What Makes Our Maca So Special?

Recent years have seen a surge in popularity of maca root and maca products. While many would consider that a good thing, now that maca is more accessible than ever before, it means that it’s equally as important that you carefully consider where you’re buying your maca. Consider what a health-conscious person (and really, any person) might want to know about a food they’re about to eat: what does it contain, where did it come from, and how was it prepared? If you can’t answer these questions about your maca, you might want to rethink adding it to your post-workout smoothie.

What’s In Our Maca?

When you order maca root powder, that’s exactly what you expect to get – maca root powder. But since the FDA doesn’t regulate maca products, you have to consider the possibility that that bag of mystery powder may contain…well, a mystery. Some sellers use fillers or additives to cut down on the expense of importing maca, which has increased as the Peruvian government has enacted more stringent regulations on the export of maca from the country. So what does our maca powder contain? Just that – maca root powder. Our organic maca powders are 100% ground maca root, with the only exceptions being our maca coffee, Morning Motivator Blend, and Maca Blue which contain a few additional natural ingredients it contains. The rest of our maca products are pure maca root either ground into powder or small chips, processed with vegetable glycerin into a liquid maca extract. Even our vegan maca capsules contain only pure maca powder with no fillers, flow agents, or chemicals. Where Do We Source Our Maca? One reason the Peruvian government is so strict about allowing maca products to cross its borders is due to the market being flooded by poor quality maca grown in other countries. We’re proud to say that our maca is purchased in small batches from our farms on the Junin Plateau in the Peruvian Andes, where maca has been grown for over 2000 years. We’ve made sure that our maca is being conscientiously-grown and sustainably-harvested by farmers who treat the land with respect, using historical growing practices that allow the soil to rest between harvesting periods. We’ve worked hard to build relationships within the community and ensure that our maca has earned its “fair trade” designation. How Is Our Maca Prepared? Like we mentioned above, our maca is transported in small batches in order to minimize time between processing and shipment to buyers. The maca in your maca root capsules, for example, will have been processed within less than two weeks before it reaches you. Typically, our maca is sun dried after harvesting, and then ground. This produces our standard products, like our raw maca powders. But there are different ways for you to enjoy your maca! If you’re worried about stomach upset, a side-effect reported by some who consume maca, you might want to consider purchasing gelatinized maca – that is, maca that’s been pre-cooked before being ground in order to minimize the starch content. While this breaks down some nutrients as well, the effects of the cooking process are minimal and you can still expect the same reported benefits you’d get from raw maca. There’s also our premium maca, which instead of being sun dried is dried in low-temperature dehydrators immediately after harvesting. This results in a higher rate of glucosinolates, which are anti-inflammatory cancer-fighting agents present in the maca. But whichever maca product you decide to try out, you can be sure of one thing: that you’re getting reliably-sourced, quality maca – and that’s a step in the right direction of your health journey. Any Questions? We hope we’ve done a good job of answering the key questions you should ask before choosing a maca product, but if there’s more you’d like to know, we’d love to hear from you! DON’T hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. You can Contact Us using our web form, or call us toll-free at 888-919-8616. Enjoy the Day!