What are its benefits?

Maca is sometimes referred to as “Peruvian ginseng” and was highly revered by the Inca for its wonderfully rich nutritional properties. Maca is an adaptogen, known for its ability to increase energy, build physical strength, improve mood, reduce anxiety and heighten libido. It is rich in essential minerals, EFAs, amino acids and polysaccharides. Maca root contains over 55 naturally occurring, beneficial phyto-chemicals that work in tandem with the body’s natural rhythms. Maca root helps rebuild weak immune systems, re-mineralize poorly nourished bodies and increase energy and endurance.

What are the colour differences?

There are several ecospecies of maca available. Although they share a similar nutritional profile, studies have shown that varieties within the species have distinct potential benefits:

• Red Maca is known for its higher concentration of antioxidant properties and for better prostate health.

• Yellow Maca is known for its beneficial effects on female fertility and menopausal symptoms. Yellow maca root is the maca most used by Peruvians in daily life.

• Black Maca is known for its positive effects on memory, latent learning and spermatogenesis.

• Raw Maca: Make no mistake – all of our macas (not including Gelatinized and Premium) are raw. Our “Raw Maca” option is simply a blend of red, yellow, and black maca. This option is for those who wish for a less directed, wider spectrum of benefits. Approximate % breakdown is as follows: Yellow Maca root: 70%, Red Maca root: 20%, Black Maca root: 10%.

• Premium Maca is a blend of yellow, red, and black macas that has been purified and sterilized with Steam and Vacuum – a 100% natural method of removing pathogens and reducing germ charge in natural products. Used with our Premium Maca, this unique and efficient solution is able to provide us with the purest Maca product in the world. Each Maca colour has different properties.

• Gelatinized Maca is known to be highly digestible and more soluble than regular maca. Due to gelatinization, the long chains of starches are broken down, enhancing the concentration of the maca’s powerful main ingredients.
* Gelatinization is an extrusion process that ruptures the maca starch chains, to make it easier to assimilate. In other words, starches are broken down and made more readily absorbable in a gel form. It mixes easier into food and beverages, and many find it easier to digest. The thermal process involves a quick application of heat (seconds), and does not degrade any of the nutritional components of the raw maca powder. On the contrary, it concentrates them. It is important to note that gelatinization is achieved without altering any of the maca’s active ingredients.

Gelatinized maca may indeed be more concentrated but it must be understood that we are not talking about an increase in concentration to be equal to that of an extract. Some websites selling gelatinized maca are claiming that their product is actually up to 6 times more concentrated then regular maca. Unfortunately, this cannot be so. Such a value can only be obtained in extract ( spray dried ) or in freeze dried form and gelatinized maca is neither. The error made is in believing that the starch in gelatinized maca has been removed and hence it becomes more concentrated. Starches are broken down and made more readily absorbable in gel form but they are not removed. As such, a 6 times increase in concentration as some websites claim cannot be possible. Remember, gelatinized maca is a whole food with its starch chains ruptured to make it easier to assimilate…the starches are not removed.