The Top 4 Health Benefits of Maca Powder
For many people, maca powder may be one of the latest buzzing trends in the health and wellness industry. But, it has a long history of culinary and medicinal use in its native land of Peru.
Made by grinding the root of the maca plant, which is basically a turnip-like vegetable with a nutty and earthy flavor, maca powder is being widely used by Peruvians since at least the 15th century[1] due to its numerous health benefits.
Nutritional Profile of Maca Root Powder
The powerful nutritional profile of maca root has earned it the reputation of a superfood and rightly so. While the root vegetable is calorie-dense, as compared to other taproot vegetables, it is incredibly rich in vitamins and minerals that play a critical role in improving and maintaining our overall health and wellbeing. These include, but not limited to calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, potassium, vitamins C, E, B1, B2, and B6, essential fatty acids, and over 20 amino acids. Maca powder is also a good source of a number of phytonutrients and also provides a decent amount of fiber.
Top 4 Health Benefits of Maca Powder
Traditionally used for treating fertility, sexual, and hormonal issues in both men and women, maca powder has lately been found to offer a number of other benefits too. These include:
1. It Offers an Energy Boost
Maca powder has been found to help athletes perform better by increasing their energy, strength, and endurance capabilities. While some also claim that the vegetable powder also helps build muscle mass, it is so far an unsubstantiated claim.
Many users, including non-athletes, have reported that the regular use of maca powder makes them feel more energized and driven. While it is not yet known how exactly maca powder works to boost energy, it makes a great alternative to caffeine as it doesn’t cause jitters even when consumed in higher amounts.
2. Maca Powder is Great for Treating Hormonal Imbalance in Women
As mentioned above, maca root powder has traditionally been used for improving women’s reproductive health and fertility. It is highly effective for restoring a hormonal balance in women, particularly for bringing the estrogen levels back to normal.
Since hormonal imbalance is the root cause of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and also often negatively affects fertility by inhibiting the processes of ovulation and fertilization, maca root powder can help improve women’s reproductive system through hormone regulation.
The restoration of hormone balance is also the main goal of PCOS treatments, which means maca powder also helps improve PCOS-related symptoms, such as irregular menstrual cycle, and excessive hair growth.
3. It Helps Decrease Anxiety and Depression
The number and intensity of the side effects of most antidepressant medications have led people to look out for better alternatives. Since natural products do not produce any adverse effects, a large number of people suffering from depression and anxiety are willing to try out natural ingredients or products made from them. One of the natural and safer alternatives to antidepressants that has been gaining popularity, lately, is natural maca powder.
While there is a lack of scientific research, some animal studies and anecdotal evidence (in humans) suggest that maca powder can help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as positively impact one’s mood.
Maca root is also a natural adaptogen. For those who do not know, adaptogens are plant-based substances that have long been known to be effective in combating fatigue, relieving anxiety and depression, resisting stressors, and improve mental performance.
4. Maca Powder is Great for Skin
Packed with a number of beneficial ingredients, this natural nutritional powerhouse made its way into the beauty industry in the early 2000s. Ever since then, its popularity and usage have only increased due to the wide range of amazing benefits it offers.
Containing flavonoids, phytohormones, glucosinolates, and alkaloids, along with a number of other vital nutrients, maca powder can be highly effective for hormonal acne. The natural ingredient has found to be a stimulant of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, which then stimulates the endocrine glands and regulates the production and release of hormones.
The topical application of maca powder has also been found to help protect the skin from sun damage.
Since maca powder is a natural ingredient, it often takes some time to show results. If you are looking for a quicker solution to your acne, try out Sasy and Savy’s Pure Tangerine Essential Oil.
Regular topical application of this Australian-made natural tangerine essential oil works great for clearing up acne by detoxifying the skin. Furthermore, it doesn’t leave your skin dry like most acne products. Instead, it works as an emollient and deeply hydrates your skin. And you can get it for just $18 from Medes Lifestyle. What more do you want? Get your hands on it before it runs out of stock!
How Much Maca Powder Should You Use?
Although maca powder is a safe ingredient, like most other natural ingredients, it is recommended to start with a small amount and then gradually work your way up to avoid any risk. For an average adult person, about 1 teaspoon is a safe amount, to begin with. Use this amount for at least a week before increasing. Even when you do increase, make sure to go slow and only increase the daily consumption by about half a teaspoon at one time.
The Sum Up
Natural maca powder contains twice the amount of calcium as present in cow’s milk, five times more iron than spinach, and three times as much vitamin C as found in an orange. The amazing nutritional properties of maca powder make it worth incorporating into your daily routine even if you are not looking to address a particular health issue.
In case you don’t know, maca powder can be added to any food item, like smoothies, soups, and curries.
[1] Some claim that maca root has been used in Peru for about 2000 years.
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