What Is Maca root powder and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about maca root powder and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 2 recipes to cook tonight.

What is maca root powder?

Maca root is mainly grown for the nutritional and health value of its root. The majority of harvested maca is dried. In this form, the hypocotyls can be stored for several years.

The flavour of maca root powder have shown a very low acceptance of the particular maca taste in consumers when first exposed to it. Apparently the taste is acquired, which creates a barrier for the further propagation of this food as a vegetable.

Small-scale clinical trials performed in men have suggested that maca extracts can improve semen quality, and boost libido.

A recent review states "Randomized clinical trials have shown that maca has favorable effects on energy and mood, may decrease anxiety and improve sexual desire. Maca has also been shown to improve sperm production, sperm motility, and semen volume."

A 2010 review of the extant evidence for the effect of Maca on libido, however, found only tentative support for its aphrodisiac claims.

In Chinese:: 马卡根粉
British (UK) term:: Maca root powder
en français:: poudre de racine de maca
en español:: maca en polvo de raíz

Recipes using maca root powder

There are 2 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Superfood Green Smoothie

This smoothie packs a real superfood punch with a combination of wolfberries, hemp seeds, chia seeds, maca and spirulina. Wolfberries, hemp seeds, chia seeds and spirulina are all complete proteins. In addition, chia seeds and hemp seeds are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Maca is a great hormone regulator and has traditionally been used to enhance fertility. Spirulina is one of nature's wonder foods and its GLA content (gamma linolenic acid, an important fatty acid) is second only to mother's milk.