macronutrients. Instead, we drink Ka’Chava to ensure that we get a good dose of healthy minerals, vitamins, and superfoods every day.

Reading the other reviews out there about Ka’Chava, most of the negative reviews are customer service and shipping related. Those issues are real, and you can avoid them by just purchasing on Amazon. 

How much is Ka’Chava and sign-up experience

Unlike many shakes, Ka’Chava bags contain only 15 servings per bag, so we’ll take that into account when pricing things out.

One bag (15 servings) is $69.95. In other words, you’ll spend $4.66 per serving, plus shipping.

However, if you plan to buy regularly, the “Subscribe and Save” option includes one bag at $10 off plus free shipping if you buy at least 2 bags at a time (so, a month’s supply), for an all-in price of $59.95.

This knocks it down to $4.00 per serving. 

Ka’Chava Bag Quality

We always check the expiration date when we get a bag (and you should too) and they are typically fresh but not always. The bag pictured below was delivered in July 2023 and expires January 2024.

Six months of shelf life remaining is acceptable to us. Less than 3 months is not ideal. 

Additionally, we’ve always had bags with a good seal. With some other supplements, the ziplock feature can get clogged with powder or delaminate. This is frustrating because you need a good seal.

Okay, now you’re going to think we’re OCD (you might be right), but we also double-check the weight with our coffee scale. Ka’Chava has always been right on the mark here as well.

As long-time Ka’Chava customers, we feel that they are an organized company from a manufacturing point of view.

The only disappointment in our opinion is the Matcha flavor. It was extremely chunky when mixed with just water and didn’t taste good in the blender when mixed with other ingredients. You might like it, but we didn’t.

All other flavors are mixed fine in room-temperature water. Unfortunately, they were extremely chunky in cold water (this affects powder miscibility). If you like mixing up your shake in a shaker cup, do it in room temperature water first and then add ice.

Here is a picture of Chocolate mixed a Nalgene bottle with 16 ounces of room-temperature water. Since the shaker cup works much better, this is a worst-case scenario test.

As you can see, there are no chucks. We always prefer to make our shakes in a blender, but when we’re backpacking, skiing, or traveling that’s not usually an option. For taste, we like 16 ounces of water. The bag recommends 12-14 ounces.

Do we recommend Ka’Chava?

Ka’Chava is a quality meal replacement shake. It’s much better than most. But it’s expensive and it might not be the best shake for you. It wasn’t for us. If you want to know what our go-to shakes are, check out our ongoing data-driven meal replacement analysis.

This is the part of the Ka’Chava review where we’ll help you decide if you should buy it. So, let’s begin.

Yes, you should buy it, but only if…

• You need it
• You can afford it
• You like the taste
• It agrees with you
• You have the right goals

We’ll dive into more product details later on, but quite frankly, you can find all that on their webpage.

This is the section where we offer our advice, opinions, and experience. Thanks for reading and let me know if you have questions in the comments.

But only if you need it

We talk to a lot of people who try a premium meal replacement shake and the say, “Meh… I liked the taste but it didn’t do much for me.”

These people are usually not beginners. Instead, they have dialed in their diet perfectly, get excellent sleep, and exercise is a natural part of their life.

Here’s what a non-beginners day looks like:

• Eat a balanced diet of least 85% healthy, whole foods
• Get results from fitness and feeling natural energy from nutrition
• Have healthy hormone, nutrient, and mineral levels
• Maintain a healthy body weight

If that’s you, you probably don’t need Ka’Chava to improve your health.

But, it can still be helpful if you:

• Travel a lot
• Need a convenient healthy meal on the go
• Want to ease decision fatigue by incorporating smoothies
• Feel guilty about cheat days and want a healthy shake for consistency

That’s us. Honestly, our fitness and nutrition is excellent, but on the days when we don’t have a nanny and forget to grocery shop, Shakeology (the shake Ka’Chava was cloned from) is our go to.

Plus, Alex and I have a penchant for forgetting to eat if we’re too busy with work, and a supplement like Ka’Chava easily solves that. Okay, now let’s chat about the folks who really could benefit from Ka’Chava.

It’s incredibly helpful for those who:

• Eat very few vegetables
• Drink soda or sugary drinks (3+ times per week)
• Dine regularly at fast food joints or unhealthy restaurants (5+ times a week)
• Are addicted to caffeine or requires stimulus to be alert during the day
• Experience frequent weight swings

Now that you know if you need it or not, you have to be realistic about your finances.

But only if you can afford it

Because let’s face it. Financial strain is bad for your health too. Ka’Chava is the second most expensive meal replacement shake that we tested. Below is the Ka’Chava price compared to other quality meal replacement shakes on the market.

Of course, you get what you pay for, but if Ka’Chava is out of your budget, buy a cheaper alternative instead. 

We used to invest in Ka’Chava because we prioritize our health and want to consume only the best quality ingredients. Even though it’s pricey, we also know that it saves us money. You can’t buy a chai latte these days for less than $6. And a decent meal out is at least $10.

If you’re racking up several lattes a week at Starbucks, buying energy drinks, eating out daily, or buying snacks at a vending machine or gas station, do the math. You probably can afford it.

If you do want a lower-cost alternative, we’ll make our recommendations later on.

But only if you like the taste

We’ve tried a bunch of supplements. Some are delicious, most are palatable, and few make you gag.

I would never spend money on anything that isn’t delicious. I believe a good supplement, whether that’s a meal replacement shake for breakfast or a post-workout protein shake, should be something you look forward to. It should be a reward.

If you try Ka’Chava and don’t like the taste, don’t buy it again. Alex and I have had every flavor of Ka’Chava, and in order of what we like most, here’s our list: chocolate, vanilla, chai, coconut açai, and matcha. Overall, for a plant-based shake, the taste is very good. But, in our opinion, it’s not the best. 

One huge advantage of Ka’Chava is that you can make a shake fully loaded with raw kale or carrots or spinach and the powder completely disguises the taste. It’s an excellent way to sneak more raw veggies and dark leafy greens into our day.

But, only if it agrees with you

If it’s your first bag, it’s normal to feel side effects of Ka’Chava such as gas, bloating, stomach aches, or cramps. These typically subside within a couple of weeks as your body adjusts to all the new foods.

It’s actually a good sign that your body needs fiber and superfoods. Hopefully, you’re feeling gassy and bloated because your gut bacteria are partying and celebrating the new addition to your diet.

When this is the case, start with a half scoop and work your way up to a full scoop. And, actually, one serving size counts as two scoops.

If you experience problems like this after your body is used to drinking Ka’Chava, make sure it’s not expired and contact customer support. 

Keep in mind, Ka’Chava does contain some exotic ingredients. Therefore, an allergic reaction is possible. It’s very rare, but any sudden negative reactions are a sign that it’s not right for you.

If you experience something extreme like almost instant diarrhea or something persistent like stomach aches that go away when you stop drinking Ka’Chava, it doesn’t agree with you and you should stop.

Just make sure you check the expiration date on the bag before you conclude that it was an allergy instead of rotten Ka’Chava.

But only if you have the right goals

As I already mentioned in this Ka’Chava review, it is not some miracle supplement. The superfood ingredients won’t propel you to greatness or perfect health.

But, the nutritive ingredients will nudge you in the right direction. So, what are the ‘right goals?’ I’m glad you asked because the entire next section is dedicated to that. 

Why Drink Ka’Chava?

We hate the weight loss industry. It’s difficult and confusing to navigate. Every time we decide to invest in some new product or tool, we spend significant time researching and making sure it’s going to add value and it’s not just some gimmick or fad. 

This is the part of our Ka’Chava review where we share what to consider when deciding if you want to drink it. Basically, if you have one of the following goals, based on our research and experience, we think Ka’Chava is a good fit.

Goal #1: Sustainable weight loss

If you have weight loss goals then Ka’Chava is helpful. It’s a low-calorie meal (even when you add almond milk, peanut butter, and a banana in the blender) with way more nutrients than your typical meal.

If your typical breakfast is 880 calories and you instead drink a blended Ka’Chava (powder, water, 1 cup almond milk, and banana), which is 380 calories, then you have a 500 calorie deficit.

One pound is 3500 calories. So if you drink Ka’Chava for breakfast for a week you’ll lose a pound.

500 calorie deficit by replacing breakfast * 7 days = 3500 calories

The math is simple, but of course it rarely works out like that because our bodies are complex. Ka’Chava is a great tool for weight loss, but it’s only that, a tool.

Ka’Chava supports sustainable weight loss.

If weight loss is your goal, then Ka’Chava will support this goal. It’s not intended to be used as a fad diet or to replace multiple meals. To lose weight, you need to eat healthy meals and supplement with Ka’Chava.

Fad diets that restrict calories simply don’t work. It’s not your willpower, it’s science. We talk about this in-depth in our article titled, “The Problem With Fad Diets.”

When you cut calories, you cut nutrients too, and your body and hormones will protest. Here’s what happens to the calorie depriving yo-yo dieter.

Early on, they get a bit of excitement when they lose a few pounds in the first few days. Unfortunately, the weight loss curve tapers off after a few weeks and the results eventually flatline.

Why does that happen? Because their metabolism drops in response to the calorie deprivation, and their body is screaming for nutrients.

We bring this up because we often see people drinking shakes like Ka’Chava multiple times a day and eat less and less solid food. That’s not the best strategy for weight loss or your body’s general health.

If it’s long-term, sustainable weight loss (years, not months) you’re focused on, then you’ll be moving your body every day, getting quality sleep, and learning how to cook and meal plan to achieve your goals.

Goal #2: Fewer cravings

What we love about nutrient-dense shakes like Ka’Chava is that the extensive ingredient list changes the bacteria in your gut. When the bacteria in your gut change, so do the messages your gut sends to your brain.

Aka, cravings.

If your goal is to kick those cookie monster cravings, it’s worth trying Ka’Chava.

Brands like Shakeology and Ka’Chava always tout that their formulation will not only curbs cravings but, more importantly, make you crave healthier foods. Based on my experience and research, this is true.

Studies have shown that your gut microbiome controls your cravings. In fact, you gut microbiota turns over every 30 minutes and is comprised of what you’ve been recently eating. That means, in just a few days time, it’s possible to change the composition of your gut microbiome and begin craving healthier foods.

We challenge you to test Ka’Chava for 2 months to see if your cravings change. It’s a win-win all around. One more thing we’d like to share in our Ka’Chava review is it replaces all those other expensive probiotic supplements.

Goal #3: Feeling energized, not full

Meal replacement shakes often tout ingredients that will stave off hunger and keep you full longer. In my experience drinking them, a meal replacement shake does this better than just a protein shake.

The difference between a meal shake like Ka’Chava versus the protein shakes you see stacked on the shelves at your grocery store is its nutritional composition. Meal shakes focus on all the macronutrients and a balance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, adaptogens, and more.

Ten times out of ten, we’ll always choose the meal shake because they have way more nutritional value.

With Ka’Chava, even when we blended it up with peanut butter, a banana, and a handful of spinach, we didn’t generally feel full. Simply satiated, energized, and smug making a healthy choice.

Goal #4: I want to poop better

You probably didn’t come to our Ka’Chava review article thinking about poop. But if the only thing you leave with is more poop awareness then we’re happy.

Your bowel movements signal how healthy your body is on the inside. If you can’t poop, consider that a major red flag. I recommend testing various diets for 3-6 month chunks until you find something that makes you more regular.

I had a scary problem with poop, which was the main reason I started drinking Shakeology in the first place. I needed those probiotics and digestive enzymes. My digestion improved within days, and after two months of drinking Shakeology, I was on track with daily bowel movements.

When traveling and out of routine, Shakeology is essential to maintain healthy digestion while eating less than ideal foods. After years of testing, I concluded that Ka-Chava does not offer the same poop benefits as Shakeology, which is strange since the ingredient list is almost identical. 

My guess is the team that ripped off the Shakeology formula also cut corners when sourcing the best ingredients. What’s funny, is that you’ll see more organic ingredients on the Ka’Chava nutrition label. 

This is not based in fact, but in my experience, if you’re sourcing more nutritive ingredients directly from the source geographically (i.e. Peru, Africa, Malaysia), certified organic is difficult to impossible. 

Ka’Chava Review: Nutrition and Ingredients

We’re going to keep this section brief because you can find all this information on their website.

Ka’Chava Nutrition Overview

First, the macronutrients. Below is a chart comparing Ka’Chava’s macros to other meal replacement shakes on the market.

To accurately compare, these numbers were normalized to show the grams of protein, carbs, and fat per 40 grams of powder. 

Ka’Chava Nutrition Label

Below is a picture of the Ka’Chava nutrition label. 

How many calories are in Ka’Chava? Each serving (2 scoops) is 240 calories. 

Ka’Chava Ingredients

Again, we’re not going to dive into all the details of the 85+ Ka’Chava ingredients because their website explains this. 

Ka’Chava is a vegan formula and contains no dairy, soy, gluten, preservatives, or artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.

While it’s not a certified organic product, you’ll see many of the ingredients listed below are organic.

Plant Protein Blend

What kind of protein is in Ka’Chava?

• Organic sacha inchi protein
• Yellow pea protein
• Organic whole grain
• Brown rice protein
• Organic amaranth
• Organic quinoa

Adaptogen Blend

• Organic maca root
• Organic shiitake mushroom
• Organic maitake mushroom
• Organic reishi mushroom
• Organic ginger
• Organic cordyceps mushroom

Antioxidant / Superfruit Blend

• Organic coconut flower nectar
• Açai berry
• Camu camu berry
• Organic blueberry
• Organic tart cherry
• Organic blackberry
• Organic strawberry
• Organic maqui berry
• Organic raspberry

Omega Efa / Fiber Blend

• Chia seeds
• Flax seeds
• Organic pure whole grain oat
• Organic acacia gum

Super Greens / Vegetable blend

• Organic beetroot
• Chlorella
• Organic moringa (matcha flavor only)
• Organic kale
• Organic broccoli
• Organic green tea (matcha flavor only)
• Organic parsley leaf
• Organic celery
• Organic cauliflower
• Organic spinach
• Organic brussel sprouts
• Organic asparagus
• Organic green pepper
• Organic garlic
• Organic carrot
• Organic cucumber
• Organic cabbage
• Organic green onion
• Organic tomato

Digestive Enzyme blend

• Amylase
• Protease
• Cellulase
• Lactase
• Lipase

Probiotics / Prebiotic blend

• Inulin
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Lactobacillus acidophilus

Vitamin blend

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Folate
• Biotin
• Pantothenic acid
• Niacinamide

Mineral Blend

• Calcium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Iodine
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Chromium
• Molybdenum
• Chloride
• Sodium
• Potassium derived from mineral compounds

Other Ingredients

• Cocoa (chocolate only)
• Coconut milk
• Soluble vegetable fiber
• Natural vanilla flavors
• Xanthan gum
• Lo han fruit extract
• Guar gum
• Cinnamon (chocolate only)

Ka’Chava Reveiw FAQs

Is Ka’Chava really worth it?

If you have made it this far in our Ka’Chava review and you have the right goals and expectations, go for it. Ultimately, we decided that Ka’Chava was not right for us.

What are the best low cost Ka’Chava alternatives?

For details on each low cost alternative and how we evaluated them, you’ll need to visit this article: ‘The Best Meal Replacement Shakes Based On Data.’

The best low cost alternatives to Ka’Chava (taste and nutritional quality) are Garden of Life, Plant Fusion, and Vega One.

What are the negative side effects of Ka’Chava?

At first, the most common negative side effects of Ka’Chava are gas, bloating, stomach aches or cramps. These typically subside within a couple weeks as your body adjusts to all the new foods.

This is a good sign that your gut microbiome is happy. These negative side effects should subside within two weeks

If the negative side effects are not mild, it could be something more. Ka’Chava does contain some exotic ingredients and an allergic reaction, while highly unlikely, is possible. 

If you experience something extreme like almost instant diarrhea or something persistent like stomach aches that go away when you stop drinking Ka’Chava, it’s not right.

Just make sure you check the expiration date on the bag before you conclude that it was an allergy instead of rotten Ka’Chava.

Can Ka’Chava be used as a meal replacement?

There is no right or wrong answer here because it depends on your definition of a meal.

We recommend Ka’Chava as a snack replacement. Or, if you want to replace a meal, you should boost calories. Prepare Ka’Chava in a blender and add ingredients like peanut butter, spinach, carrots, chia seeds, banana, oats, greek yogurt, or frozen blueberries. 

How many times a day can you drink Ka’Chava?

Ka’Chava is meant to supplement a healthy diet. Therefore, we don’t recommend drinking it more than once a day, unless you’re in a pinch and don’t have access to healthy food. 

At most, you can have Ka’Chava twice a day, but again, we don’t recommend making this a habit.

Does Ka’chava cause weight gain?

No, Ka’Chava does not cause weight gain. If you’re drinking Ka’Chava and weight gain is a concern, we recommend talking to your doctor about Ka’Chava and your weight loss goals. Or, get a metabolism tracker to diagnose the problem. 

Or, feel free to comment on this post or email us with questions. We help thousands of people achieve their weight loss goals. 

Is Ka’Chava approved by FDA?

Not really. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the United States. Based on our experience, Ka’Chava is both safe and healthy. 

Here is Ka’Chava’s stance on the safety and quality of their product.

Quite frankly, we think this is a silly question. After all, the food McDonald’s serves is approved by the FDA. Below is Ka’Chava’s safety and quality promise. 

Does Ka’Chava have caffeine in it?

Yes, it does. Here is what Ka’Chava says:

“We don’t add any caffeine as an individual ingredient to any flavor of Ka’Chava. However, cocoa powder in Chocolate Ka’Chava as well as green tea leaves powder in Matcha Ka’Chava contain low levels of naturally occurring caffeine.”

If you want to drink Ka’Chava and avoid caffeine completely, Vanilla, Coconut Açai, and Chai flavors don’t contain caffeine.

Does Ka’Chava replace a multivitamin?

That’s up to you. For us, yes, Ka’Chava does replace a multivitamin. However, make sure you’re getting regular blood tests to make sure don’t have deficiencies. As mentioned previously in this Ka’Chava review, it also replaces other expensive probiotic supplements.

Does Ka’Chava have fake sugar?

No, Ka’Chava does not have any fake or added sugar on its ingredient list. All sugars are naturally occurring. Here is Ka’Chava’s comment:

“Our lightly sweet taste comes from a blend of low-glycemic coconut nectar and lo han fruit, a natural zero-calorie sweetener that has no impact on blood sugar. There are trace amounts of naturally occurring sugars coming from many of the fruits and veggies in Ka’Chava as well.”

How long does one bag of Ka’Chava last?

One bag is 15 servings. If you have it every day, then it lasts for 15 days. If you’re like us and don’t drink it everyday, you can make it last for a month.

There are no preservatives, so once you open the bag Ka’Chava recommends you finish it within a month. Remember to check the expiration date.  

Where can I buy Ka’Chava?

Ka’Chava is only sold on their website and on their Official Amazon Store. If we ever decide to buy Ka’Chava again, we would just keep life simple and buy on Amazon.

What is Ka’Chava’s return policy?

Ka’Chava guarantees that you’ll be satisfied with their product. If you don’t like it for any reason, they’ll give you a full refund (excludes return shipping) for 1 bag of each flavor. Just let them know within 30 Days of receiving your delivery and you can begin the return process here.

Closing thoughts on Ka’Chava

One of our favorite sayings is, “Pay the farmer, not the pharmacist,” and throughout the years, we’ve searched high and low for an “easy” nutritional fix on the days when we can’t eat the rainbow.

For years, Ka’Chava earned its spot in our pantry for this reason. We hope our Ka’Chava review has helped you decide if it’s the right supplement for you. If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments section.

For more resources on healthy weight loss or eating clean, such as how to beat a weight loss plateau or the best thermogenic foods to burn fat, head over to our Eat Clean page.