Peruvian maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root native to the Andean region, a biennial herbaceous plant of the family Brassicaceae, cultivated for at least 2000 years. The principal and the edible part of the plant is a radish-like tuber that constitutes the hypocotyl and the root of the plant. This hypocotyl-root axis is 10–14 cm long and 3–5 cm wide and constitutes the storage organ storing a high content of water.
Maca is rich in fibre, many essential amino acids, fatty acids, and other nutrients, including vitamin C, copper, iron, and calcium. The dried hypocotyls of maca are approximately 13–16% protein and are rich in essential amino acids. Fresh hypocotyls contain 80% water and have high amounts of iron and calcium. Besides these essential nutrients, this root contains bioactive compounds responsible for benefits to the human body, which has caused a considerable increase in its consumption in the last 20 years worldwide.
Maca contains several secondary metabolites. The secondary metabolites macaridine, macaene, macamides, and maca alkaloids are only found in this plant. Macaenes are unsaturated fatty acids. Other compounds include sterols as beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol. We at Nature’s Laboratory supply organic maca root powder and maca roots as whole herb.
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