HEALTH
THE NEW WONDER FOOD? Maca is a root vegetable that’s part of the mustard family. Native to Peru, it’s a medicinal root that’s grown in the high, rugged elevations of the Central Andes where little else grows. While archaeological evidence suggests that the domestication of Maca began about 2,000 years ago, there are written references from Spanish explorers and conquerors dating to the 1,500s noting that Maca had been used as both tribute and to improve the fertility of their cattle imported from Spain. Even today, natives of Peru eat up to 20 grams of dried Maca daily to improve their health.
Photo Credit: The MACA Team
HOW TO USE MACA The most effective way to take Maca powder is to mix it into water or a simple fruit juice and take it on an empty stomach 10-15 minutes before you eat breakfast. Taking Maca on an empty stomach allows it to absorb a bit faster and more thoroughly. For most people it's also fine to mix maca powder in smoothies and other drinks as well as in some kinds of food.
WHY TO INSIST ON PERUVIAN MACA
Maca is a nutritional powerhouse that is dense in amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It’s also an adaptogen, meaning that it supports overall health and strength. Research has shown that Maca works to boost the overall physical functioning of the body as well as lifting the mood.
If you’ve done a little bit of research, you probably already know that Maca root originates in the high Andes mountains and is today primarily grown in Peru and Bolivia. What you probably don’t know is that over the past several years, China has also started growing and exporting Maca root products. Peruvian Maca is organic, fair trade, non-GMO, vegan and gluten-free. And it comes in three different varieties.
MACA AND HORMONES
MACA HEALTH BENEFITS
HOW MACA WORKS
Maca is considered to be very beneficial for hormone balancing, endocrine and thyroid function enhancement, even immune system enhancement. These benefits are most likely related to its high content of amino acids. Hormones are constructed of amino acids and cholesterol.
MACA AS AN ADAPTOGEN Maca root, like ginseng, is also an adaptogen. Adaptogens are substances that raise the physical body’s state of resistance to diseases through physiological health and emotional health improvements. These effects make Maca a broad-based superfood that in many cases is able to balance and rejuvenate overwhelmed, tired adrenal glands and other aspects of the hormonal system, unlike coffee which stresses the adrenal glands. Over time, use of maca can lead to several benefits including greater energy, stamina, improved mood and the ability to handle stress.
42 COMPETE november - december 2020
In the Maca team experience, continued and persistent use of high quality Maca promotes improvement in the hormonal, physical and emotional states of regular people everyday. That said, we've also noticed a significant amount of misleading or hyperbolic information out there in regard to the benefits of taking Maca. That's why we've put together a collection of all of our articles that deal with the benefits of Maca. We provide scientific documentation and examples from our experience and claims whenever possible.
MACA STUDIES AND RESEARCH Many research studies provide evidence of the benefits provided by Maca. Over 400 studies of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) are indexed on PubMed, the National Library of Medicine alone. Other Maca research has also been published; in particular in Peru where Maca is from. Visit themacateam.com for more information.
