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Best Ka'Chava Alternatives

Best Ka’Chava Alternatives: Benefits, Drawbacks, and Pricing

Have you been looking for an alternative to the popular meal replacement Ka’Chava?

In this article, I’ll be taking a look at 3 of the Best Ka'Chava Alternatives: Rootana, LYFE Fuel, and Impact Knockout Complete.

superfood red on spoon

Meal Replacement Powders: What Are They For

First, though, let’s cover what greens powders and meal replacements are for in the first place.

Why do people buy and use these products?

First and foremost, to provide well-rounded nutrition.

You may not have the time to source and prep 20+ fruits, vegetables, and adaptogens…but surely you have the time to open up a packet of concentrated goodness, pour it into a shaker bottle, and go on with your day!

Greens powders and other meal replacement powders make it easier than ever to ‘fill out’ your nutrient intake.

They have other benefits, too — they may make it easier for your body to keep its acid: alkaline balance in check, reduce your inflammation levels, and provide easily-accessible energy. (Source)

In prior articles I’ve covered the best greens powders on the market.

I’ve also covered the best greens powders for increasing your protein intake, just in case you’re interested.

Ka’Chava: Is It A Quality Product?

ka'chava pouch

Ka’Chava is a hugely popular meal replacement product made by an established brand.

Take even a brief look at the Ka’Chava website, and you’ll see happy, healthy, fit people (customers?) all around.

The obvious implication is that these picturesque peeps are healthy due to their Ka’Chava intake.

I’ve reviewed Ka’Chava in the past, however, and found it lacking on several fronts.

It’s incredibly expensive — $4.67 per serving — and lacks ingredient transparency.

I’ve also compared Ka'Chava to AG1 in a quest to see which superfood powder comes out on top.

Pros

  • Ingredient diversity
  • Pleasant chocolatey taste
  • Mostly organic ingredients
  • Cruelty-free/gluten-free/vegan

Cons

  • Far too many propriety blends
  • Expensive (especially on Amazon)
  • Inconsistent customer service/shipping

With all this said, let’s look closely at the following three Ka’Chava alternatives.

Do they do a better job at meal replacement than Ka’Chava does?

  • Rootana
  • Impact Knockout Complete
  • LYFE Fuel

Rootana

rootana pouch

Rootana was created in hopes of crafting a truly natural meal replacement shake — something free from artificial or otherwise empty ingredients.

Rootana’s founder, Rob, knew there had to be a better way to get the nutrition he needed!

And thus Rootana was born.

Rootana’s Ingredients List

As I said above, Rootana uses only whole-foods ingredients.

I’m not seeing any artificial sweeteners here.

No sucralose…no isomaltulose…no maltodextrin…not even any erithrytol or stevia!

Instead, Rootana contains:

  • Oat Flour Powder
  • Pea Protein Isolate
  • Coconut Sugar
  • Golden Milled Flaxseed
  • Sunflower Seed Oil
  • Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin)
  • Potassium Chloride
  • Magnesium Phosphate
  • Stabilisers (Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum)
  • Salt

Rootana also contains an extensive vitamin and mineral blend:

  • Calcium Carbonate
  • Dicalcium Phosphate
  • L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
  • Ferrous Fumarate
  • DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
  • Nicotinic Acid (Niacin)
  • Zinc Oxide
  • Manganese Citrate
  • Calcium D-Pantothenate (Pantothenic Acid)
  • Copper Sulphate
  • Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
  • Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)
  • Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
  • Retinyl Acetate (Vitamin A)
  • Chromium Picolinate
  • Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
  • Potassium Iodide
  • Sodium Molybdate
  • Sodium Selenite
  • Phylloquinone (Vitamin K1)
  • D-Biotin
  • Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
  • Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

While I’m impressed by the sheer diversity of substances packed into Rootana, I feel they could’ve done a slightly better job with sourcing.

Cyanocobalamin, for example, is far from the most effective form of vitamin B12.

Here are the Rootana Cacao supplement facts:

Rootana Cacao Ingredients Label

Rootana’s Top Health Benefits

Rootana is high in protein and fiber — and it still manages to contain only 400 calories per serving.

While Rootana isn’t designed specifically for weight loss, it can easily be used to optimize your body composition.

Rootana is available in two different flavors: original and cacao.

Both have a pleasant earthy taste, and neither is too sweet.

Remember, there’s no added stevia here — just a little bit of natural coconut sugar.

Does Rootana Have Positive Customer Reviews?

Actually, I could only find one on the brand’s website.

The reviewer says enthusiastically:

After trying Rootana I am never going to go back to morning toast.

This lack of reviews is a pretty major red flag.

Perhaps Rootana is just too new to have gathered up many reviews?

Rootana’s Pricing

Rootana is quite affordable:

  • 1 pack costs $45.00 (subscription) $52.99 one-off
  • 2 packs costs $90 (subscription) $105 one-off
  • 3 packs costs $135 (subscription) $158.99 one-off

Where to Buy Rootana

You can buy Rootana on the company’s website here.

CLICK FOR OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Instant Knockout Complete

Instant Knockout Complete bag

Instant Knockout Complete is a meal replacement specifically geared towards athletes.

And not just any athletes, either — athletes who want to lose weight fast.

Instant Knockout Complete’s Ingredients List

Instant knockout is powered primarily by green tea extract.

This extract has been shown to ramp up thermogenesis (ie. calorie burn) by up to 15%.

The brand claims:

It ramps up fat burning by over 15% and gives you a much-needed kick of energy, even when you’re in a calorie deficit.

Instant Knockout also features a hefty dose of cayenne pepper seeds to ramp up your fat-burning metabolic rate.

Cayenne pepper is rich enough in capsaicin that it possesses its own set of thermogenic qualities.

Glucomannan is another key ingredient in Instant Knockout Complete. It features enough dietary fiber to reduce food cravings. Research affirms that glucomannan may optimize body composition by reducing out-of-control hunger. (Source)

In other good news, Instant Knockout is made in an FDA-approved, cGMP-approved facility.

The brand says:

We take our reputation seriously, which is why we don’t cut any corners and make sure all our products are regulated and safe.

Instant Knockout Complete label

Instant Knockout Complete’s Top Health Benefits

As I stated earlier, Instant Knockout is designed to help elite fighters cut weight.

The product claims to help you “cut fat like the pros”, who often lose impressive amounts of weight in the lead up to big fights.

Other benefits of Instant Knockout Complete include:

  • Body recomposition
  • 24/7, round the clock fat-burning
  • Used and trusted by MMA fighters and boxers
  • Vegetarian/vegan friendly
  • Safe and effective

Does Instant Knockout Complete Have Positive Customer Reviews?

It sure does.

Instant Knockout’s reviews speak for themselves.

Here’s one top review:

(Pro fighter) Diego Sanchez cut from 190lbs to 145lbs. Using Instant Knockout he managed to lose the first 25lbs in just 5 weeks.

The brand even features a dedicated page for reviews from pro athletes.

That’s not very commonplace!

Amazon reviewers are clearly less enthused.

One questions whether or not Instant Knockout Complete works at all:

I think the hunger suppressant works or it was my mind set to eat less to lose weight that controlled it, but target belly fat and lose fat weight I haven't noticed as I took them because my job is long hours of not moving, the actual fat loss would probably be due to the exercise it recommends, so if your wanting these to lose belly fat without puting in the work I'd save my money and just will power yourself to eat a lil less and skip that snack or trade the chips for a fruit bowl or something, probably get the same results.

Another, however, calls it the best fat burner they’ve ever taken:

Tried instant knockout. One thing I like are the ingredients. All natural. Didn't feel any true side effects besides having a ton of energy at night. Dont recommend taking the last dose late in the evening. 5PM tops.
Instant knockout made me sweat in the gym a lot more than usual. Probably the first fat burner I've taken that allowed me to see my abs. You must clean your diet up slightly and workout while taking the product. This isnt going to help you lose weightif youre eating high cholesterol foods with no exercise. I rate 4 stars and hope amazon continues to sell this product.

Instant Knockout Complete’s Pricing

Instant Knockout is definitely on the pricer side.

Instant Knockout costs:

  • One pack costs $65
  • while four packs costs $195

Where to Buy Instant Knockout Complete

You can buy Instant Knockout Complete on the brand’s order page here.

CLICK FOR OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Lyfe Fuel

LYFE Fuel bags

LYFE Fuel claims to be the “all-in-one nutritional solution you've been searching for.”

Like Rootana above, LYFE Fuel is made from nature and 100% chemical-free.

Lyfe Fuel’s Ingredients List

It’s quite difficult to locate LYFE Fuel’s ingredients list on the brand’s website.

There’s so much flashy marketing to sift through that it took me several minutes to actually figure out what’s in the thing!

Even a dedicated ingredients page leaves a lot to be desired.

It explains that LYFE Fuel contains 32 ingredients — yet doesn’t bother to just state what these ingredients are.

In other bad news, most (if not all) of these ingredients are hidden away in proprietary blends.

Here are the LYFE Fuel supplement facts:

LYFE Fuel Label

Lyfe Fuel’s Top Health Benefits

LYFE Fuel contains a mixture of plant protein, prebiotic fiber, and flaxseed derivatives.

Its makers claim it can:

  • Curb hunger
  • Control cravings
  • Improve your metabolism
  • Promote lean muscle growth
  • Strengthen hair and nails
  • …and more.

While LYFE Fuel does have some upsides — it’s made in an FDA-approved facility and verifiably free from heavy metals, I simply can’t be sure it does anything it claims to.

Why not?

Because, once again, its ingredients mix is so hazy I don’t know if it contains the right amount of substance A or B.

Does Lyfe Fuel Have Side Effects?

It doesn’t seem to.

None of the reviews I read mentioned any side effects.

Does Lyfe Fuel Have Positive Customer Reviews?

LYFE Fuel has managed to collect some pretty impressive customer reviews.

Among the highlights are reviews from elite athletes and RD’s:

I used LyfeFuel for my Olympic Games preparation. It's the first plant-based product that makes me feel like the most optimal version of myself.

As a vegan and registered dietitian I can't say enough great things about LyfeFuel! The Essentials has everything your body needs!

Lyfe Fuel Pricing

LYFE Fuel costs:

  • $70 per month for a one-time serving
  • $60 per month with a subscription

That’s a little pricey….especially considering all the unknowns surrounding this product’s ingredients list.

Where to Buy Lyfe Fuel

You can buy LYFE Fuel here if you’re interested.

And if you’d still like a little more info you can also read my dedicated LYFE Fuel review here.

Is There An Alternative to Meal Replacement Products?

meal replacement glass

Do greens powders include protein?

This is one of the most focommonly-asked questions surrounding meal replacement products.

The answer is it depends.

Some meal replacement powders do, some don’t!

Also, remember that quality matters at least as much as quantity when it comes to protein.

Plant-based protein powder may be trendy right now, but it’s not nearly as bioavailable as an equivalent amount of animal protein.

Protein from eggs, beef, or dairy is far more anabolic than veggies or peas.

In summary, there are a lot of options regarding meal replacement supplements. Ka'Chava is okay but I found Rootana to be a better option – it's cheaper too.

CLICK FOR OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Adam Author

About the LifeHacker Guy

Hi, I'm Adam the founder of the LifeHacker Guy.

I have a First Class Honours degree in Sports Science from Brighton University, specialising in exercise physiology and nutrition. In my youth I was a competitive Triathlete and long-distance runner placing top 10 in most triathlon races I completed.

Since suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I moved into web development, after a couple of years I then moved onto developing a number of online businesses. I've recently taken a sabbatical and I'm now looking to make big changes in my life, hopefully this may resonate with you - join me in my journey!

5 comments

  1. I’ve read that Kachava can’t be taken with certain medications, why?
    Will unsweetened pea protein shakes be good also? I can’t do these quote natural sweeteners, they taste gross.

  2. I read your article, read some parts twice, however I am still confused on which product is an alternative to Ka’Chava. I purchased a bag of Ka’chava, it does give you energy, which I need, My job is Considered high passed walking 15 to 17 miles a day four day’s a week. I do not drink it everyday as Ka’Chava indicates one can/should. Which one matches up to Ka’Chava with the same benefits, with out the price. I am hyper as it is, however that little boost of energy does help while working. Thank you!

    1. Hi Winona,
      Thanks for your comment. I have made three recommendations as alternatives to Ka’chava. These are; Rootana, IK, and Lyfe.
      You can see the pros and cons of each of the alternatives above.
      Thanks,
      Adam

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