Is Maca Root a Superfood?
Posted by The Maca Team on 1st May 2024
What makes a food a superfood? It’s one of those terms that gets thrown around often enough that you have some idea what it means: namely, that some foods are better for you than others. That seems reasonable enough - common sense says that an apple is going to have more nutritional value than fried Oreos, even if it might not taste as good. While most people are aware of the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise, there’s no magic diet that can cure all your ailments. But it doesn’t hurt to know what the foods you’re eating are doing for you and your body.
While “superfood” is largely a marketing term, the folks at Harvard refer to superfoods as foods that “can be singled out for special recognition.” The Cleveland Clinic calls them “super-charged, super-healthy foods.” So though there’s no hard diagnostic criteria for what makes a superfood, we can say that superfoods are generally considered to be nutrient-dense, calorie-low foods that can promote your overall health.
And yes, maca root is one of them!
A History of Maca Root
Before maca root became a hip superfood, it was farmed and consumed in the Peruvian Andes for centuries. Written accounts of maca date back as far as the 1500s, with Spanish colonizers documenting the use of maca by native Peruvians for maintaining their health and improving fertility. It wouldn’t be until the 1990s that the outside world began to understand the value of maca root as a health supplement, resulting in a boom in popularity.
It’s worth noting that none of maca’s current positive associations are new. For as long as maca has been harvested for human consumption, it’s been celebrated for numerous reported benefits. These include a rise in libido, increased fertility, higher energy levels, and improved concentration. Maca has taken its place among blueberries and ginseng as a sort of homeopathic cure for every manner of ailment. The truth is, maca root isn’t a magic fix for every health complaint. But its title as “superfood” is well-earned nonetheless.
What Makes Maca So Special?
Where do we start? Maca might not be magic, but it’s a nutritional workhorse that can do wonders for the body if consumed regularly over an extended period of time. Maca root is considered an adaptogen, or a substance that helps the body manage stress by increasing resistance against physical, chemical, biological, and psychological outside stressors. Maca is loaded with essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. In short, maca can help support overall wellness by helping reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
"I have been using this product for almost 3 months and have seen a huge help with anxiety and depression. I am so glad to have found a natural product to help with these issues. When the doctor only wants to give a prescription it is great to find something to get to the real problem and that it is helped with something natural.! Thanks for the high standards of this product." - Karen
Why Buy The Maca Team's Maca?
Our Fair Trade organic maca is sustainably grown and harvested by farmers invested in the quality and well-being of the land. Fields are rotated to ensure the continued viability of the soil, and our maca is harvested in small batches at the peak of the annual season, ensuring that you’re getting the freshest maca possible.
We’re a small family-owned business of maca experts dedicated to bringing our customers the highest quality maca root products available.
If you have any questions for us, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us using our web form, or call us toll-free at 888-919-8616.
Enjoy the Day!