I am not new to over-hyped supplements. There are a million of them claiming to be the next holy grail. Moa surprised me, in a good and slightly odd way, and this is the review.
We sell it, so weigh that accordingly. The taste section below is the part I would read first if I were you, because it is the part that costs us something to say.
Thirty-six plants in one drink
That is the pitch and it is literally true: Moa is a blend of 36 plant ingredients, made by Nutrifii, sold as a daily drink.
It is worth being clear about what a number like that means. Thirty-six ingredients in one serving means small amounts of each. A blend is not the same as a concentrated dose of any one thing, and if you are after a specific compound at a specific amount, a blend is the wrong shape of product.
What a blend is good for is variety, in the same way a mixed salad is better than a large amount of one leaf. That is a modest claim and it is the one that holds.
What it tastes like
You had to ask.
Moa has a strong, raw flavour with a spicy kick at the end. My palate was not ready for it. It took about ten days before I started to enjoy it, and it may well stun you on the first go.
Interestingly, this is regional. Customers in Mexico rave about the taste and several have been baffled that anyone would find it difficult. Palates are cultural, and most of the complaints about this product come from the United States.
If you buy it, buy enough to get past the first week. Giving up on day two is the most common way people waste money on this one.
Who it seems to suit
The stories I had read before trying it were mostly from people over 50, which is what I expected of a product in this category. The feedback that surprised me came from people considerably younger, including a friend who had been drinking it with her husband for six months and said they had not felt better.
That is a testimonial rather than evidence and I am labelling it as one. It is here because it changed what I expected, not because it proves anything.
What I am not going to tell you
The original version of this review ended by referring to "the health benefits we've been experiencing", without saying what they were. That is an unspecified outcome claim from somebody selling the product, and it is the kind of sentence this site has been removing everywhere else.
What I can say is narrower: I drink it, I like it once I got past the taste, and I would rather have 36 plants in my week than not. Whether it does anything for you specifically is not something I can know.
What is actually in it
The 36 are grouped into blends on the label, and the milligram figures are the part worth reading:
- Proprietary Super Fruit Blend, 7,289 mg. Organic mango, organic pomegranate, cranberry, tart cherry, prune, organic aloe vera and Bergavit bergamot fruit extract. - Vitality Health Blend, 1,279 mg. Organic acai, organic mangosteen, noni, organic goji and organic acerola. - Immune Support Blend, 437 mg. Organic reishi, cordyceps, shiitake, agaricus, lion's mane and maitake, plus organic white tea, organic nigella seed, grape seed extract, green tea, turmeric root and organic kelp leaf. - Then blackberry, plum, pear, black currant, peach, apple, elderberry, strawberry, blueberry and orange, and a short list of actives: BioPerine black pepper, stevia, flaxseed, rosemary, oregano and star anise oils.
That third figure is the arithmetic behind the point above. The Immune Support Blend is where the six mushrooms and most of the botanicals live, and it is 437 mg split twelve ways. Mostly, this is a fruit drink with a small botanical blend in it. If you came looking for a mushroom supplement, buy a mushroom supplement.
Is there anything to watch out for
It is food, and the amounts are small, so most people drink it with no trouble. Three things in that list are worth knowing before you start.
Six mushrooms. Reishi, cordyceps, shiitake, agaricus, lion's mane and maitake. If mushrooms do not agree with you, this is not the product for you, and no amount of the rest of the list changes that.
Organic kelp leaf, which carries iodine. If you have been told to keep an eye on your iodine, ask your doctor before adding a daily kelp source, however small.
Green tea, inside that 437 mg blend of twelve. Any caffeine in a pouch is a trace rather than a dose, so this is not a product to drink for the lift, and equally not one to avoid at bedtime.
Beyond that, the ordinary rule: if you take prescription medication, or you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor before adding anything daily.
How much you drink
One pouch, 1.7 fl oz, once or twice a day. There are 30 pouches in a box, so a box is a month at one a day. Each pouch is a single serving and is meant to go down in one go; if you have to save half, refrigerate it and use it within 24 hours.
The full ingredient list and serving size are on the product page.
If you want more on the same range, there is Vináli and Renew, the latter of which is considerably more sceptical than this one.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Common questions
- What is Moa?
- A daily drink made by Nutrifii, blending 36 plant ingredients into a single-serve pouch. It is a blend rather than a concentrated dose of any one thing, which is the right way to judge it.
- What is in Moa?
- Three labelled blends plus a list of actives. The Super Fruit Blend is 7,289 mg a serving, the Vitality Health Blend 1,279 mg, and the Immune Support Blend, which holds the six mushrooms and most of the botanicals, is 437 mg split twelve ways.
- Does Moa have side effects?
- It is food and the amounts are small, so most people drink it with no trouble. Three things are worth knowing first: it contains six mushrooms, it contains kelp leaf and so iodine, and it contains green tea, though in a trace rather than a dose.
- How much Moa should you drink?
- One pouch, 1.7 fl oz, once or twice a day. A box holds 30 pouches, so it is a month at one a day. Each pouch is a single serving; refrigerate and use within 24 hours if you cannot finish it.
- What does Moa taste like?
- Strong and raw, with a spicy finish. It took about ten days before I enjoyed it. Buy enough to get past the first week, because giving up on day two is the usual way people waste money on this one.
More on this subject: Everyday Nutrition