01 Nov Why You Should Take Maca – Your Body’s New Best Friend

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The older you get in life, the more you realise you don’t want a huge group of friends. You want a small, reliable cluster that ticks all your friendship boxes. When it comes to supplements, it’s not that different. You don’t want a cacophony of pills and potions, lining your countertops, that need to be systematically ingested every day, each one for a different ailment. You want the incredible few that know what your busy life needs and are able to support you in a whole bunch of different aspect.

If you haven’t yet stumbled upon Maca, you’re about to make one of those friends you hit it off with straight away because, well, they get you. Maca, the herb from Peru whose roots have been revered for centuries by the Peruvians, is sending palpable ripples through the health food scene for its remarkable hormone, mood and strength enhancing properties. They don’t call it the warrior herb for no good reason. And who doesn’t want the kind of friend that gets you off your backside and motivates you to live up to your full potential? Discover why Maca is quickly going to become that new best friend for you.

What makes Maca so unique:

The root powder is actually what’s known as an adaptogen. You’ve heard of those right? This basically means it is ideally suited to ‘adapting’ to your body’s unique needs. By supporting your whole body functioning it has the ability to stabilise various systems, like your metabolism, your cardiovascular system, nervous system, musculature, lymphatic system, bringing them back into balance. But it if any of those systems don’t require input if you will, maca rot won’t overstimulate any given one. As an adaptogen it also boosts immunity.

On the hormone front, the same principle applies. By supporting your endocrine system, the root can stimulate your body to produce the hormone which is in a state of imbalance.

How women specifically can benefit from taking Maca:

• Ups the ant on your libido
• Enhances fertility
• Assists in regulating ovulation cycles
• Improves hair growth and skin tone
• Balances hormones during menstruation cycles and transition to menopause
• Subdues hot flashes

How men benefit from taking Maca:

• These enhancements have been specifically noted with black maca.
• Increase in sperm count
• Boosting libido
• Athletes requiring extra strength and stamina
• Support muscle growth

These benefits have been specifically noted in the consumption of black maca. It is also purported to be excellent at preventing osteoporosis and protecting the bone structure.

Overall experienced benefits:

• Heightens your focus
• Eases symptoms of depression
• Improves memory
• Improves hair growth and skin tone
• Keeps stress and anxiety at bay
• Boosts your energy levels

Where Maca gets its superpowers:

This isn’t your run of the mill superfood supplement that only ticks one box. Maca is nutritionally rich:

• High in vitamins, especially B1, B2, C & E
• Rich in minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur and iron
• Contains trace minerals; including zinc, iodine, copper, selenium, bismuth, manganese and silica
• It has about 10% bioavailable calcium and about 12-14% bioavailable protein

Amped up on amino acids

Maca contains nearly 20 amino acids and seven essential amino acids. This is what gives it it’s hormone regulating edge. Proteins are made up of amino acids and provide key building blocks for much of what happens in the human body. Everything from cell structure, hair, skin and yes hormones. Certain types of hormones like insulin or growth hormones churned out by your pituitary gland are ‘built’ using amino acids. So, by providing your body directly with good quality amino acids, your body is primed to begin building the hormones it needs.

When Maca will particularly work for you

We would be remiss if we didn’t caveat this incredible super root with some realistic expectations. Without fully knowing what is causing your hormone imbalance, you can’t expect one product to be your cure-all. If for example, you’ve got a growth on your thyroid or have been diagnosed with endometriosis, you should first make sure with your doctor with taking maca could help or complicate things.

According to Alisa Vitti, founder of the acclaimed Woman Code, there are 3 instances in which taking Maca for hormone regulation can be highly beneficial:

• You’ve decided to come off the birth control pill and your hormones are totally out of whack
• You’re entering perimenopause and post-menopause
• After you’ve had a baby and are no longer breastfeeding

How best to consume your daily dose of Maca

There are 3 primary types of maca root, red, yellow and black. Yellow maca is the most common and packs a powerful punch in all the above-mentioned areas, with black maca being particularly good for men and highly active types. Red maca is said to be the sweetest and most effective at balancing female hormones due to the high phytonutrients.

You can either take it in a powdered form or capsule form if you’re not a fan of the taste. Some have likened it to a barley-like flavour similar to Horlicks or Ovaltine.

• Try it hidden in this Honest Chocolate
• Make Raw maca chocolate bark with nut butter swirls
• Blend up this hormone balancing smoothie
• Opt for a maca mocha chia pudding
• Start your day with some maca cacao overnight oats

So, you see? Maca really is the kind of friend you can kick back with and have a wild time with, unwind and work up a really good sweat with. A friend to keep you fit and healthy and in your best shape yet. Sounds like the kind of friend we could all do with in life?

We would love to know, have you tried adding maca to your diet? Please do share about your experience by leaving a comment below for the green community.

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