We love inspirational businesses – those companies and products that are inspired by a desire to address conditions in a more natural way, rather than follow traditional medicine and prescription drug use. There are many examples of this in the natural products world, and BoKU International Inc. is one of the more poignant.
The products developed by this company were in response to a “focus” issue displayed by the co-founder’s son, resulting in behavioral problems at school. His aMother, Lynn M. Rolle, believed that nutrition plays a huge role in our health and wellness and that nature might offer solutions to her son’s issues. Thus, “BoKU,” which means to “love life” was born.
BoKU International Inc. is a family-owned and operated business founded in 2007 in Ojai, California. The co-founders are Lynne, her husband Reno Rolle, their daughter Ryann Rolle, and son Reno, Jr.
The mission of Boku is “to spread health and wellness to all people.” Their products are 100% certified organic, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free, made with your health and the health of the planet, sustainability, in mind. The website features celebrity endorsements, such as that of Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers.
In this article, we’ll discuss the BoKU International Inc. product range with an emphasis on the BoKU Superfood product, its formulation, and its ingredients. We’ll discuss the product’s features and benefits and investigate to determine if the product is meeting its marketing claims. We’ll also discuss where you can find the product, review the cost-value relationship, and always provide our rating in terms of effectiveness and value.
Ready to learn more? Let’s jump into this BoKU Superfood review!
The BoKU Product Range
On their website, the company markets a vast array of natural and organic products:
- Powders – such as their lead item, BoKU Superfood, Proteins, Super Fuel, Shrooms, Matcha Green Tea, Super Berries, and Super Fiber
- Snacks – Cacao Nibs, Trail Mix, Cranberries, Cocoanut Chips, and Umami Super Spice
- Personal Care items – Smile for Teeth, Mouthwash, Immune Tonic, Dead Sea Minerals, Nose Lubricant, Skin Food, Bug Spray, and an Immune Candle
- Products for the Home – Soaps, Shaker Bottles, and Water Bottles, Books and Recipe Books, Food Containers, and Beach Blanket
What is BoKU Superfood?
BoKU Superfood is a nutritional supplement and is similar to food supplements like Texas Superfood. It’s a powdered blend of fifty-five different organic superfoods. The site states that the product is not a drug, not a supplement, but real food, superfoods. Perhaps technically correct, but for our purposes, we will treat the product as a supplement. The site touts an award-winning formula. For once, this is not mere rhetoric or marketing hype; it is a fact, as evidenced by the 2008 Natural News “Best Superfoods Award.” BoKU products are formulated by a prominent, LA-based, naturopathic doctor, Dr. BJ Adrezin. The Superfood product is the foundation of the BoKU product line and way of life.
BoKU self-manufactures its products in an FDA-certified plant at its headquarters in Ojai, CA. Each batch is a third-party lab tested to ensure consumers are getting the most pristine and nutrient-dense foods possible.
BoKU Superfood Ingredients
BoKU Superfood’s formula contains, according to the company website, “the world’s most powerful and potent plants, formulated to contain all the nutrients you need for the day, all in one place.”
There are eight major components to the BoKU proprietary blend, see below. The company is both proud of and secretive regarding their award-winning blend, as no further details are revealed other than the ingredients included. There is no detail regarding the precise amount of components, or how much of each ingredient. There are no patented or trademarked ingredients.
Super Greens – Young Barley Grass juice, Nettle Leaf, Nopal Cactus, Broccoli, Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Parsley
Super Algae – Spirulina, Kelp, Chlorella, Superstar Maca
Super Mushrooms – Reishi, Cordyceps, Maitake, Chaga, Mesima, Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, Blazei, Poria, Suehirotake, Hiratake, Agarikon, True Tinder Polypore.
Super Sprouts – Flax sprouts, Pumpkin sprouts, Broccoli sprouts, Cauliflower sprouts, Kale sprouts, Cabbage sprouts, Red Clover sprouts.
Super Pods – Sweet Mesquite, Carob, Fine Vanilla Bean
Super Fruit – Lucuma fruit, Goji berry, Hawthorn berry, Bilberry, Lingonberry, Blackcurrant, Aronia berry, Pomegranate, Blueberry, Kosher Purple grape, Tart cherry, Elderberry, Cranberry, Red Raspberry, Black Raspberry
Super Extras – Vermont maple syrup (dehydrated), L. Sporogenes (a non-dairy probiotic)
Super Enzymes – Amylase, Protease, Bromelain, Cellulase, Lipase, Alpha-galactosidase, Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt.
As you know, we are not fans of the proprietary blend. Stating the obvious, that is a lot of ingredients for a nine-gram serving.
Most major competitive greens products also use a proprietary blend, with serving sizes ranging from 8 to 9.5 grams.
That said, BoKU includes a good amount of healthy ingredients in a single supplement. You will find ingredients from weight management supplements like Nucific Bio-X4 and metabolic health ingredients that you may find in a product like Primal Plants.
Recommended Dosage of BoKU Superfood
The recommended dosage, per the company, is one 9-gram scoop of BoKU Superfood per day, mixed in water, juice, or as a part of your daily smoothie. The company recommends you start with one scoop daily but can increase usage up to four or more scoops per day. The product can be used in combination with BoKU Super Protein as a meal replacement.
BoKU Superfood Benefits
A convenient way to improve your diet and get your daily requirement of vegetables. Per the company BoKU Superfood is the foundation of health and wellness, providing health, vitality, happiness, and joy … other benefits of green superfoods:
- Weight management
- Improved energy
- Antioxidants to combat free radicals
- Supports the immune system
- An overall feeling of well being
How Does BoKU Superfood Perform – Claims vs. Reality
Including dehydrated Vermont Maple Syrup goes a long way towards making BoKU more tolerable from a taste perspective. It’s difficult to dispute the benefits of a comprehensive blend of fifty-five superfoods. No doubt, even with only nine grams per serving, you are ingesting a healthy dose of greens that will deliver many, if not all, the benefits stated. As to delivering happiness and joy? I have a difficult time feeling joyful while drinking my greens.
Is BoKU Superfood Safe?
The only side effects mentioned by the company are mild stomach aches related to the detoxification process. With four grams of fiber per serving, there is also a potential for digestive issues, particularly as one increases the daily dosage.
As always, consult your medical professional before starting any new supplement regimen.
BoKU Superfood Pricing
A one-month supply purchase of BoKU Superfood on the company website will set you back $58.64 for a 9.4-ounce container, approximately thirty servings.
BoKU Superfood is also available in a three-month supply option, which is priced at $145.34 (saving you around 17%).
The company also offers a thirty-day money-back guarantee. Most stipulations of the return policy are standard save for a $15.00 restocking fee.
Where to Buy BoKU Superfood
The best place to buy all BoKU International Inc. products is their direct website. The company consciously chose a direct to customer approach, in order to ensure product quality and efficacy, while keeping costs contained.
Superfood Alternatives
While we do rate BoKU fairly high, it is safe to say there are a ton of superfood alternatives still out there. Let’s take a look at some of these alternatives so you can better make your choice.
Invigor8
Invigor8 is another of our highly rated superfoods. In addition to being a superfood, Invigor8 is a daily meal replacement shake that claims to help you lose weight, boost immune functioning, and more. You can get a 645 g canister of Invigor8 for $60.
Amazing Grass Green Superfood
Another superfood alternative to BoKU is Amazing Grass Green Superfood. This is a green powder supplement developed to replace multivitamins and help with nutritional deficiencies. You can get Amazing Grass Green Superfood (30 servings of 8 ounces) for $29.99.
Grown American Superfood
A final superfood alternative is Grown American Superfood. This green superfood supplement contains natural ingredients sourced from local farms. Get a single 30-scoop pack for $99 or a family pack with four separate packages for $159.
In Summary: BoKU Superfood Review
We aren’t the only people who like inspirational success stories and companies that operate with integrity. After an initial round of funding, the company determined they were not compatible with traditional financial backers and initiated an equity crowdfunding campaign. They have wildly exceeded their initial goals, finding plenty of satisfied customers and others willing to back the company.
Many of the companies we review are quick to take their products to market in brick and mortar stores, seeking as many points of distribution as possible. BoKU has chosen to restrict sales of their products to their website and a select group of online retailers using a direct to consumer approach.
We also applaud their efforts in the area of sustainability and their use of a micro-batch manufacturing strategy.