The Health Benefits of Maca Root

The Health Benefits of Maca Root

Super Food Type: Root

Maca root (Lepidium meyenii) is a superfood native to the mountains of Peru and is grown up to 4,300 meters above sea level. It has been used for over 3,500 years and legend has it that during the height of the Inca Empire, warriors consumed maca before heading into battle to ensure superior strength and endurance. However, upon returning from battle, Inca soldiers were forbidden from using maca to protect women from their insatiable sexual desires. Maca is known for strength, endurance and increased libido.

What is Maca?

A member of the cruciferous family of vegetables like kale and cabbage, maca is rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, sodium and phosphorus and also contains trace elements such as iodine, zinc, selenium, bismuth, copper, magnese, tin and silicon. It is also rich in vitamins B1, B2, C and E.

Maca has the ability to stabilize and balance the body's glandular hormonal system, nervous system, cardiovascular system and musculature. These factors make maca ideal for managing hormones, stress, thyroid function, and your mood in general.

According to super food expert David Wolfe, maca is great if you have the following conditions:

• anemia

• Chronic fatigue

• depression

• Infertility and sterility

• Lack of libido

• malnutrition

• Menopausal symptoms

• Menstrual cramps and disorders

• Bad memory

• Stomach cancer

• stress tension

• tuberculosis

How to use it and where to buy it?

Due to its high health benefits, maca can be used in larger quantities than other medicinal herbs. It has also been proven to be safe to use long term. You can buy it online or in most health food stores in dried, raw organic foods. To ensure the best product quality, it is important to purchase maca only from the root of the plant and not other components.

Use a tablespoon in smoothies, juices, nut milks, tea or coffee, or add to your raw chocolate treats.

Here's a recipe to get you started:

Maca and chocolate smoothie with strawberries

Serves two

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashew milk (or ½ cup soaked cashews and 1 cup water)

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 teaspoon maca root powder

• 2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder

• 1 cup fresh strawberries

• 2 small frozen bananas (broken into pieces)

• 1 vanilla bean

• 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs.

method

• Mix cashew milk, chia seeds, maca root powder and raw cacao powder.

• Cut open the vanilla bean and scrape the contents into the blender.

• Add the strawberries and frozen banana and mix until smooth and creamy.

• Pour into two glasses and sprinkle with raw cacao nibs.