Many of you have heard of Maca by now, it’s fairly common to see it in most stores. And, that’s a good thing. Maca is truly a super food in every sense of the word, and the hype is well deserved.
Maca is a root that has been used in Peru for a very long time, and is in the radish family. It is considered an adaptogenic root that can help you deal with stress, give you energy, provide hormonal balance and increase physical endurance. It can be very effective in combating both anemia and chronic fatigue while promoting adrenal health. It is a natural mood-enhancer, and creates balanced energy without being a stimulant.
Maca is also highly nutritious, as it contains 60 potent nutrients, including beta-sitosterol, glucosinolates, and fatty acids. It also has 18 amino acids, including 7 of the 9 essential amino acids.
I personally love using it and can feel the effects immediately, but I don’t take it every day. I believe we need balance and to rotate all of our nutrients, including our superfood supplements.
Almost everyone today is over-exposed to estrogen due to food and environment, which leaves both men and women with erratic hormone imbalances. Maca, when taken properly, can help nourish the master glands of the body — the hypothalamus and the pituitary, and help with natural hormone regulation. Those master glands are directly involved in the regulation of the other glands and organs in the body including your adrenals, thyroid, pancreas, ovaries and testes.
As an adaptogen, maca has the ability to respond to your individual needs. So, when you are producing too much of one hormone, maca will gently encourage the body to make less. When your body is not making enough, maca will encourage the body to make more. Maca can help with the regulation of hormones to help increase libido, diminish PMS symptoms, create a calm mood, and provide consistent energy.
WHAT TYPE OF MACA SHOULD YOU TAKE?
There have been various studies on the different types of maca, red, black and white. Red maca is actually a red/purple root before dried, and has repeatedly been shown to have:
~ the highest phytonutrient count
~ highest antioxidant level
~ highest anti-tumor capability.
More specifically red maca was shown to be best for prostate health for men, and bone density improvements for women.
In terms of hormonal balance, libido, and energy, it performed about the same as white and black maca. So, overall, it tastes better (more mild) and has significantly higher health benefits.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU TAKE?
Start out with a teaspoon per day, and work your way up to a tablespoon. It is advisable to take it every day for a couple of weeks, and then stop taking it for a week, and then resume again for the best results!
