Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Maca is a traditional Peruvian food rich in vitamins and important minerals like iron and zinc. It’s also used medicinally for energy levels, stamina, hormonal balance and libido.

Benefits include

• hormone balancing,
• improving energy levels,
• improving physical stamina,
• increasing libido,
• improving fertility,
• easing menopausal symptoms,
• enhancing mood, and
• improving memory and concentration.

How to take:

Maca is best consumed in the gelatinized form which is when the starch has been broken so the nutrients and benefits are able to be digested and utilised. It comes as a powder which can be added to food and drink or it can be taken in capsule form.

How much?

Follow your practitioner’s recommendations and consult the package, but it’s generally considered safe to dose up to 3g a day.

I can’t locate gelantinzed form so I tend to add maca to smoothies and energy bars. It is important to start slowly. I started with a ¼ tsp and worked up to a 1 teaspoon. I haven’t gone beyond that.

I and some of my clients use it as part of their wellness toolkit. It is not a magic powder to bestow your libido or other benefits back. Like all things in the rich tapestry of life, it play a very useful role in hormonal balance but it just piece of the jigsaw puzzle of your wellness journey.