Maca Powder (Lepidium Meyenii)

*Maca is a nutritious herb found in the Andes Mountains in Peru. The Peruvian people consider Maca as a medicine and as an aphrodisiac. It can thrive at very high altitudes of 7-14,000 feet. For this reason, maca can be cultivated without clearing of forests because they grow above the treeline. The hardiness of the plant and its ability to be drought resistance allows it to be packed with healthy nutrients. During the Inca civilization, Maca was even used as a form of currency due to its health benefits. Maca supports the flow of energy in the body than giving you a jolt of energy like in caffeine, making maca an ideal adaptogen.

*Benefits include repairing the damaging effects of stress, regulating metabolic systems, supports normal hormone production, promotes nerve strength, sexual strength, promotes muscle strength, build mental clarity, memory, and balances the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems.

Suggested Use: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon in powder form, once or twice daily, or use as directed by your health practitioner.

Botanical name - Lepidium meyenii
Family - Brassicaceae

Morphology:
Maca mimics radishes and turnips in size and shape, growing to a height of 4.5 – 8 inches. It belongs to the mustard family. It is famous as Peruvian ginseng. Leaves are thin, frilly. Flowers are off-white, self-fertile, arise on a central raceme. Fruits are silicate with 2 ovoid seeds of 2-2.5 mm diameter. Maca reproduces mainly through self-pollination and is an autogamous species. Roots resemble large radish, tuberous.

Physico-chemical properties:
Taste: Sweet
Qualities: Heavy, unctuous
After digestion biotransformation of taste (Vipaka)– sweet
Potency – coolant