Maca root, a cruciferous vegetable native to the high Andes, has been used for 1000s of years as a food staple and natural medicine in Peru and Bolivia. Over the past 30 years it has become increasingly popular outside of Latin America as a nutritionally potent superfood that has a wide range of health benefits. Maca’s benefits are so broad because it supports healthy hormone levels. Since hormones affect many different aspects of wellness, ranging from skin health, to bone health, to muscle tone, to stress levels, to increased energy and more, maca is truly a “super” food. The benefits of maca also apply to children. But which maca should kids take? And how much can they take? In this article we’ll have a deeper look at how maca affects kids, which maca products are the best to start with and how to successfully introduce maca to kids.
People native to the Andes consume up to 100g of fresh maca root daily. They also share baked, boiled or blended maca with their children, albeit in smaller serving sizes. Children have been safely eating maca root for centuries in Peru and Bolivia. The long history of maca as well as recent research and experience show that maca is generally safe for kids to eat in moderation (we’ll get into serving suggestions below). As a food, rather than a supplement or drug, maca has no known contraindications. That said, if your child has an underlying health issue or if you have any other concerns about adding maca root to his/her diet, please consult with a competent and knowledgeable health care professional.
As mentioned above, maca root in general has an array of benefits. These are some of the maca benefits that are most relevant to children:
While children can take any type of maca, there are a few in our line-up of products that we recommend avoiding. Maca capsules are harder to swallow for small bodies, especially for children under 12 years old. For that reason, we recommend that children avoid taking them.Our premium maca powders are spicier and more pungent in flavor than our standard maca products. While some people appreciate the taste, children typically do not. We recommend trying a standard maca powder for children instead.Raw maca powders are fine for most people, but do contain starch which can cause temporary indigestion and gas in about 5-10% of people. Because gelatinized maca powders are similar in nutrient density and have had the starch content removed, we recommend that children start with those over raw maca powder.
Maca powder is easy to mix into smoothies or other recipes. The flavor especially complements banana and chocolate in our opinion. We recommend giving maca to children in a form that tastes good to them. That way they are likely to eat it with no complaints. Since kids have different likes and dislikes you might need to do some experimenting to find the best way to add maca powder to a food your child likes already. Some simple maca recipe favorites for kids include:
Other very simple ways to get children to eat maca include:
When first introducing maca to children, start with a smaller serving size and work your way up slowly.
Note that consistency is key to getting optimal results. We’ve seen the best results with maca when taking it regularly. At the same time, recommend that kids take 1 day off of maca per week or 4-5 days off in a row each month. This gives the body a break from maca.
While maca root powder comes in red, black, yellow and tri-color forms, we’ve seen that gelatinized yellow maca powder is the best for kids. There are a couple of reasons for that. First, gelatinized maca is easier to digest since its starch content has been removed. Second, gelatinized yellow maca has a milder taste than some other maca powders. It’s almost a toasted caramel-like taste. Some people find it to be a pleasant taste on its own. Another excellent way to introduce maca to children is to use our yellow maca extract. The extract is vegetable glycerine based. It contains no alcohol and is suitable for diabetics. It has a sweet taste that kids and adults enjoy. It’s easy to take. Kids should simply place about 1/8 tsp underneath the tongue for 30 seconds or so and swallow. This allows maca’s nutrients to enter the blood stream faster than when eating it.
Maca root is certainly a nutrient-rich superfood that can provide numerous health benefits for children as it can for their parents. Gelatinized yellow maca is the best choice for kids due to its mild flavor and rich nutrient profile. Alternatively, yellow maca extract is excellent for children as well. We hope that this article helps you answer the question of which maca is best for kids. If you need any further help or have any more questions, please let us know. Enjoy the day!
I shop around a lot for my supplements and health foods, and I have to say you guys at The Maca Team are light years ahead of anyone else selling maca out in the marketplace. Thanks for all you do!
By Jim Price, The Green Marketing Guru
Loving the red maca from themacateam. I can tell the difference from my usual store-bought brands. It really tastes so fresh and sweet compared to others. I really love this product. Thanks for sourcing it for us to enjoy
By Michelle Gebbia
I LOVE Maca Team Maca...this was my first purchase with the Maca Team and I have no need to try any other Maca-producer. The Maca tastes fresh and flavorful, the Kilo bag is a great price, and I feel so much more at ease (Maca is such powerful medicine :) )
By Lizzie Thompson
I take 24 products from five to six times a week to increase my well-being and sensual and sexual delights. ;D The Maca Team’s organic maca is one of them—nine grams in my smoothie, Monday to Saturday. The Maca Team is a small business run by a family who cares about its customers, its Peruvian maca growers, and the environment. It's vital to know the source of everything we put in our mouths. Physical and mental health are precious treasures. :D
By Jerry Montero
By Milt Thompson
This product is amazing! I have used other cheaper brands of white maca with fairly good results, but after trying the Maca Team maca, I noticed within two weeks all of my menopausal symptoms had completely vanished. Others described a bad taste and smell, but I have tried the black and the red and find them both to be mild tasting. I use a tablespoon in my daily smoothly
By Joy
Maca first came to us by our vitamin supplier. Then we ordered from the Maca Team. Comparison? Think fire-fly, then think mid-day sun. At 76 and 73 years respectively, that is a big deal; and at comparable cost too. We never have we had such speedy delivery and the packaging is the strongest, most protective we've seen, ever, at all ... anywhere. Further, the Mrs. no longer takes hormone supplements. And Mr. scans the morning want ads for steady P/T work.
By George & Sherri
I had been using another brand of maca powder and decided to try The Maca Team's. The difference in freshness is night and day, and better tasting . I'm 6 foot 250 lbs. and take 4 teaspoons every day w/ my protein shake. Great energy boost and just feel great all day. I can tell a difference when I do not take it. best price that I have found {36oz}. I will be buying more as needed.
By J.D.
I've tried various maca brands over the last 20 years and The Maca Team brand is very special. There is definitely a difference when it comes to the quality and colors of the maca. This red maca does seem to nourish certain parts of my body while the black maca nourishes something else. I know I've been missing the nutrition these maca provide. I'm 75 years old and bodies wear out, but I'm finding I'm regaining a functioning body. How wonderful is this?!?!!!
By Janis Ihrig
I just wanted to thank you for your excellently constructed website. I am a physician and I recently started learning about Maca. I get a very good sense of it, and I expect I will try it out myself and possibly be recommending it to patients in the future. If so, your website will be the first place to send people. Thanks again.
By Adam Holt
Love the Maca team, In an earlier comment I said I was on the fence about where to buy Maca .Not anymore .You shouldn’t be either. The team has answered any questions I’ve had promptly. I feel like I’m dealing with friends, not some company far away out for my money only. The Maca is fresh, prices are good, the people are nice. If you’re on the fence, don’t be, you won’t be sorry.
By Bob
My Maca came in today and it has all the information on it! I must say this is the best tasting Maca I have tried!! Thank you again for a great product!! I will only order from you in future as well!
By Stormi Evans
First I would like to say I love this product. I was very skeptical about a natural product with so many benefits but this stuff really works. Second, I love this company. From the web site to the way they run their company this a top-notch team. I will be ordering from The Maca Team from now on. Great job guys keep doing what you are doing.
By Darren Rivers Sr.
We love this product. I own a store and work with clients holistically. We have recommended maca for years however, this is the highest quality product we have ever carried. I am proud to offer it in my store.
By Mellissa Gage, Infinity and Beyond
I am really happy that I chose the Maca Team, today you can find many distributors selling Maca powder, however quality of the powder is impossible to compare. Moreover, the results after 2 weeks I could feel. Before I was taking maca powder and I did not feel any changes. But since I started taking Maca from Maca Team the changes are incredible. So, I did a test.:) I gave the powder to my partner ... and after 2 weeks he was impressed and told me that he has more energy, feeling happy... Thank you The Maca Team!!!!
By Olga
I do want to say that I have done quite a bit of research on different companies that offer Maca and The Maca Team definitely is the most reputable. Thank you again for your kindness and professionalism :)
By T.C.
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