7 Health Benefits of Maca: Boost Your Mojo {& More} with this Ancient Superfood!

I’m always on the hunt for yet another thing to throw into my smoothies or baked/raw goodies. You know, as if greens, fruit, lemon zest, virgin coconut oil, protein powder, spirulina, chia seed, psyllium husk, bentonite powder, flaxseed, milk, homemade yogurt, and whatever else I’m in the mood for weren’t enough. Let’s add something else, shall we? For the record, I do pick and choose and the above is not a standard in every smoothie de jour. That would be totally gross, no?

Maca is the new kid on the block. Kind of. I’ve been crushing on this ancient superfood for some time now, but so many other topics kept creeping up the priority list. Until now. After all, this is the month of love, and maca is known for its mojo. It’s time for a breakdown {not to be confused with a meltdown}.

What is Maca?

Maca root, also known as “Peruvian ginseng”, has been prized for generations as an energy enhancer, aphrodisiac, and hormone and mood stabilizer. It’s a nutritionally-rich, loaded with phytonutrients, phytohormones, amino acids, vitamins, trace minerals, and fatty acids. Dried maca powder contains more than 10% protein, nearly 20 amino acids, and 7 essential amino acids. As a root crop, maca contains five times more protein than a potato and four times more fiber.

7 Health Benefits of Maca

1. Energy & Stamina

Because it naturally balances hormone levels, there is no “crash”, as there is with sugar, coffee, or that nasty chemical-infused Red Bull. Maca naturally raises your energy level, and {allegedly} if you were to take maca daily for, say two weeks, it leaves such an impression on your system, that if you were to stop taking it for a few days, your energy would remain higher than it was prior to supplementing. Talk about time-release! Additionally, maca can boost endurance and stamina, as a result of increased testosterone levels. Ditch the coffee and add maca to your morning routine.

2. Mood

Due to maca’s natural ability to increase serotonin levels in the body, it has been linked to relieving mild depression, without the side effects typically found in pharmaceutical antidepressants {weight gain, dulled senses, and fatigue}.

Disclaimer: Under no circumstance, should you take this as medical advice and stop your meds if you’re among the many depression sufferers out there, mmmkaaay?

3. Endodrine-Regulating

One of maca’s main actions is to stimulate and nourish the hypothalamus which regulates the pituitary gland, or the body’s “master gland” – essentially the mother ship of the endocrine system. When the pituitary gland functions optimally, the entire endocrine system becomes balanced, because it controls the hormone output of other glands.

4. Fertility-Boosting

The maca root is known to improve the quality and quantity of sperm in men who have lower than normal sperm counts, which helps to naturally increase fertility. In women, maca works by controlling estrogen in the body. Screwy estrogen levels can prevent a woman from becoming pregnant, keep her from carrying to term, and cause progesterone levels to dip too low. Maca is thought to increase progesterone levels, which are essential to carrying a healthy pregnancy.

5. Relief from “The Change”

The active ingredients in the maca root appear to lessen the severity and frequency of hot flashes that occur due to hormonal changes in a woman’s body as they reach menopause. Maca root balances the body’s natural hormone levels without the use of synthetic hormone replacements that are typical treatment for menopausal symptoms.

6. Glowing Skin

For both men and women, skin problems such as acne have been drastically improved with the use of maca. Buh-bye Clearasil!

7. More Mojo

Culturally, the ancient Peruvians ingested this powerful root to boost the potency of the male libido. Its natural properties help to create an aphrodisiac-like response in men who have suffered from impotency, low sex-drive, and fertility problems. Estrogen in men produces erectile dysfunction or lack of libido, low sperm count, and lowered production of seminal fluid. Studies have shown that men who use maca may experience an increased libido and an increase in sperm health. Maca has been coined the term “Nature’s Viagra” for good reason. Bob Dole, take note.

I’m Sold on Maca – Now What?

Maca has a light, nutty flavor and is incredibly easy to add to your existing super-healthy {or not so much} diet. It’s great in smoothies, soups, stews, sauces, baked goods, your morning oatmeal, sprinkled on organic {non-microwaved} popcorn with a bit of virgin coconut oil and sea salt, or just about anything else that suits your fancy. Try it in my mojo-boosting Dark Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Superfood Smoothie, inspired by Cupid himself.

Due to the possibility of experiencing pesky detoxification symptoms when first starting this powerful superfood, it’s recommended to start with a ½ teaspoon a day, and work up to a teaspoon or two daily or every other day, over the course of a few weeks. The reason this happens is that when bodies more accustomed to consuming processed foods start taking in such a nutritionally dense supplement, the body will absorb the superior nutrients it needs and start eliminating the “old junk” it doesn’t need any more, which can create uncomfortable symptoms {headaches, body aches, nausea/vomiting, etc.}. Starting slowly or beginning your maca routine after a good old-fashioned detox {like The Superwoman Slim Down} will alleviate this.

Maca’s energy-boosting capabilities are also not a force to be reckoned with, and can cause the jitters and serious energy boosts in sensitive systems. Again, starting slowly will alleviate this {½ teaspoon a day, and work up to a teaspoon or two daily or every other day, over the course of a few weeks}.

Where to Buy

Any good health food store worth its salt should have maca, ideally in the bulk isle {greeniac alert!}, but if not, you can always get it here or here without having to leave the house {my personal preference}.

Have you ever tried maca? If so, what’s your favorite way to add it to your foods?  I’d LOVE to hear! Please leave a comment.

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