In recent times Maca have gained popularity as a Super food and a Super root. It contains many benefits. If you do your research on how to become healthy you would never miss Maca as it is known as a miracle food with thousands of positive reviews. It is praised for its ability as an energy booster, immunity strengthener and other benefits which we will cover in this article.
Maca is a plant native to Peru and is perceived by the Inca warriors as a superfood which is able to energise them before they go into battle to eliminate their enemies with the biggest blow possible.
The root has even been called a natural Viagra and a magical root due to the benefits that it offers. It is mainly found growing in the Andes mountains in Central Peru.
The plant is hardy and is able to thrive in conditions that are harsh and would have otherwise cause other plants to wither.
Maca have been found growing at high altitudes of above 13,000 feet or 4000 meters. It has seen domestication since 2000 years ago and early people and cultures have been using them for their aphrodisiac and fertility properties.
In fact when the Spanish conquered the Inca tribes, they fed Maca to their livestock to help them adapt to the highland environment and also to help them reproduce better. The plant impressed the Spanish so much that at one time they demanded that they be given Maca instead of gold.
The part of the plant that provides us with the most benefits is the root. The root is found growing underground and comes in several colours. It exist mainly in 3 colour forms; red, white and black.
Before the root is consumed it is usually cooked and dried. It is often consumed in powder form although it also exists in liquid and capsule form as well. It has also become common and trendy for people to mix Maca with their smoothie and consumed as such.
Just a teaspoonful of the super food mixed with smoothie have been found to provide a subtle boost of energy and the effects can be felt in mere minutes after taking it.
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5 Top Benefits of Maca that make it a Super Food to the Incas for Thousands of Years
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1. As an Energy Booster and Sports Performance Enhancer
The super foof is popular among athletes and body builders. They are consumed just before a sporting competition by Athletes to provide that extra edge in strength and improved performance for the athlete to do well for that particular sport. This have been backed by research on animals where it has been shown that the Inca root does improve their endurance performance.
Body builders consume the super food for the added strength that it provides and for any benefits to muscle mass that it may provide. Although there is no scientific evidence of Maca’s positive impact on muscle mass and strength, body builders continue to consume the super root for its other known benefits as well.
Men and women who are concerned about getting superior health benefits continue to take the super food as part of their training programs.
As such we can say that Maca have helped athletes and body builders to “go natural” and sidestep the use of steroids, chemicals or other potentially harmful substances.
As an energy booster the Peruvian root provides that benefit in a very balanced manner and this is very unlike other energy boosters that come in the form of sugar, caffeine and carbohydrates.
Athletes and body builders alike welcome the added stamina that comes with consuming the super food as they can now work out longer and with more intensity resulting in more muscle growth and better overall performance.
In fact it has been the tradition of the Inca warriors of Peru to use Maca for muscle recovery and improved stamina. Something which they truly need being geographically located at elevated levels where oxygen levels are low.
2. Maca as a Hormone Balancer in both Men and Women
The super root is well known for its adaptogenic capabilities.
An adaptogen is a new class of metabolic regulators that helps people and even animals adapt to their environments even when factors such as stress and diet have affected them.
Adaptogens also protects them from the side effects of the factors mentioned above. In essence adaptogens helps protect the body’s natural resistance to environmental stresses that it faces on a daily basis.
Numerous studies have also shown that Maca can improve and enhance your mood.
The positive effects are particularly pronounced in women who are experiencing menopause and Maca have been found to reduce the symptoms of depression and reduce anxiety effectively.
The plant compounds known as flavonoids is one of the major reasons why Maca is able to provide these psychological benefits.
3. Maca for Weight Loss
There are several reasons why an individual becomes overweight.
One of it is a weakened immune system, chronic fatigue, stress and high cholesterol levels.
Maca can help to alleviate and cure these problems and therefore help an individual lose weight.
Being an adaptogenic Maca can also help to increase energy levels in our body which in turn help improve our body’s metabolism capabilities leading to more calories being burnt and helping us to lose weight.
Nevertheless by itself Maca might not lead to a substantial loss of weight but if used in a well planned exercise program Maca can definitely be a great metabolism enhancer and energy giving herb.
4. Maca as a Fertility Enhancer
Maca has been found to be a great testosterone regulator and have also been found to increase the libido of both men and women.
With that little extra boost in the bedroom Maca can help a couples chances of conceiving.
Research studies have also found that Maca helps to improve sperm count and mobility.
A recent human study involving 9 men showed that they experienced an increase in libido, sperm count, sperm mobility, increased DHEA levels, decreased anxiety and stress, a lowered blood pressure, balanced iron levels and an increase in adrenal androgens after consuming gelatinized Maca for 4 months at 1500 – 3000 mg a day.
So if you have been trying to have a baby, Maca is a root that might just help you achieve your goals in trying to grow your family.
5. Maca as a Skin Protector against the Sun
UV rays from the sun can damage our skin and this is something one might experience after spending a few hours at the beach playing under the hot sun.
Sun burn occurs when you expose your skin too long to the strong sun’s rays.
Beside sun burn, the sun’s rays is also one of the major cause of skin wrinkling and it also increases the risk of contracting skin cancer.
Some research have been conducted on the effectiveness of Maca as a skin protector. Maca extract when applied to the skin can prevent skin damage caused by UV radiation.
Polyphenol antioxidants and glucosinolates found in Maca provides this protective aspect of Maca.
We can expect in the future the availability of sunscreens that contains Maca extracts. That would definitely help in protecting our skin from the dangers of uv radiation.
If you are looking for a good Maca supplement, do take a look at Niqmat Maca Honey. It contains genuine and organic Black Maca from the Peruvian Andes mountains and comes mixed with Hungarian honey from unpolluted and refreshing countrysides of Hungary.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this site which includes articles, excerpts, studies, etc is intended for educational purposes only. The information should not be used as a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is also not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You are advised to seek prompt medical care for any health issues that arise. You are also advised to consult your doctor before you attempt to use alternative medicine or making a change to your health and medical regimen.