Organic Maca Powder

• Certified Organic by Organic Food Federation

• Grown in the Andes at High Altitudes of 4000m

• Known as Peruviun Ginseng

About Maca

The maca plant (Lepidium meyenii) is a tuberous root belonging to the genus Lepidium and the family Brassicaceae. Other common plants from this family include cabbage, kale, radishes, broccoli, turnips, and crucifers. Maca powder is obtained after the raw roots of the maca plant are dried and ground. The maca plant is a tiny plant that grows to approximately 20-30cm tall. The hypocotyl, the region immediately above the root, is the one that is mostly used though the leaves are also consumed on rare occasions. Maca is indigenous to Peru and has been cultivated on extremely high altitudes of the Andes highlands for over 2500 years. Maca powder is usually available in three different colours, majorly red, yellow, and black. The yellow one is the most common and ranges from beige to light yellow. It has a slightly pungent to sweet taste, similar to that of horseradish. Lately, the black and red variants are also becoming popular because of their milder taste. Maca powder has a soft texture. 

Maca is a biennial plant i.e. it is grown in two cycles in a year. The first cycle usually produces the best seeds possible to be used during planting. The second cycle is used to give the Maca roots themselves. It usually takes between 6 to 10 months before harvesting can begin to take place. Maca thrives well at high altitudes and requires soil that is rich in minerals. The harvested roots are sun-dried for three months. It takes an additional three months to turn it into powder. Natives in the Maca growing regions of Peru rarely consumed the Maca roots raw but, instead preferred to add it to their stews, soup, or porridge. Some were also dried to enable them to be stored for longer. Powdered Maca, is now very popular in the U.S. and other countries with raw Maca roots only available in Peru.

Maca dates back to 3800BC when Peruvians used it as a valuable form of currency when trading. Some scripts claimed it was banned from commoners and used by the Incas royal family alone. This is because of its potent value. Soldiers in the Incas army took them when going to war as they believed it bolstered their strength and made them more ferocious. Around 1550, a Spanish fleet that sailed to Peru led by Captain Juan Tello de Sotoy was presented with Maca roots as tokens of appreciation to help them with any problems that their cattle faced. This was after their chronicler, Cieza de Leon observed and noted that natives of Chinchaycocha incorporated the maca roots in most of their dishes. Father Cobo became the first person to comprehensively denote the characteristics and usage of Maca in 1653. He also mentioned how it was the only plant that could survive the extremely cold and unfavourable climate in parts of Chinchaycocha where it was being grown. Later on, in the 17th century, Gerhard Walpers scientifically described Maca as Lepidium meyenii. To completely distinguish it from other species, Tehllung fully described it taxonomically. Historically, dried Maca roots had to be boiled first before being eaten or used to make porridge or soup. 

• Please note it is against MHRA guidelines for us to talk about any potential health benefits for this supplement however a quick google search on the potential benefits and you may be surprised.

How To Use

We suggest taking 1 to 3 teaspoons a day mixed with water, juice, smoothies or mixed into foods or take as directed by your healthcare practitioner.