A lot passes for a “meal” these days, but not all meals are created equal. After all, you probably feel a lot more satisfied after eating a plate of salmon, roasted broccoli, and sweet potato than you do after having a bowl of cereal. And that’s not just because one contains more calories either — it’s all about the quality and variety of ingredients, the ratio of key nutrients, and how those nutrients interact to fuel not just your body, but your mind, too.
That’s what we’re getting at when we refer to Ka’Chava as The Whole Body Meal. Essentially, a “whole body meal” should be naturally delicious and leave you satisfied, energized, physically and mentally balanced, and ready to take on the day.
But specifically, what makes something a “whole body meal”? There’s a set of criteria we followed to deliver maximum mind-body benefits when creating Ka’Chava, and which you can use when making healthy meal choices throughout the day.
Here’s exactly what we mean when we say The Whole Body Meal:
1. Contains an optimal ratio of Macronutrients (carbs, protein, fats).
If you ever attempted a fat-free, carb-free, or protein-free diet, it wouldn’t last very long. That’s because — contrary to what popular diet culture tells us — we need all three of these macronutrients to survive and thrive, physically and mentally. Given the unique role each of these macros play in the body, a “whole body meal” should contain all three.
Carbs
Carbohydrates are the body’s primary form of fuel and provide the quickest source of energy to your muscles, brain and nervous system, and other cells. Complex carbs from foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are your body’s preferred source of carbs, as they provide a steadier stream of energy and are less likely to spike blood sugar.
Proteins
Protein is the most filling macronutrient, and it’s broken down into amino acids that your body uses to build structural components of the body such as bones, muscles, skin, hair, nails, and tendons. Amino acids also function as enzymes and hormones.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are broken down into fatty acids in the body, which are important for proper brain and neural development, energy production, absorption of vitamins and antioxidants, hormone production, and so much more.
If you fall short in one or more of your macros, you’re setting yourself up for fatigue, cravings, and irritability. Meaning, you won’t be able to crush your workouts, and you won’t be much fun to be around! That’s why Ka’Chava contains 25 grams of protein, 25 grams of complex carbs (9 g of which are fiber), and 7 grams of healthy fats.
2. Has a variety of Micronutrients to support physical and mental health.
A nutritionally balanced meal needs more than just macros — it should contain a variety of veggies, fruits, and other plant-based foods to provide ample micronutrients, too. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, and natural phytochemical plant compounds, including antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene from things like carrots, tomatoes, and leafy greens.
While macros may be the workhorses of the human diet, micronutrients are needed to fuel countless bodily processes, curb inflammation, counteract oxidative stress from environmental stressors, reduce risk of disease, ensure stable moods, and give you that extra edge you need to truly thrive. In fact, many cases of depression can actually be attributed to a deficiency in certain micronutrients, like folate, magnesium, and omega-3s.
Not every meal needs to contain every micronutrient (in fact, that would be impossible), but a “whole body meal” should at least contain a decent variety. You can do this by adding several different plant foods in a range of different colors (think: leafy greens, purple cabbage, blueberries, raspberries, carrots, tomatoes, nuts and seeds, etc) to your plate.
Neglecting adequate micronutrients in your meals can leave you more susceptible to a variety of problems, including viruses, depression and anxiety, low energy, sluggish metabolism, sub-optimal muscle gains, and a less vibrant overall appearance.
This is why each serving of Ka’Chava contains 70+ plant-based superfoods and micronutrients, along with probiotics and prebiotics, which can actually enhance the bioavailability of micronutrients by optimizing gut health. We go a step beyond the “typical” superfoods, too, by including adaptogens (like maca root and reishi mushrooms) that curb the effects of stress, enhance energy, and generally provide a sense of balance.
3. Is high enough calories to actually leave you satisfied.
Any balanced meal should hit your caloric sweet spot — not so low that it leaves you ravenous for more, but not so high that it makes you feel weighed down and sluggish. This will vary for each individual, based on your height, weight, and activity levels. Often, when you focus on eating a variety of nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, you naturally hit your personal sweet spot without needing to actually count calories. (It’s when we eat too many highly refined foods that our body’s intuition for what’s “enough” gets thrown out of whack.)
When it comes to meal replacements, though, we find that many companies actually go too low. Many contain sky-high protein levels, but calorie counts below 200 — something that would never be found in nature. This is downright confusing to your body, and, for many people, not sufficient to properly fuel the physical and mental demands of the day.
With Ka’Chava, each meal delivers 240 calories, along with an ideal ratio of macronutrients and micronutrients, that’s more in line with what your body (and brain) naturally needs to thrive.
4. Contains quality ingredients that your body recognizes as real food.
Your meals shouldn’t be a science experiment. Too often you see meal replacement shakes rely on artificial sweeteners and flavors, cheap fillers, low-quality protein isolates, and even high levels of caffeine — things your body would never encounter in nature (especially not together).
That’s why making your own meals at home with real, nutrient-rich foods, or choosing a meal like Ka’Chava is your best option. Ka’Chava is free of preservatives, cheap filler ingredients, and artificial sweeteners and flavors. Each ingredient is selected with purpose.
