Maca 101 - What is it and What is it Good For?
What is Maca?
Maca is a Peruvian plant grown in the Andes mountains. The plant is known scientifically as Lepidium meyenii.
What is Maca Root?
Maca is a root vegetable native to Peru that has been cultivated as a food and medicine for over 2,000 years. It is a cruciferous vegetable like radish, turnip, cabbage, kale, and broccoli. It has a green, leafy top and the root is edible.
What is Maca Powder?
Maca powder is a form of maca root where the vegetable has been dried and milled. Maca as a dietary supplement is typically consumed as a ground powder.
What is in Maca?
Maca is a superfood with a strong nutritional profile - rich in amino acids, phytonutrients, fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamin and minerals. It also has unique nutrients called macaenes and macamides
What is Maca Good For?
Maca has a number of nutritional, medicinal and general health benefits, which is why it is sometimes referred to as “Peruvian Ginseng.”
Maca acts as an adaptogen - a plant with special properties that can help the body resist emotional or physical stressors. It provides powerful adrenal support which combats stress and fatigue. It is a purported energy booster and is also known for being beneficial to sexual health for men and women.
Does Maca Improve Sex?
Maca has a reputation for being a powerful aphrodisiac. Traditionally, maca has been used to improve sexual functioning and stamina in both men and women. It can help balance and restore hormones, boost libido, sexual function and fertility.
Studies have shown that men and women have increased their sex drive by taking maca.
What Does Maca do for Women?
The benefits of Maca for females mainly have to do with its ability to balance hormones.
Maca was first discovered because it increased fertility rates in livestock. This led Peruvian women to eat maca when they are trying to conceive a child. By regulating cycles and establishing a healthy estrogen and progesterone balance, maca can be used to boost sexual desire and treat infertility.
Maca also helps alleviate menstrual side effects. It can reduce symptoms of hormonal transitions like hot flushes, anxiety, night sweats and poor sleep. Research has even shown that maca supplementation can help improve sexual dysfunction in women taking antidepressants.
What Does Maca do for Men?
The list of sexual benefits for men is quite extensive. Not only has maca been reported to boost libido, but also can reduce erectile dysfunction, increase sexual endurance and improve fertility.
In one study involving 50 men with erectile dysfunction, the men who used maca for 12 weeks, showed a significant improvement in their symptoms.
Several studies have shown that maca can support healthy sperm production by increasing sperm counts and quality. It has also been found to improve sperm motility, all of which make a man more fertile.
What Does Maca Powder Taste Like?
Maca’s taste can be described as sweet, earthy and nutty. Some say it has a caramel or malt-like flavor, with a slight hint of butterscotch.
How Much Maca To Take Per Day?
The recommended usage is one teaspoon (5 grams or 5000mg) per day. This dose is considered safe for most people with no side effects.
When is the Best Time to Take Maca?
Maca is best taken in the morning because it is an energy booster.
When Should I Take Maca for Sex?
Maca is not a supplement you take just prior to sex like common medications for sexual performance. Therefore maca should be consumed continuously, on a daily basis, for the best results.
How Long Does it Take for Maca to Work?
Maca is a whole food, not a drug, so don’t expect maca to show its results instantly. By using maca regularly over the course of several days, you should see some benefit. But, to feel its full power, take maca daily for several weeks.
Where to Buy Maca?
We sell 100% pure organic raw maca in powder form. You can purchase it here.
How is Antler Farms® Organic Raw Maca grown and harvested?
Our maca comes from the Junin Plateau of Peru. Here, in the Andes Mountains, the climate and soil are ideal for growing maca. The plants are cultivated by small farmers on family plots without the use of herbicides, pesticides, artificial fertilizers or GMOs. When maca reaches maturity, it is harvested at its nutritional peak.
How is Antler Farms® Organic Raw Maca processed?
Once harvested, the maca is dried in the mountain sun. The root is separated from the leaves and milled into a fine powder.
Is Antler Farms® Organic Raw Maca gluten free?
Yes, it is gluten free. It is also certified organic, vegan, soy free, dairy free and GMO free.
How Can You Consume Maca?
Maca can be added to smoothies, juice, coffee, and other drinks, or used as an ingredient in recipes such as desserts.