Maca Root Tea Benefits for Digestion

It’s easier than ever for those struggling with dietary troubles to find safe, healthy alternatives to commonly-used food and ingredients that might cause gastric distress. Whether you’re lactose-intolerant or suffering from IBS, you have options allowing you to maintain a lifestyle rich with good foods. This can be managed with the help of pharmaceuticals, as well as eating carefully and conscientiously. And maca root might be able to help with that.

Maca Root and Your Digestive System

In the past, we’ve addressed the fact that some maca products, like our raw maca, can cause slight digestive discomfort for some individuals. This is due to the starch content found in raw maca, which can be a little difficult for those with sensitive digestive systems to break down.

Nonetheless, research has found that maca can exert a soothing, balancing effect on your digestion. A 2021 study found that maca supplementation improved the digestibility of nutrients and expressions of nutrient transporters in the small intestines of laboratory rats. It’s believed that this may have something to do with maca’s natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and their effect on the body’s gut microbiota balance.

The ongoing research might be of particular interest to those living with IBS. IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is a common digestive disorder that impacts between 10% and 15% of people in the United States. According to the American College of Gastroenterology it’s most common in women, with twice as many women as men diagnosed with the condition.

One way IBS patients combat symptoms of the disorder is by maintaining a low FODMAP diet aimed at cutting back on certain carbohydrates that may not be properly absorbed in the small intestine. Unfortunately this isn’t a cut-and-dried solution, as every individual responds differently to triggering foods. But while maca root hasn’t been lab tested and certified, it’s commonly believed that maca is a low-FODMAP food.

Taking Maca for Digestive Troubles

Even if you have particularly sensitive digestion or have trouble digesting starch, you can still get the benefits of our organic, fair trade maca root products. To do that, we recommend starting with a small dose, and trying out our gelatinized maca root.

Gelatinized maca is made from maca roots that are pre-cooked using a special procedure that irreversibly dissolves starch content, thus rendering the final product more easily digestible. This additional processing not only reduces the starch, but also leaves more glucosinolates in the final product. Glucosinolates are reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties - which makes them ideal for those struggling with IBS and other digestive disorders.

You can purchase our gelatinized maca in powder or capsule form, or as maca chips, which are small pieces of chopped whole dried maca root.

One of the easiest ways to enjoy maca that’s gentle on your stomach is by mixing some maca tea. We’ve shared some of our favorite maca recipes on our site, and this simple maca tea is one of them.

Maca Tea

Ingredients:

• 2-3 t maca powder
• 1 C of your favorite hot tea

Instructions:

1. Brew your hot tea for 3-5 minutest
2. Add Maca and stir or shake in a blender bottle until well combined.

If you are using gelatinized Maca, you don't have to be worried about cooking the Maca (since it's pre-cooked) and you can simply place it the cup along with the tea while its brewing.

We hope that you've enjoyed this recipe. Please see our main Maca Recipes page for more inspiration. And if you have a recipe of your own to share let us know. 

Questions?

If you have any further questions about our maca root products, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us using our web form, or call us toll-free at 888-919-8616.

Enjoy the Day!