FAQ

Answers to our top questions about Chocho, the Andean super protein.

About Chocho

Chocho is the sole source of protein in all Mikuna products. It's an ancient lupin that has been used for thousands of years by Indigenous Andean communities. It grows at an elevation of 11,000-14,000 feet, and it’s a highly functional protein source that’s packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, all nine essential amino acids and as much calcium per serving as a glass of milk.

Chocho has a mild, nutty taste that plays nicely with other flavors and won't overpower them.

Chocho is a non-isolate, whole food that boasts more protein than soy, pea and quinoa—combined! Chocho is nutrient-dense. It naturally provides vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, plant fiber, 9/9 essential amino acids and of course, protein (20 grams per serving). On top of its nutritional value, Chocho is also a regenerative crop that enriches the soil and thrives on rainwater alone, making it an ideal source of protein that benefits both people and the planet.

About MIKUNA Superfood Protein Powder

MIKUNA has a wide-range of uses, including as a gluten-free flour replacement in baking. For smoothies and other drinks, it's best to have 10oz or more of liquid for every 1/4 or 1/3 cup of Mikuna, and mix thoroughly in a blender. (There are no cut and dry rules; you may use more or less product depending on your tastes and  what you're making.) Mixing MIKUNA with water alone is ideal for many, but it's not for everyone. Try adding fruits, veggies, ice, coconut water, coffee, nut-butter or plant-based milks. Add a touch of honey or a dash of cinnamon. The options are truly endless.

You can replace anywhere between 20-50% of the flour in any recipe using Mikuna. Every recipe is different so you may have to experiment with your preferred amounts, but we have found that replacing 30-40% generally  produces ideal results.

Mikuna regularly does third party testing for heavy metals and other contaminants to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. While our Pure Chocho (one ingredient) consistently tests below detectable levels for heavy-metals, our two flavored products have from time-to-time tested slightly above the CA Prop 65 limits due to the organic cacao powder and organic vanilla extract, which are known as sources of naturally occurring heavy metals. As a precaution, we keep the warning on our flavored products at all times.

There is no pea protein in our products. Chocho is the one and only source of protein in Mikuna.

Pure Chocho is not sweet at all. Cacao and Vanilla have a touch of sweetness. All of our products are natural and free of artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. We don't use stevia, and the organic monk fruit extract we use is free of erythritol. 

Only if you want it to be. We think of Mikuna more as  a meal enhancement, adding protein to whatever you want to eat rather than replacing what you want to eat.

Chocho Superfood Protein is incredibly versatile. It can be used as a gluten-free flour replacement for baking, mixed into savory sauces, packed into homemade ice cream...you name it. And because of its wide range of uses, Chocho is not something you'll get tired of consuming. Check out our blog for more recipe ideas.

Chocho is a lupin, and unlike most other legume-based proteins, our debittering process ensures that our Chocho Superfood Protein is free from lectins. Lectins are proteins that are resistant to being broken down in the body, so they can cause digestive problems. All Mikuna products are 100% lectin-free.

You can shop on mikunafoods.com. You can also shop the Mikuna store on Amazon or check out our store locator for a retailer near you.

Nutrition

Our powders provide 20 grams of clean plant protein per serving (⅓ cup). 

Our Chocho Superfood Protein has 9/9 essential amino acids, making it a complete, whole food protein.

Depending on your body type and lifestyle, the FDA Daily Value for adults is 50 grams of protein per day based on a 2000 calorie diet. With 20 grams per serving and a variety of uses, Chocho Superfood Protein is a great way to get high amounts of healthy plant protein into multiple meals without feeling like you're always eating the same thing.

Click here to see nutritional information and our short, clean ingredient lists.

It’s always a challenging answer when pregnancy and breastfeeding are involved because all bodies are different. Our products are vegan, non-gmo, gluten-free and contain absolutely no preservatives, coloring agents or additives of any kind, but of course there’s always a chance for issue depending on the individual. Unfortunately, we cannot provide specific recommendations about which products to take, and we recommend that you consult your healthcare professional before consuming Mikuna products if you are pregnant or nursing.

We recommend speaking to your pediatrician or pediatric nutritionist to determine if Mikuna products are right for your children. There’s no one right recommendation for nutrition and kids, and children have different nutritional needs based on their age. We recommend working with your pediatrician to develop a plan for your child’s nutritional needs.

Our Pure Chocho is naturally sugar-free. Our Cacao and Vanilla flavors are sweetened with organic monk fruit extract (free of erythritol) and organic coconut nectar. Pure Chocho has zero net carbs, and Cacao and Vanilla contain just 2 grams of net carbs per serving.

Many customers and nutritionists love us because our products are gluten free, lectin-free, vegan, keto and paleo-friendly. NOTE: If you suffer from severe allergies, please continue reading below for allergen information.

Chocho is a legume. Anyone with allergy concerns should consult with a medical professional before consuming our products. Chocho Superfood Protein is produced in a location that may process milk, fish, soy, nuts or coconut, and the Vanilla and Cacao flavors contain coconut. With that said, our facility follows current standards of good manufacturing practice (GMP), helping to reduce the risk of cross-contact.

Yes! All Mikuna products are certified vegan.

Production

We do not use pesticides or chemicals at any point from planting to production. However, Ecuador does not yet have formal criteria in place to create a standard for the organic cultivation of Chocho. Please note that all of the other ingredients in our Cacao and Vanilla powders are certified organic.

As it grows, the Chocho plant pulls nitrogen deep into the soil. This increases soil vitality and water retention capability, and can actually make the soil more fertile for crops grown directly afterwards. Plus it’s drought-tolerant and thrives on rainwater alone. It’s good for the body, good for local Andean farming communities and good for the planet.

Our network of farmers grows Chocho in the high elevation of the Ecuadorian Andes mountains. The crop has adapted to a temperate climate and can tolerate strong Andean winds. It’s solely rain-watered and prefers moist soil, but can tolerate drought and sandy soils. Once Chocho has finished growing, the seeds are typically hand-picked and collected for sorting by farmers in Indigenous communities.

The only process we use is a proprietary debittering that removes antinutrients, leaving Mikuna free of glutens, lectins and oxalates.

Orders

If you're interested in opening a wholesale account with us, please visit our  Mikuna Wholesale Website.

Our carriers change sometimes due to circumstances, but we usually use a combination of UPS and USPS. While our website allows customers to enter PO Boxes for shipping addresses, we do not recommend it. Street addresses seem to be far more reliable for deliveries. Please understand that once the carrier takes over, it is not possible to reroute, return or otherwise alter shipments. We try to be as fair as possible with regard to sending replacements, but ask you to use a street address to eliminate unwanted delays and wasted product and materials.

Our products are available on Amazon through the official Mikuna store. No other seller is authorized to sell Mikuna products on Amazon.

Orders made at www.mikunafoods.com can be changed or canceled up to 48 hours prior to scheduled order fulfillment dates, and we send email notification about upcoming orders several days prior to fulfillment. You can log into your online account to make changes or email us at care@mikunafoods.com. We do our best to oblige customer requests, but we cannot guarantee cancellations, alterations or refunds for requests made less than 48 hours prior to scheduled shipment dates.

Your happiness is our happiness, but for safety reasons, we cannot accept returns even when unopened. If you are a first-time customer who contacts us within 30 days of delivery, we will refund up to one item per sku for any unenjoyed product that was purchased at www.mikunafoods.com. (If you are a repeat customer or outside of the 30 day limit, please let us know relevant details and we will consider these on a case by case basis.)  For all requests, please email care@mikunafoods.com with your order information, and we will be happy to look into it.

Accounts & Subscriptions

To access your account, click here or visit mikunafoods.com and double-click the account holder-icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. Enter your email address and password. (Note: You must use the same email for your account as you do for your orders.) If you haven’t created an account yet, you may do so now or get a one-time password for access.

Our website is hosted by Shopify, which handles all payment information and account storage. Shopify adheres to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ensuring our customers’ information is as safe as possible. You can read more about Shopify’s payment security here.

When you subscribe, you get 20% off each order, and we send products at your designated frequency. You won’t have to remember to reorder or worry about running out.

You can choose the frequency of your orders, and you can change the frequency as often as you like to better suit your needs. Traveling for a bit? No problem, you can delay your next order until you're back in town.

It's possible to receive communication from us and make purchases without having an online account, so you may need to sign up for one. Please click the membership icon in the upper right corner of our homepage. Simply sign in using the same email address you attached to your order. No account? Create one here in a few simple steps.

You can send a cancel request to care@mikunafoods.com or log into your online account anytime to cancel. Please note that canceling your recurring orders on the day of a scheduled order will prevent future orders, but will not stop the current order from shipping. We are set up to get orders out to customers as soon as possible on scheduled shipment dates, so we require 48 hours advance notice to cancel them.