Is Maca FDA-Approved?

With the abundance of nutritional supplements and products on the market, it’s more important than ever to know what you’re purchasing to put in your body. There are all kinds of “miracle fixes” out there that make grandiose claims, whether it’s about boosting your libido or clearing up your skin. Browsing maca products on big online retailers alone brings you to items that claim to act as “all-natural” substitutes for steroids. Red flag much? We think so.

In the US, where The Maca Team operates, we have the Food and Drug Administration to regulate products meant to be imbibed by humans and animals alike. It’s good to know where the FDA stands on something you’re considering adding to your diet. But the FDA’s purview is limited, and there are some things - including maca - that don’t fall beneath that umbrella. So how are you supposed to know if your maca is safe? Let us give you some food for thought.

Why is the FDA so Important?

As per the FDA.gov, the FDA’s mission is “protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.”

Has the FDA approved maca? The short answer here is “no.” The FDA does, in fact, evaluate nutritional supplements for their content as foods. You can learn more about what they regulate and why on their website, which details the extent of their responsibilities.

Despite this, maca hasn’t been evaluated by the FDA…but then, neither has licorice root, which has been commonly used as a flavoring and for medicinal purposes throughout the world for many years. That’s not to say that dangerous substances haven’t been consumed historically - for example, did you know that the ancient Romans once used lead for flavoring? And without going into the gruesome details, there’s good reason the FDA was established here in the United States in the first place.

Is Maca Safe?

Maca root has been grown and consumed for centuries in the Andes. As such, it’s developed a reputation over the years for its many purported benefits, which are a lot like those you’d find for some of the aforementioned mystery supplements we referenced above. The key difference? Even if maca isn’t FDA-evaluated, it isn’t a supplement; it’s actually a food.

And there’s better news: namely, that while the FDA has refrained from assessing maca root’s nutritional value, there’s still plenty of research into its positive effects made available by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health.

It’s always a good idea to research what you might expect from any product you’re considering introducing to your diet, especially if you’ll be consuming it in search of some particular effect or impact on your health. Since its rise in popularity in the US in the early 2000s, there’s been an increase in so-called “all natural” maca products marketed with spurious claims that are, in fact, tainted with harmful additives - enough that the FDA has put out warnings about particular products from unsavory vendors.

Why Buy From The Maca Team?

Because when you’re purchasing our maca, that’s exactly what you’re purchasing: pure organic maca, certified Fair Trade and non-GMO. Whether you choose to order one of our premium raw maca powders or our maca coffee substitute, you’ll always know exactly what’s in the packaging. Our maca root is harvested in the Junin Plateau region of the Peruvian Andes before being processed and sent to us in small batches, so you can be sure that it’s fresh and you’ll get the most out of its shelf life.

We’ve put a lot of work into bringing quality maca to our customers, and we’re proud of our products. Don’t hesitate to Contact Us using our web form, or call us toll-free at 888-919-8616.

Enjoy the day!