Maca
Latin name:
Lepidium meyenii Walpers
Common names:
Maca, Peruvian Ginseng
Family:
Brassicaceae
Origin:
Peru
Part of the plant used:
Tuber
Description
The tuber of this Peruvian plant is traditionally eaten as a vegetable: boiled or fried, much less raw. For this, the tuber is dried naturally in the sun for four to six days. Many local food products (flour, drinks) incorporate maca. This is the case, for example, of a fresh fermented drink, very popular in Peru, called "chicha de maca", or of distilled maca liquors. In addition, there are some pharmaceutical preparations.
Traditional uses of maca report an improvement in endurance and strength, on the one hand, and sexual vigor and fertility in men, on the other. Thus, a document dating from the 13th century reveals that Inca warriors used to consume maca before each battle in order to increase their energy in battle. After the Spanish conquest, the consumption of maca was prohibited in order to protect women from the increased sexual desire of men.
The benefits
For men:
- Increased sexual desire;
- Improved sexual performance;
- Stimulation of spermatogenesis.
For women:
- Decrease in symptoms associated with menopause.
