Maca powder

Today, more and more discoveries are being made as far as new herbal supplements are concerned. This is mainly because people from all walks of life are looking for ways on how they can improve their health through natural means. If you are one of these people, then one of the herbal supplements that you could consider would be maca powder.

Maca powder is derived from the maca plant, which is scientifically known as lepidium meyenii. It is an herbaceous plant which can be found in the cold and rocky mountains of Bolivia and Peru. For many centuries, the plant has been used both as a food source and a medicinal herb. Quechua Indians living in the central highlands have actually been harvesting and making use of maca for medicinal purposes from 1600 B.C. It is also referred to as the maca-maca, ayak chichira, maino and ayak willku.

The root of the maca plant is set to dry and then ground and pulverized to produce the powder. Maca powder has been studied to have high nutritional value, as it is an excellent source of a number of vitamins and minerals including carbohydrates, dietary fiber, protein and essential fatty acids. It is also high in selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium, amino acids and other phytonutrients. Manufacturers of maca powder usually sell it as a supplement which could be added to food, juices or smoothies. Aside from being available in powder form, freeze-dried maca juice and maca flour are also being sold by maca powder manufacturers.

Maca powder offers plenty of health benefits and medicinal properties. Here are some of them.

1. First off, maca powder can help in boosting your body’s metabolism through the amino acids that it has. The amino acids can also aid in digestion and lean muscle building. If you are trying to lose weight or are into bodybuilding, then maca powder would be an excellent supplement.

2. It can also efficiently increase your stamina and energy level. Through taking a maca powder supplement daily, you can have more energy, allowing you to accomplish more without feeling too tired or exhausted at the end of the day. Maca powder has also been used by individuals who are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

3. Maca powder can strengthen the body’s immune system, helping you to ward off all kinds of illnesses and diseases.

4. Because of the high amount of calcium it has, drinking a glass of maca juice could provide you with even more calcium than one glass of milk. This can help in effectively strengthening your bones, preventing osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

5. Maca root powder can also increase the sex drive and fertility of both men and women. It has actually been dubbed as the “herbal Viagra” or the “Peruvian ginseng”. For men, taking a maca powder supplement can increase sperm count and improve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction, enhancing sexual performance.

6. It can help in increasing the production of red blood cells, preventing anemia as well as in enhancing blood circulation, preventing hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

These are just some of the health benefits that maca powder offers. Overall, it is an herbal supplement that is worth trying. It can help in improving your health, preventing a variety of medical conditions and diseases. By adding it to your daily diet through mixing a couple of teaspoons of maca root powder with natural fruit juices, coffee, plain water and even in yogurt, oatmeal or ice cream, you could enjoy its benefits and feel better and healthier.

There are a lot of manufacturers and online retailers of maca powder and other maca supplements today. However, make sure that you would be purchasing from a reputable company to ensure the quality of the maca powder that you would be getting.

Last updated on May 8th, 2011 and filed under Alternative Medicine. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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