MACA’S IMPRESSIVE NUTRITIONAL VALUE LIVES UP TO THE HYPE

 Before any ingredient can be called a superfood, significant research needs to go into the actual health benefits it delivers.

Fortunately for maca root capsules, researchers have found some very impressive results indeed.

Just one ounce of authentic maca root powder contains a sizeable amount of fibre, vitamin C, and essential minerals such as iron, potassium and copper. Maca is also incredibly low in fat and contains a decent source of carbs for helping maintain healthy energy levels.

All in all, maca is a simple method of giving your body a serious nutritional boost on a daily basis. Nice!

CAN MACA ROOT POWDER AID PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE? POSSIBLY!

Due to the reported energy benefits maca may provide, it makes sense to assume this could be applicable to exercise and sports too.

So it’s little surprise that maca root powder is commonly taken as a supplement by avid athletes and bodybuilders.

However, it’s important to remember the role of research when making such claims. As of now, there’s little scientific evidence to suggest regular ingestion of maca has any positive effects on boosting strength or muscle mass. But certain studies have been conducted with regard to endurance training, suggesting maca’s exercise benefits perhaps aren’t all mythical after all.

For example, one study in particular found cyclists were able to improve their typical time taken to finish a 25-mile bike ride, after supplementing their diet with maca root powder for 14 days prior to the event.

Whilst it’s clear greater research needs to be conducted in order to further investigate the benefits of maca powder on exercise and sports performance, results so far are seemingly encouraging.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT THE BENEFITS OF MACA POWDER MAY INCLUDE BOOSTING LIBIDO?

As a woman, it’s totally normal to experience a decrease in libido from time to time.

If you do, it’s really nothing to worry about!

That being said, if you find your libido isn’t where you want it to be, or it begins to cause problems in the bedroom, maca root capsules may be a surprising solution.

In fact, one of the focal benefits typically associated with maca is the ability to boost libido. In one research review, both men and women saw significant improvements to libido and sexual function after introducing maca powder to their diet.

RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT MACA COULD PROTECT SKIN FROM HARMFUL UV RAYS

It’s no secret how dangerous UV rays can be for our overall skin health. Not only can frequent sun exposure speed up the ageing process, but the risk of developing skin cancer is also strongly correlated to UV damage.

However, when topically applied to the skin, concentrated maca extract could provide an extra layer of effective protection against damage caused by UV radiation. Numerous studies have been carried out investigating this, with generally positive effects shown.

But, in a similar sense to the benefits of maca powder associated with sports performance, research in this area remains relatively limited — with many current studies involving animals as opposed to humans.

This being said, as few side effects have been found with topical maca application, it certainly can’t hurt to experiment with this method in protecting your skin even further!

Provided you don’t replace your current SPF with maca extract and still continue to apply sunscreen as normal, you could experience an even stronger barrier of protection during the summer months.

SOUND GOOD? HERE’S 3 EASY MACA RECIPES YOU NEED TO TRY!

Now we’ve covered some of the most credible benefits of maca powder, you may be thinking this ‘miracle ingredient’ could be difficult to come by — and even more challenging to include into your daily diet.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth!

As maca is typically consumed in powder form, it’s actually super convenient to mix in to a variety of different dishes and recipes. With many of these recipes quick and easy to make from the comfort of your very own home, upping your superfood game definitely isn’t as tasking as you may think.

So what does maca taste like?

Generally, maca is described as tasting earthy and nutty. And depending on what you pair it with, can even produce a comforting malted flavour too!

The good news is that maca typically never tastes too strong, so it won’t become a dominant flavour when mixed with other ingredients. That means, even if you aren’t a massive fan of earthy, nutty tastes, you can still get on-board with the maca trend.

MACA ENERGY BITES

Needing just 5 minutes and a simple food processor, these energy bites are a great way to include maca powder into your diet.

Even better, you can easily take them on-the-go and use them for a quick pick-me-up when you’re feeling a little tired!

You’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon maca powder

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 10 medjool dates

• ½ cup pistachios

• ½ cup sunflower seeds

• ½ cup pumpkin seeds

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2-3 tablespoons water

Simply add all dry ingredients to a food processor, and blitz until coarse. Slowly add the dates and water and keep mixing until a dough-like consistency is achieved. Roll into individual balls and place in the fridge to harden — a couple of minutes should do it!

This recipe should be enough to make around 15 bitesize pieces, they can safely be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or frozen meaning you don’t have to eat them all right away.

Super quick and easy, these maca energy bites are the perfect energy-boosting snack.

MANGO & STRAWBERRY MACA SMOOTHIE

Smoothies: by far one of the easiest methods of including maca powder into your diet.

You can add a teaspoon of maca root capsules into virtually any smoothie of your choice (including protein shakes!), but here’s a simple recipe you can try at home with super fruity flavours designed to complement the nutty earthiness of maca.

You’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon maca powder

• ½ cup frozen strawberry

• ½ cup frozen bitesize mango pieces

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt