MA-gi-CA-l

I’ve had some maca in the cupboard for a while but like most superfoods, I find that I tend to use maca intuitively, when I feel like I need some.  Or rather, when my body tells me I need some!  This morning I was drawn to my maca for my morning smoothie.  How amazing is maca?  I’ll tell you…

Maca is an herbaceous biennial plant native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru.  It is used mainly as a root vegetable and a medicinal herb. Maca is an adaptogen which means that it acts like a little superhero, going in to your body it finds all the areas that need some help and sorts them out quick smart!  Anything that’s off balance or out of whack, it sorts out and stabilises.  Maca works particularly well on the endocrine system which is the glands that release hormones directly in to the bloodstream which is why it’s been known to help women regulate hormones in relation to their menstruation and menopause symptoms and also to er, give everyone the horn!  Ooh er, need to remember my mum reads my blog…

If that wasn’t amazing enough, check out the nutritional profile of this baby

Nutritional content in maca

• Minerals
  Selenium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Phosphorous, Zinc, Copper, Potassium, Silica.
• Vitamins
  Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E.
• Amino acids
  Alanine, Argine, Aspartate, Glutamine, Glycine, Histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, sarcosine, serine, threonine, tyrosine and valine.
• Fatty acids
  Laric, palmitic, palitoleic, linoleic, arachidic, steric, behanic, nervonic, llignoceric, tridecanoic, perntadecanoic, nonadecanoic and eicosenoic (linoleic, palmetic and oleic acid are the primary fatty acids).
• Dried maca root
  Carbohydrates 59%, Protein 10%, Dietary fiber 8,5% and Lipid 2,2 %
• Maca alkaloids
  Maca contains 4 alkaloids, Macaina 1, 2, 3 and 4. The maka alkaloids stimulate the hormone regulators of the reproductive system located in the brain. They also activate hormones that regulate the metabolism of calcium and phosphorous in the blood.

You know it must be good for you when you can’t spell or pronounce it! 😉

So here’s my MAgiCAl smoothie recipe

MAgiCAl smoothie

1 handful coconut flakes

2 tbsp hemp seeds (deshelled)

1 tbsp coconut butter

1 tsp lecithin

1 tsp vanilla powder

1 banana

1 tbsp maca

1 tsp chia seeds (optional)

1/2 litre of water

Blend the coconut chips, hemp seeds and coconut butter with the water until well broken down.  Add all the other ingredients and blend.  In joy!

Have fun!