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A metabolism support supplement, Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder tastes great, and is packed with nutrients that are designed to support gut health and blood sugar levels. The downsides? It isn’t cheap—and a lot more research needs to be conducted on the efficacy of key ingredientes, especially when it comes to weight loss.

Founded in 2012 by best friends Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle, Sakara is a plant-based meal delivery service that also sells snacks and supplements. Sakara’s purported focus is using nutrition science and “traditional healing wisdom” to create products that can help facilitate certain health goals.

Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder is available on Sakara’s website in single-serving sachets and as a 30-serving pouch (with subscription options).

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Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder touts itself as a metabolism aid, and highlights information on how key ingredients work toward a boosted metabolism and weight loss. (Note: As we explain later in this piece, many of these ingredients lack rigorous research.)

If you’re looking for an inexpensive product to boost your metabolism, Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder probably isn’t it. There are a few options available, however, at different price points:

Sakara’s metabolism powder is geared toward weight loss with claims around boosted metabolism, fat loss, curbed cravings and cortisol support (cortisol is a stress hormone often associated with weight gain). It also claims to ease bloat and support healthy digestion and gut health.

You can use this powder in your morning coffee, in a smoothie or even add it to a recipe for baked goods, the company notes. Made with organic raw cacao, I found the flavor to be rich, chocolatey, and a bit bitter when mixed with certain foods.

I used one scoop of the Sakara Metabolism Super Powder every day for 20 days, and added it to coffee, tea and smoothies. According to Sakara, the powder is designed to be used daily for at least two weeks to see optimal results.

While the company highlights the myriad health benefits of its key ingredients, it’s worth noting that many of them lack robust scientific research. Sakara’s metabolism powder has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA and is not intended for the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of any diseases.

While there are some beneficial ingredients in the Sakara Metabolism Super Powder, certain aspects of the powder are questionable and need a lot more research, say Tamar Samuels and Vanessa Rissetto, registered dietitian nutritionists and co-founders of Culina Health.

“Kelp in its whole form is a great source of fiber, which has been well researched for its weight loss benefits,” explains Samuels. “The fiber in kelp helps stabilize your blood sugar by slowing the digestion of food, which in turn regulates your appetite and helps you feel fuller for longer. Fiber also binds with dietary fat, which decreases absorption of calories overall, thus indirectly supporting weight loss.”

That being said, Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder only contains kelp extract, which means its fiber benefits are almost nonexistent, explains Rissetto. “At present, there is no robust research to support the use of kelp extract for weight loss in humans,” she continues.

As for the use of l-glutamine to support gut health, Samuels says there can be benefits. Additionally, a 2021 study in Food Science and Human Wellness found that l-glutamine can help support microbiome balance, immune response, lower levels of gut inflammation and can provide indirect nutritional support for neuropsychiatric conditions (such as seizures, ADHD, and cognitive deficit disorders)[1]Brett J. Deters, Mir Saleem. The role of glutamine in supporting gut health and neuropsychiatric factors. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2021;10(2)149-154. . While more research needs to be done on l-glutamine before concrete statements can be made, the studies already done on this amino acid seem to support Sakara’s statements.

Finally, when it comes to piper nigrum, “although there has been interest in using oral black pepper for weight loss, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of black pepper for this purpose,” explains Rissetto.

I tested Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder for 20 days, and overall I had a positive experience with it. I tried adding it to my morning coffee and smoothies, although I was never savvy enough to bake it into any desserts.

When I added the powder to my coffee with a little half and half—I added the recommended one scoop, which is 20 grams and a little less than three tablespoons—it gave it a nice chocolatey flavor, which I enjoyed. However, I struggled when it came to finding the right flavor combination for my smoothie. Without a banana, the powder made my berry smoothie very bitter, but once I added a banana into the mix, it changed everything and tasted more like a delicious chocolate smoothie.

As for the purported health effects the powder was supposed to provide, I wasn’t totally blown away by them. It’s possible that the recommended 20 days was too short of a time to know if this powder really sped up my metabolism, but I did notice less bloat. I didn’t lose any weight, but that was OK with me as weight loss isn’t a goal of mine.

I also found that I craved sugar less and stayed full for longer periods when I incorporated the powder in my coffee or smoothie once a day.

Another benefit I noticed when using Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder was that I had a lot more energy. I usually rely on two cups of coffee in the morning to fully wake me up, but while using this powder I found that I was able to stick to just one cup and didn’t crave that second hit of caffeine. Even better, the energy seemed to last all day and I didn’t feel a mid-afternoon slump.

Many people may use this Metabolism Super Powder to try to “speed up” their metabolism or lose weight, but that wasn’t my goal. Overall, I was happy with the way it made me feel. As a consumer, I do hope more research is conducted on the benefits of some of the key ingredients in terms of how they actually impact metabolism, gut health, and cravings, as that could give this powder a lot more credibility.

All in all, I enjoyed my experience with Sakara’s Metabolism Super Powder, but I’m not sure it changed my life enough for me to buy it again, especially at $90. That being said, I’m hoping this bag lasts me a long time, and I’ll definitely use it until I run out.

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Leigh Weingus is a New York-based freelance writer and former senior editor at HuffPost, Elite Daily and Mindbodygreen. Her work has been featured in Well+Good, Glamour, Parade, Bustle, NBC News and more. When she's not writing, Leigh can be found taking a (virtual) yoga class, running in Central Park or whipping up her latest smoothie creation.

Jessica is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience in both lifestyle and clinical health topics. Before Forbes Health, Jessica was an editor for Healthline Media, WW and PopSugar, as well as numerous health-related startups. When she isn't writing or editing, Jessica can be found at the gym, listening to a health or true prime podcast, or spending time outside. She also really enjoys bread (even though she's not supposed to eat it).