Marvelous Maca: Superfood of the Andes
Vitamins, Minerals and Amino Acids Galore
Maca's nutritional properties are incredible. Maca contains tons of amino acids, including all of the essential, and many non-essential, amino acids -- more than complete protein. Maca has high concentrations of B vitamins (often hard to come by in a vegetarian diet.) It has incredible mineral richness, most notably with high levels of calcium (also magnesium, phosphorous, and others). Importantly, maca has a wide and balanced mineral profile.
Minerals notoriously need other minerals in order to be absorbed well in the body (which is why calcium and iron supplements by themselves are useless). Maca is one of few vegetarian foods (along with wheatgrass, spirulina, and sea weed) that have the kind of broad spectrum and concentration of minerals allowing for total absorption of all minerals. Also, maca possesses a rare chemical that allows for a tremendous increase in calcium absorption, and heaps of vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants.
An Amazing Adaptogen
As a healing herb, Maca is equally impressive. It helps dramatically in the digestion of carbohydrates, vital to the starch-rich diet of the Andes. It has also been shown to have a major impact on altitude sickness sufferers. This is most likely because maca is an adaptogen, meaning it works with the body to either raise OR lower many metabolic functions based on what the body needs. So, it is impossible to over-dose on maca. No side effects or hazards have been reported. See chart for a partial list of vitamins, minerals and proteins contained in maca.
Maca has this same adaptogenic effect on blood pressure (it can raise OR lower blood pressure depending on what the body needs). Maca has been shown to feed the endocrine system (the physical body version of the chakras,) and has tremendous hormone-balancing properties overall. Maca moderates levels to where they should be, and is famous for curing impotence based on low-testosterone levels. The hormone support of maca also helps body-builders to put on muscle mass. See more at Maca for Men. Between the calcium-related properties and the hormone-related properties, it is believed maca has a major effect on teeth and bone health, reducing osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children.
In the Andes, maca is also used as a general tonic for strength, circulation, and overall well-being. Because maca feeds the life-force-related adrenal glands, many Andeans drink maca in the morning. Though it is NOT a stimulant, the effect is a natural wake up call to the whole organism.
Maca's ethno-medical uses in Peru are for anemia, energy, fertility, food impotence, memory, tuberculosis, menopause and menstrual disorders to name a few. See more at Maca for Women.
Maca Nutritional Information |
||
Minerals |
Vitamins |
Amino Acid Proteins |
Copper |
ascorbic acid |
alanine |
iodine, trace |
riboflavin |
arginine |
iron |
thiamin |
aspartic acid |
manganese |
cystine |
|
silica |
glutamic acid |
|
sodium |
glycine |
|
zinc |
histidine |
|
calcium |
hoproline |
|
magnesium |
lysine |
|
potassium |
methionine |
|
phosphorus |
phenylalanine |
|
proline |
||
sarcosine |
||
serine |
||
threonine |
||
tryptophan |
||
tyrosine |
||
valine |
||
Incredible Ingredients
-
tons of amino acids, including all of the essential, and many non-essential, amino acids
-
high concentrations of B vitamins
-
incredible mineral richness, with high levels of calcium, also magnesium, phosphorous, and others
-
heaps of other vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants
-
helps dramatically in the digestion of carbohydrates
-
has a major impact on altitude sickness sufferers
-
works with the body to either raise OR lower many metabolic functions based on what the body needs.
-
can raise OR lower blood pressure
-
feeds the endocrine system (the physical body version of the chakras,)
-
has tremendous hormone-balancing properties moderates levels to where they should be
-
famous for curing impotence due to low-testosterone levels.
-
helps body-builders to put on muscle mass. See more at Maca for Men.
-
Has a major effect on teeth and bone health, reducing osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children.
-
used as a general tonic for strength, circulation, and overall well-being.
-
Improves anemia, energy, fertility, food impotence, memory, tuberculosis, menopause and menstrual disorders. See more at Maca for Women.
Shamans Market is proud to offer maca in several forms and concentrations, including some organic and raw, pure and mixed with added beneficial ingredients. And we now offer Black Maca, shown to be effective in sperm production.







