Saving the environment through what we eat series: 8. Maca powder

One of the first and best ways to help the environment is to go vegan. What you put in your body is not only critical to living a healthy life but can be critical to save the planet too. Let's have a look at maca powder.

Maca is a potent super root that has been revered for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. It is now prized as one of the most popular of super-foods for its host of micro-nutrients and high concentration of antioxidants. Maca is a plant that grows in central Peru in the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains. It has been cultivated as a vegetable crop in this area for at least 3000 years. Maca is a relative of the radish and has an odour similar to butterscotch. Maca has traditionally been used to enhance fertility and sex drive and it is also credited to improve energy and stamina.

Maca is often touted as a 'superfood' because of its strong nutritional profile. It is high in certain minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc as well as some B vitamins including B3 (niacin). Maca powder is also a good vegan source of iron and copper. Copper is needed to help trigger the release of iron to form haemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body, as well as being involved in the production of both red and white blood cells.

The research on maca is limited at the moment, and more trials should be done before any decisive benefits to humans can be confirmed. The fact that it has been grown for more than 3000 years and used in traditional medicine does give one some sense of comfort that it does have some hidden benefits.

Based on 1 teaspoon (5g) of maca a day there doesn’t appear to be any immediate side effects, but always check with your GP first if you are concerned or are taking any prescription medication. High doses of maca may provide too much of certain nutrients and so should be used cautiously if you are exceeding more than one teaspoon a day. Being a cruciferous vegetable, maca powder may be problematic for those with a thyroid problem or on thyroid medication, as it contains substances known as goitrogens which may interfere with normal thyroid function and therefore should be avoided. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should check with their doctor first before consuming maca.

Despite being revered for its medicinal properties for thousands of years, maca root is one of the newest remedies to take centre stage in the natural health community.

**Saving the environment through what we eat series was written to inspire people to change their eating habits in order to save the environment and the world we live in from climate change. Eating more plant-based foods can stop deforestation, soil degradation and greenhouse gas emissions, help slow climate change and secure global food supply.