Welcome back to my Caliente Kitchen Show. Today we will be discussing all about a Peruvian superfood: Maca
I have partnered with the promotion agency of Peru, PROMPERU to discuss the nutrition and health benefits of maca. I am also excited to share with you some ways to enjoy maca so you can reap the benefits out of this Peruvian superfood. I will also show you how to use maca in three delicious recipes. My Energizing Smoothie, #PeruSuperfoods Powered Pancakes and Maca supercharging balls.
A great fact about maca is that Peru is the number ONE and ONLY exporter of maca to the world. This is because Maca is a protected heritage product of Peru. That means that it can’t be grown legally outside of Peru. Also, maca can ONLY grow in a specific area in Peru due to the volcanic soils and therefore proving the powerful benefits.
So what is maca?
Maca is a cruciferous plant like broccoli and cauliflower. This root that grows in central Peru in the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains. It has been cultivated as a vegetable crop in this area for at least 3000 years. When you search on Google for Maca benefits there are over 3 million results. So, as a registered dietitian and author or two Peruvian superfoods books, I will share science-based information that have learned through my research.
Stories tell us that the Incan warriors took maca before battle for strength and vitality. This makes sense because experimental scientific evidence showed that maca has been shown to enhance athletic performance, which is great for exercise
Aside from giving strength, maca provides many other health benefits that in will later describe. Maca has also been shown to increase sex drive for both men and women alike.
So how does this all work? Studies have shown that it is not due to hormonal changes, but rather macas effects are due to its nutritional composition. Maca contains unique bioactive marker compounds, macamides and macaenes, that many researchers believe have libido-boosting properties. These properties are exclusive to maca and are powerful energy and sex enhancers. And men, listen up! Another great fact is that maca can help with men who have erectile dysfunction.
Maca root is generally dried and consumed in powder form, which is a whole food, but it’s also available in capsules and as a liquid extract and these two forms are consider supplements. As a Registered dietitian, I recommend the whole food form, meaning the powder form and it is what I used to make the recipes.
Watch the video for a lot more information on this fascinating superfood and the recipe demonstrations!
