Achieve balance with Maca.

By Bonnie Pockley

Lepidium Meyenii or ‘Maca’ is an extraordinary root vegetable that originates in Peru. Sometimes known as Peruvinium because of the locality of where it grows, all parts of the Maca plant have been used and continue to be used in traditional Peruvian cooking and culture. It is the root, however, that is used medicinally in the Andes and by practitioners of alternative medicine worldwide. Maca is available over the counter in health food stores except in Norway where a prescription is required to obtain it.

Maca is considered to be an ‘Adoptogen’. Adaptogens are a class of natural substances that have a ‘normalising effect’ on the body and its processes. While this should make Maca incredibly broad reaching in its medicinal application, it is mostly used to assist the regulation of the endocrine system and to increase stamina and endurance. Used in large quantities by Incan men before battle to increase their strength and endurance, Maca made powerful soldiers into formidable warriors but also left them in a state of such heightened sexual desire that its use was prohibited immediately after battle to protect the Incan women. Indeed, Maca is both a powerful tonic for sexual function as well as being both energizing and sustaining. According to several independent studies, its use had proven results of increasing semen quality, motility and quantity in men as well as increasing their levels of sexual desire and overall sexual activity. Maca has been used successfully in trials to decrease enlarged prostates and may therefore be said to assist in preventing and possibly supporting the treatment of disease relating to prostate.

Maca and women
Maca, however, does not directly affect hormone levels. While it has been said to treat conditions ranging from acne to endometriosis, it is the high nutritional level of Maca that supports the endocrine system by nourishing its function and indirectly producing such promising results. Maca contains high levels of essential minerals including selenium, calcium, magnesium and iron as well as much needed quantities of linolenic, palmitic, oleic acids, fatty and amino acids. The supplementation of Maca, therefore, is enormously beneficial to women suffering from anemia, menstrual cramps, brittle hair and nails, stress, acne, skin condition and low energy. Simply put, Maca is of great benefit for both general use and specific but common complaints. For serious or continuous conditions Maca should be used in a supportive capacity only and in conjunction with medical examination and treatment.

How to use Maca
Using Maca is fun. Maca has a slightly nutty taste making it a wonderful and simple addition to Super Smoothies. Other alternatives include adding it to hot chocolate made from unhomoginized, (ideally) unpasturized milk, raw cacao and brown sugar or alternative natural sugar substitutes. Add together according to your taste but I’d recommend no more than a teaspoon of Maca per person or per cup as it is very strong and has some side effects which I will mention below. Another lovely way to include Maca in your diet is as a flour alternative (if you cook with flour) or on special occasions when you want a healthier version of a chocolate cake.

My favourite is a flourless chocolate cake using the following -
250g of almond or hazelnut meal
3 eggs
I cup of milk,
a pinch of baking powder
6 tablespoons of raw cocoa
1 heaped tablespoon of Tonic Superfoods Maca Powder
1 cup of brown sugar.

Just mix the ingredients all together, place in a greased square cake tin, sprinkle with cinnamon, cocoa, brown sugar and cardamon and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes. Otherwise, melt raw chocolate over the top and decorate with fresh strawberries.
People have told me this is the best cake they have ever eaten. Little do they know it is probably one of the most nutritious too!

Caution with Maca
Maca is strong and should be used wisely. While is has no toxicity, some wisdom and caution is required when supplementing your diet with it. Maca is high in carbohydrate (approximately 60%), which means that it is high in sugars. Maca also exerts an energizing effect on the central nervous system. If you are trying to lose weight, supplement Maca in the morning as you will burn the extra energy during the day but if you participate in hard labour or athletics during the day, taking Maca at night will help your body recover lost levels of glucose and glycogens from physical stress. These are both needed for muscle repair. Do not take Maca just before going to bed as it has a stimulant effect and can lead to insomnia. Maca has high levels of Iodine so consult your doctor before taking it if you suffer from any thyroid condition. Apart from these simple guidelines, enjoy using Maca at a recommended level of intake of approximately 1 – 4 teaspoons a day and consult a professional practitioner if you are in any doubt of its use.

Maca powder is available from Tonic Superfoods.