Maca Root is by far one of the best things you can start adding into your daily diet.   This super food was a staple of the ancient Peruvian Indians.  It was prized for its ability to nourish, as well as protect the body from disease.  Maca is the perfect food being both medicine and a source of nourishment.

The ancient Peruvian Indians believed Maca was what allowed them to reach an old age and remain vital and invigorated while on this Earth.

Maca Root: The Perfect Adaptogen

Adaptogens, as I’m sure you already know, help the body adapt to both physical and mental stress.  If you aren’t taking some form of adaptogen in today’s world, you are putting yourself at a serious disadvantage.

Maca is extremely unique as it serves as both food and as an herbal adaptogen.   Most adaptogens are herbs which need to be prepared (tea, tincture, extract) in order to receive their benefits.  However, they do not provide nourishment to the body as they do not contain sufficient calories.

Maca on the other hand is capable of providing a sufficient amount calories which help nourish the body, as well as protect it from stress all at the same time!

Maca Helps Balance The HPA-AXIS

The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (hpa-axis) is the bodies central stress response system.  The central nervous system, endocrine system and adrenal cortex are all intertwined into this HPA-AXIS (1).

Due to our modern environment, we are suffering from severe HPA dysfunction.  Synthetic Chemicals, BPA (plastic bottels), shampoos, soaps, cleaning products, and pesticides all wreak havoc on the HPA-AXIS (2).

When we are exposed to these HPA-AXIS disruptors the body goes into defense mode.  In fact, many of the substances listed above actually mimic naturally occurring hormones in the body such as estrogen’s (female hormones), androgen’s (male sex hormone), and thyroid hormones.  This all results in over-stimulation and unbalanced hormones (3).

Luckily, Maca is capable of restoring balance to both the nervous system, endocrine system, and adrenal cortex (4).

As a result, many will begin to see improvements in their health after incorporating Maca into their diet.  Even those who are already healthy can benefit from the hormone protecting properties of Maca.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXCHacawdOo

A Rich Source of Vitamins and Minerals

Unlike American grown foods, Maca is grown in Peru where the soils are rich and fertile.  The result is a much denser and more nutritious food.

Below is a list of some of the vitamins and minerals found in Maca:

• Over 20 amino acids (contains 8 of the 9 essential amino acids)
• Over 20 fatty acids (such as lauric, linolenic, palmitic acid, oleic , and steric acid)
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Copper
• Selenium
• Potassium
• Sulfur

These vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids are all what give Maca its invigorating properties.  In fact, the Natives of Peru eat up to 50 to 60 grams of Maca a day!

They claim Maca is responsible for the ability remain strong and healthy well into old age…

Always Choose Gelatinized Maca

Gelatinized is just a fancy word for “cooked.”  It’s important to always choose Maca that is “gelatinized” and not “raw.”  Since Maca is technically a vegetable, it contains anti-nutrients.  Anti-nutrients bind to key minerals in the body which can lead to a deteriorated state of health.

However, cooking reduces the anti-nutrient load found in Maca to an negligible amount.  This allows for better absorption of the Maca so that we can make use of its many wonderful properties.

If your looking for a great Maca Powder, I recommend The Maca Team Gelatinized Red Maca Powder

Remember, let food be your medicine and medicine be your food…

Be sure to drop your questions and comments below!

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Sources:

https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181830/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614604/