Maca has become one of the most famous of ‘superfoods’ in the last 5 years due to its extensive nutritional profile and the many purported health benefits it is claimed to provide. So what exactly is maca? And what health benefits does it provide?
What is Maca?
Maca is actually a root vegetable that belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables. Other cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and turnips. It is the shape and size of turnips that maca most closely resembles. In color there are actually five varieties of maca, cream/golden is the most common variety, followed by black, red, purple and green. The maca products available in the stores today are almost always made with the cream/golden genre.
Maca is a very hardy vegetable and is only one of a few plant species that can survive in the cold, thin soils high up in the Peruvian Andes mountain range. The Andes is actually the only place on earth that maca grows naturally and is a staple food source for many of the locals in Peru and some of the neighboring countries. The actual cultivation of this root dates back to an estimated 4000. B.C and is reported to have been used by Incan warriors to give them energy before battle.
The tough terrain in which maca grows is the reason that fresh maca root is not available in the USA. Instead maca is ground into a powder that we can buy at health stores to take advantage of its rich diversity of nutrients. If you are looking for maca products then take note that it also goes by other closely related names such as maca, Peruvian maca and maca root.
Health Benefits of Maca
One of the stand alone health benefits of maca is its powerful effect as an hormonal regulator. Maca helps to regulate many of our endocrine glands and helps bring them into balance therefore supporting emotional and physical health. Maca is especially effective at balancing out the adrenal glands, helping us to stay calm and centered, lowering our stress responses to life and providing even energy levels throughout the day.
Cruciferous vegetables like maca are also great for aiding detoxification of harmful chemicals from our cells. Cruciferous vegetables contain antioxidants that stimulate the liver to substantially increase the production of potent natural detoxification enzymes in the body.