Everything You Need to Know About Maca

Welcome to 2023! I want to start the year off by taking a deep dive into one of my favourite adaptogens: maca! It’s got an incredible sweet, caramelly flavour that works so well in healing elixirs, smoothies, baking, and desserts, especially when it’s combined with chocolate like in this Chocolate Maca Avocado Pudding. Adding adaptogenic herbs to your routine is a great way to support your body and hormones for a healthy, happy 2023!

This post covers everything you need to know about maca including what it is, 4 amazing health benefits, how to choose the right maca for you, and yummy recipes to support your health, naturally.

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Maca, or Lepidium meyenii, is a biennial plant (that means it is harvested every two years) native to South America, specifically Peru and Bolivia. It grows at high altitudes between 8000 and 14 500 feet in the Peruvian Andes and the part that we use is the root bulb, which looks quite similar to a turnip. It is often referred to as Peruvian ginseng.

Maca is loaded with impressive health benefits that range from helping with hormonal balance and fertility to supporting the body’s stress response.

These benefits are so well known that there are records of Incan warriors carrying maca into battle to boost their strength and endurance.

In recent years maca has become a popular adaptogen in the wellness community. While Andean natives have been cooking and eating the whole plant, even the delicious leaves for millennia, in North America you’ll typically find maca in a dried and powdered form. It’s an incredible source of amino acids including arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, and valine. Some of these amino acids may be responsible for some of the health benefits listed below.

These roots are also packed with vitamins, minerals, glucosinolates, and antioxidants that come together to nourish and support the body, making this a truly functional food to add to your diet!

I mentioned above that maca is one of my favourite adaptogens and while this is a popular term in wellness circles, it’s worth explaining the specifics. In herbal medicine, adaptogens are classified as natural substances that are non-toxic and non-habit forming over the long term. These herbs generally help the body adapt to, and cope with stress, while normalizing other bodily processes. They often affect the endocrine system, specifically the adrenal glands, though certain herbs can act on other organs as well.

In the case of maca it is best used in cases of sex hormone imbalance since it tends to modulate the action of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. These glands essentially control the whole endocrine system. That means if they’re functioning optimally, they can send the proper signals to all the other endocrine glands, including the adrenals, ovaries and testes, to ensure that proper amounts and ratios of steroid and sex hormones are being released when they are needed.

Maca is best used in cases of sex hormone imbalance since it tends to modulate the action of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

I’ve talked before about other beneficial herbs for stress relief and relaxation and while some adaptogens may not have acute effects on a state of stress or anxiety, they can provide long-term support for the body and nourish our overworked adrenal glands. Incorporating adaptogens into your routine helps increase resiliency over the long term. For the best results, try taking your adaptogens as a gentle daily tonic or combine them with nervine herbs in a soothing cup of tea!

Like many root vegetables, there are different varieties of maca that range from cream or yellow to red or purple all the way to a dark blackish blue hue. Currently, researchers are trying to discover whether there are different therapeutic properties associated with the various colours. While the science isn’t fully settled, there is some preliminary research that has led to some general recommendations about which type to use for certain conditions.

Yellow or cream coloured maca is typically recommended for those who are looking to boost their libidos and sexual function. Red maca is believed to have the highest amino acid content, which makes it great for those looking to boost strength and stamina and balance hormones. Finally, black maca is recommended not only for hormonal balance, but also to support immunity and digestive function.

Black maca is recommended not only for hormonal balance, but also to support immunity and digestive function.

However, as I mentioned, the science isn’t fully settled, so don’t get too wrapped up in the different colours. It’s more important to focus on purchasing organic and choosing a form that is going to be best for you. Keep reading below for more details on the different forms to look out for.

Now that you’re a pro on all things maca, let’s take a look at a few of the potential health benefits of this delicious and versatile adaptogen.

While there are many factors that can impact fertility, including exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, it can be helpful to add a functional food like maca to your diet to support fertility in both men and women. Generally, it’s found that fertility issues arise in males and females in a 50/50 split–half the time there is a problem on the male side and half on the female.

Low sperm count or motility is one major cause of infertility in couples. This study found that supplementing with 1.5 or 3 grams of maca daily for four months increased sperm count and motility in men ages 24-44.

For female fertility, this animal study showed promise in improving pregnancy outcomes. This study also found that a combination of maca, vitex, and folate helped to regulate the menstrual cycle, stimulate ovulation, and increase the likelihood of getting pregnant. Due to these effects of maca on fertility, it’s best not to take while pregnant or breastfeeding since there isn’t enough information currently available during these life stages.

Menopause is the natural transition period when the menstrual cycle ceases and estrogen levels decline. However, it is often approached with a mixture of fear and nervousness due to the potential symptoms which can include hot flashes, night sweats, decreased energy, possible weight gain, mood swings, loss of libido or vaginal dryness, decreased bone density, and even anxiety or depression.

This study found that women who took 3.5 grams of maca per day for six weeks saw improvements in psychological symptoms of menopause such as anxiety and depression. They also had a decrease in sexual dysfunction, which means a healthier, happier sex life post menopause!

Another promising study found that supplementing with two grams of gelatinized maca daily for three or nine months led to a significant reduction in menopausal discomfort in early postmenopausal women.

Thanks to the stress and busyness of daily life, many people may find their libidos waning over time. If you’re finding it a little more difficult to get in the mood then adding maca to your routine may be just the thing you need!

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This study found that taking 3 grams of maca daily for 12 weeks increased sexual desire in women with antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction when compared with a placebo.

Another side of the libido coin is the ability to physically get in the mood. While erectile dysfunction isn’t something that is often openly discussed, up to 52% of men may struggle with this condition at some point in their lifetime. That makes it worth talking about since it impacts not only sexual satisfaction, but can also take a psychological toll on those who experience it.

This randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that supplementing with approximately 2.5 grams of maca over 12 weeks improved erectile function, sexual satisfaction, and well-being more than those on the placebo.

More research found that supplementing with either 1.5 or 3 grams of maca for 12 weeks increased sexual desire in men aged 21 to 56. The researchers found that the participant's sexual desire increased at week 8 and maintained at 12 weeks.

If you’re looking for a delicious way to increase your libido and get in the mood, try making my Sexy Maca Balls for your next date night!

One major reason people turn to adaptogens is to increase their mood and energy levels by supporting their resilience and body’s ability to adapt to stress. This study found that supplementing with maca improved both energy and mood when compared to a placebo.

Interestingly, it also found a slight difference in benefits when comparing red maca to black maca. The red maca seemed to have a slightly more beneficial effect on mood and energy, while black maca reduced blood sugar levels. This small piece of data is interesting since maintaining stable blood sugar is one of the foundations of joyous health!

Red maca seems to have a slightly more beneficial effect on mood and energy, while black maca reduced blood sugar levels.

For a delicious and natural mood booster, try making my decadent Maca Chocolate Hazelnut Freezer Fudge. The combination of theobromine in the chocolate and mood-boosting effects of maca is a match made in heaven!

When you’re out shopping for your maca, you’ll likely see a couple different varieties: raw or gelatinized. You might be wondering which is better and the answer is that it depends!

Raw maca is made by dehydrating and grinding up the maca root into a powder. It contains all the starches, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes since it is never heated above about 105F. By weight, maca is about 70% starch and since raw processed maca contains all the starches of the tuber, it can cause digestive distress in some people. Certain starches that it contains, such as amylose and amylopectin, may be difficult for some people to digest.

Gelatinized maca has been cooked and the starches have been removed so the final product is a concentrated source of nutrients.

Gelatinized maca has been cooked and the starches have been removed so the final product is a concentrated source of nutrients. Many of the studies mentioned above use gelatinized maca. While the cooking process does decrease the amount of enzymes and vitamin C, it is typically easier to digest for those who have starch-sensitive stomachs. You can pick up gelatinized maca from Rise Market. Use code JOY20 to save $20 off a year membership!

Which form you choose depends on your digestive health and whether you are looking for a concentrated dosage of nutrients for a specific health condition or looking to incorporate a gentle adaptogen into your diet.

I also suggest looking for fermented maca when it is available since the fermentation process makes it easier to digest and absorb, so you get more of those beneficial compounds with every serving!

One of my favourite ways to enjoy it is in this simple and delicious Maca Hot Chocolate. It’s the perfect soothing elixir to warm you up on a cold day.

I hope this article has inspired you to start incorporating maca into your routine to support your natural resiliency and hormone balance.

Xo Joy

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