Wellness Wednesday: July 7
MACA
Maca is an incredibly unique ingredient. Often regarded as a superfood, it’s derived from the maca root plant and usually comes in powdered form. With its nutty, earthy, almost cooke-like taste, it makes for an excellent addition to your morning oatmeal or smoothie, especially when paired with nut butter! Today, we’re bringing awareness to this unique incredient.
Maca root is native to Peru and is sometimes referred to as the ‘Peruvian ginseng,’ used both as a culinary ingredient and medicinal ingredient. Maca root grows in harsh conditions and high altitudes in the Andes mountains, with altitudes reaching above 13,000 feet. Like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and cabbage, the maca root is actually a cruciferous vegetable! The root is the main edible part of the maca plant, and when cultivated, is typically dried and turned into a powder.
While research on the benefits of maca is still being conducted, it clearly has a very nutritious vitamin and mineral profile. Maca is high in fiber, low in fat, and contains a very high amount of vitamin C, copper, and iron. Maca can also offer you a fair amount of potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese as well. With most Americans struggling to reach their daily requirement of these vitamins and minerals, a single serving of maca can help to fortify and add additional nutrients to your meals.
Maca has been shown to have mood boosting properties. By interacting with the hormones in your body, studies on maca have shown to help decrease stress and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. This is due to a property called flavonoids.
Further, maca can also help to boost your energy. Not only will your exercise routine get a boost with better performance, but maca can also provide additional endurance, promote muscle growth, and increase strength. In addition to your muscles, maca can enhance brain performance and improve memory.
Maca has also been observed to help increase fertility in men by helping to increase sperm count while also helping to increase libido in both men and women. If having a baby is in your future, maca is a great supplement to add to your routine!
Maca is an excellent supplement to incorporate into your daily routine, whether you want to reap the benefits for increased energy and endurance, enhance fertility, reduce stress and anxiety, or just want to take advantage of its unique nutty flavor as a taste boost! You can find maca powder in our ever-popular Cold Brew protein shake. You can also request to have maca added to any of our smoothies, protein shakes, or acai bowls as well—just ask!
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Lee, M. S., Lee, H. W., You, S., & Ha, K. T. (2016). The use of maca (Lepidium meyenii) to improve semen quality: A systematic review. Maturitas, 92, 64–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.07.013
Melnikovova, I., Fait, T., Kolarova, M., Fernandez, E. C., & Milella, L. (2015). Effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015, 324369. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/324369
Stojanovska, L., Law, C., Lai, B., Chung, T., Nelson, K., Day, S., Apostolopoulos, V., & Haines, C. (2015). Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society, 18(1), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2014.929649