Skip to main content

Ka’Chava Shake Review: Is This Shake As Good As Advertised?

A certified sports nutrition coach reviews Ka’Chava, a complete plant-based protein powder featuring over 85 unique and nutrient-rich ingredients.
Ka’Chava Shake Review_hero

The products featured in this article have been independently reviewed. When you buy something through the retail links on this page, we may earn commission at no cost to you, the reader. Sports Illustrated editorial staff are not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more here.

A healthy and nutritious breakfast is a great way to fuel your body and jumpstart your day. That being said, many of us are too busy rushing off to work or getting children out the door to prioritize cooking a healthy, well-balanced meal. In these situations, we often turn to the convenience of fast food or succumb to eating the donuts your coworker brought into the office.

While it’s okay to rely on these less nutritious options every once in a while, there are alternative ways to properly nourish yourself while keeping up with your busy lifestyle and staying true to your health and fitness goals. This is why as a nutrition coach, I often recommend quick and easy breakfast choices such as a shake made with protein powder when you need something that’s truly grab-and-go. However, in order to turn a conventional protein powder into a complete meal, it’s essential to add other ingredients such as fruit, nuts, seeds and even veggies to your shake.

This is the reason why supplement company Ka’Chava decided to create its signature product, “The Whole Body Meal.” Ka’Chava took the simplicity of a protein shake and enhanced it with a number of additional ingredients including adaptogen herbs, antioxidant-rich fruits, nutrient-dense greens, essential fatty acids, fiber, probiotics and more. In this article, we provide an in-depth review of Ka’Chava’s premium meal replacement supplement to help you determine if it’s the right product to meet your needs.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

What Is Ka'Chava?

If Athletic Greens and a protein powder had a baby, the result would be Ka’Chava. This is because Ka’Chava is made with over 85 unique ingredients and is composed of five different plant-based proteins and seven nutrient-dense, multi-ingredient blends. These blends include an omega essential fatty acid and fiber blend, an antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetable blend, an adaptogen blend, a prebiotic and probiotic blend and a digestive enzyme blend for enhanced nutrient absorption. Ka’Chava founder Simon Malone states that the company's goal was to combine all of the best “superfoods” and nutrients into a single, ready-to-go meal.

In terms of the nutrition facts, Ka’Chava contains 240 calories per serving, seven grams of fat, 24 grams of carbohydrates (including six grams of fiber) and 25 grams of protein. Ka’Chava also contains 26 unique vitamins and minerals to ensure every serving is packed full of essential nutrients. This calorie, macronutrient and micronutrient profile makes Ka’Chava an effective meal replacement option for anyone with health and wellness or weight loss goals.

This product is also a great fit for almost anyone because it’s vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free and free from any artificial ingredients. Available in five different flavors, there is sure to be one that suits your taste buds and your needs.

Is Ka’Chava Healthy?

In order to determine whether a food or dietary supplement is “healthy,” we are going to use the guidelines set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. In this document, the WHO recommends limiting saturated and trans fats in favor of unsaturated fats, increasing the intake of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables and limiting the intake of excess sugar and salt.

In terms of this definition, I would definitely classify Ka’Chava as a healthy meal replacement option. This supplement provides a balanced ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fats as well as a rich micronutrient profile consisting of 26 important vitamins and minerals. Ka’Chava also contains 25 grams of protein per serving, a macronutrient that’s important for maintaining lean body mass and plays an essential role in many physiological processes within the body.

Ka’Chava Nutrition

Ka’chava Whole Body Mea
  • Nutrition facts: 240 calories, 25 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, seven grams sugar, seven grams fat
  • Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Coconut Acai, Chai, Matcha
  • Protein Type: Plant-based protein blend (yellow pea protein, organic whole grain brown rice protein, organic sacha inchi, organic amaranth, organic quinoa)
  • Form: Powder
  • Sweetener: Lo han fruit extract (monk fruit)
  • Servings per container: 15 servings
  • Certifications: Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, artificial ingredient-free
  • Subscription: Monthly subscription plan, save $10 per bag of Ka’Chava
  • Best for: Individuals looking for a complete meal replacement shake that’s plant-based and free from common allergens such as dairy, gluten and soy and free from artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners
  • Price per serving: $4.66 ($3.99 with subscription)
  • Allergen Info: Contains tree nuts (coconut)

In terms of Ka’Chava’s overall nutrition, it is a low-calorie, high-protein and nutrient-dense dietary supplement. The macronutrient breakdown for this product is 42 percent protein, 42 percent carbohydrates and 26 percent fat. While these numbers fall slightly outside of the recommended acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories from carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent from fats and 10 to 30 percent from protein), it is important to remember that Ka’Chava is just one piece of a well-balanced diet.

In order to better illustrate the nutrient profile, let’s compare Ka’Chava to what I would consider a low-calorie fast food breakfast option, the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin.

Nutrition FactsKa'Chava "The Whole Body Meal"McDonald's Egg McMuffin

Calories, kcal

240

310

Carbohydrates, grams

24

30

Protein, grams

24

17

Fats, grams

7

13

Cholesterol, milligrams

0

250

Fiber, grams

6

2

Sugar, grams 

6

3

Vitamin A, micrograms

750

0

Vitamin C, milligrams

30

0

Vitamin D, micrograms

5

2

Vitamin E, milligrams

10

0

Vitamin B1, milligrams

0.75

0

Vitamin B2, milligrams

0.85

0

Vitamin B3, milligrams

10

0

Vitamin B6, milligrams

1

0

Folate, micrograms

333

0

Vitamin B12, micrograms

3

0

Biotin, micrograms

75

0

Pantothenic Acid, milligrams

5

0

Calcium, milligrams

600

170

Iron, milligrams

5.4

3

Phosphorus, milligrams

500

0

Iodine, micrograms

75

0

Magnesium, milligrams

250

0

Zinc, milligrams

7.5

0

Selenium, micrograms

35

0

Copper, milligrams

0.81

0

Manganese, milligrams

0.9

0

Chromium, micrograms

35

0

Molybdenum, micrograms

90

0

Chloride, milligrams

300

0

Sodium, milligrams

400

770

Potassium, milligrams

260

200

This chart isn’t meant to hate on the Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s; in fact I would recommend it as a breakfast option when you're in a rush and need something quick. Instead, this chart demonstrates the amount of nutrition packed inside Ka’Chava’s shake, including 25 grams of protein, while remaining under 250 calories.

Ka’Chava Ingredients

Plant protein blend

Yellow pea protein, organic whole grain brown rice protein, organic sacha inchi, organic amaranth, organic quinoa

Adaptogen blend

Organic maca root, organic shiitake mushroom mycelia, organic maitake mushroom mycelia, organic reishi mushroom mycelia, organic cordyceps mushroom mycelia, organic ginger root

Antioxidant/Superfruit blend

Organic coconut flower nectar, acai berry, organic maqui berry, organic camu-camu berry, organic strawberry, organic tart cherry, organic blackberry, organic blueberry, organic raspberry

Omega/Fiber blend

Organic pure whole grain oat, organic acacia gum, chia seeds, flax seeds

Supergreens/Vegetable blend

Organic green tea, organic moringa leaf, organic beet, organic carrot, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic tomato, organic kale, organic cabbage, organic parsley leaf, organic brussel sprouts, organic green pepper, organic cucumber, organic celery, organic garlic, organic green onion, organic cauliflower, organic asparagus, chlorella

Digestive enzyme blend

Amylase, protease, cellulase, lactase, lipase

Probiotics/Prebiotics blend

Inulin, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus

Vitamin blend

Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid

Mineral blend

Calcium, iron, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, chloride, sodium, potassium

Quality of Ingredients

When you are looking to purchase a meal replacement supplement such as Ka’Chava, it’s important for the ingredients in the product to be high quality. This is because higher quality ingredients are often more nutrient dense, have better digestibility and absorption and are less likely to cause any unwanted negative side effects such as bloating or gas.

Ka’Chava is committed to providing consumers a top notch product that’s not only preservative-, filler- and artificial ingredient-free, but is also vegan and free from common allergens such as dairy, gluten and soy. In addition, the majority of the ingredients in Ka’Chava are 100 percent certified organic, meaning the ingredients are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

In terms of the dosages of ingredients, Ka’Chava contains 25 grams of plant-based protein per serving, with the five different protein sources including yellow pea protein, organic whole grain brown rice protein, organic sacha inchi, organic amaranth and organic quinoa, ensuring a complete amino acid profile. Each serving of Ka’Chava also includes 24 grams of carbohydrates from the organic pure whole grain oats as well as the fruit and vegetable blends. Rounding out the complete macronutrient profile is the seven grams of fat from the chia and flax seeds that provide omega-3 rich essential fatty acids. Overall, Ka’Chava provides both a great macronutrient and micronutrient profile to ensure you are consuming a well-rounded and nutritious meal with every shake.

Ka’Chava for Weight Loss

Ka’Chava can be an effective weight loss tool if it helps you reduce your total daily caloric intake enough to be within a caloric deficit. This is when you are burning more calories than you are consuming and is the only proven method for weight loss. If your primary objective is shedding some extra pounds, then using a supplement like Ka’Chava in conjunction with a healthy diet, daily exercise and high-quality sleep may help you to more easily achieve your goal.

Related Post: The Best Protein Powder for Weight Loss

Ka’Chava vs. AG1

The primary difference between Ka’Chava and AG1 is what the supplement is intended to accomplish. Ka’Chava is designed to be a meal replacement supplement and therefore contains an adequate amount of carbohydrates, protein, fats and total calories. On the other hand, AG1 is marketed as a greens powder and backs up that claim by containing a higher amount of fruit and vegetable powders, herbs, mushrooms and probiotics when compared to Ka’Chava.

If you consume a sufficient amount of calories and protein through dietary sources but want a greens powder to ensure you’re meeting your micronutrient needs, then AG1 might be the product for you. Conversely, if you’re looking to prioritize the extra calories from a meal replacement powder while still benefiting from a wide array of micronutrients, then Ka’Chava may be the right choice.

If you're interested in AG1, check out our in-depth Athletic Greens review

Where to Buy Ka’Chava

Ka’Chava

Ka’Chava is available for purchase on the company’s website as well as other online retailers such as Walmart and Amazon. That being said, the Ka’Chava website appears to have the best deals, as both Amazon and Walmart are charging up to $100 dollars per bag.

Ka’Chava FAQs

Does Ka'Chava have caffeine?

Ka’Chava is completely caffeine-free. Instead of using a stimulant, Ka’Chava provides the body with energy from a balanced ratio of macronutrients and a wide range of micronutrients to nourish the body.

Is Ka'Chava meant to be a meal replacement?

Yes, Ka’Chava is advertised as a meal replacement dietary supplement, however, it can be used in whatever way you need to suit your personal dietary preferences. Ka’Chava differs from a conventional protein powder in that it has additional carbohydrates, calories and micronutrients.

Related Article: Meal Replacements or Protein Shakes: Which Is Better?

Does Ka'Chava have too much sugar?

Ka’Chava contains six grams of sugar per serving, five of which are added sugars. Based on the guidelines from the American Heart Association, they recommend most adult women consume less than 24 grams of added sugar and most adult men consume less than 36 grams of added sugar per day. Based on these recommendations, Ka’Chava does not have too much sugar.

Is Ka'Chava good for the heart?

Ka’Chava may be good for promoting heart health since it contains a plethora of vitamins and minerals and relatively low amounts of saturated fats, added sugars, excess sodium and zero grams of trans fats. Ka’Chava may also help maintain a healthy body weight through its use as a meal replacement supplement which can help to reduce total daily calories.

Is it okay to drink Ka’Chava every day?

Yes, it’s completely fine to drink Ka’Chava on a daily basis. Just remember that consuming a Ka’Chava shake would be just one piece of a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Takeaway: Is Ka’Chava Worth It?

Whether you’re rushing off to work, hitting an early morning gym session or simply seeking a balanced, hassle-free meal replacement option, Ka’Chava’s “Whole-Body Meal” will provide you with the energy and nutrition needed to support your health and fitness goals. That being said, Ka’Chava is a premium supplement that does come with a premium price point. When determining whether Ka’Chava is worth the price, you should consider how much you typically spend on your breakfast meal and whether the macronutrient and micronutrient profile provided by Ka’Chava supports the cost.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.