Lepidium meyenii / Maca / Cruciferae (Mustard family)

Information

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Other Names

Peruvian ginseng, Maka, Lepidium peruvianum, Lepidium weddellii, Lepidium affine, Lepidium gelidum

Description

Maca is a root vegetable or tuber related to the Potato family. It grows in the mountains at altitudes of 3,000 meters, making it the highest cultivated plant in the world. Native Peruvians have used Maca since before the times of the Incas for nutritional and medicinal properties. This herb is a valued food that contains significant amounts of amino acids, carbohydrates, steroid glycosides, and minerals. There is evidence(2) that Maca helps to maintain sexual performance and energy. Furthermore it supports physical and mental performance and well-being.

Contents

Alkaloids, Amino Acids (Alanine, Arginine, Aspartate, Glutamine, Glycine, Histidine, OH-proline, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Sarcosine, Serine, Threonine, Tyrosine, Valine), Fatty Acids (Lauric, Myristic, Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Linoleic, Oleic, Stearic, Arachidic, Behenic, Nervonic, Lignoceric, Tridecanoic, 7-Tridecanoic, Pentadecanoic, 7-Pentadecanoic, Heptadecanoic, 9-Heptadecanoic, Nonadecanoic, 11-Nonadecanoic, 15-Eicosenoic,), Vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B12, C, D, & E), Minerals (Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc), Sterols (Brassicasterol, Ergosterol, Ergostadienol, Campesterol, Sitosterol, Stigmasterol) Carbohydrates, Protein, benzyl isothiocyanate, p-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate, â-ecdysone, Saponins, Tannins (1) .

The nutritional benevolence of Maca is regarded by some as amazing. It resembles cereal grains such as maize, rice and wheat in food value. Although composition varies according to various factors (harvest conditions, soil content, etc.), Maca has at least 5 times more protein, 4 times more fiber and less fat than a potato. It has an excellent saturated/unsaturated fat ratio (0.76: 40.1% saturated, 52.7% unsaturated) and contains 2 of the 3 (Linoleic and Oleic) essential fatty acids. It contains an exceptional amino acid profile with seven of the nine essential amino acids. It includes a variety of vitamins and minerals, and per US % Daily Value, is high in copper (100%), iron (23%) and calcium (18%). It is low calorie, low cholesterol, low sodium, low fat, and high in protein.

Historical

Maca is a true Puna plant and the only known cruciferous crop originating in the Americas. Although it has been previously reported that Maca was first domesticated about 2000 years ago by the Inca Indians, evidence suggests that it was actually domesticated during the pre-Inca Arcaicia Period (5000-1800 BC) with a date of 3800 BC. Primitive cultivars of Maca have been found in archaeological sites dating as far back as 1600 B.C. Thus, Maca has a history as a food staple for over 5800 years. Prior to the Inca's mass propagation, it was widely grown and harvested as a food source by the Pumpush, Yaros, and Ayarmaca indians.

It is unsure when the Andean Indians first began trading Maca to communities at lower elevations for other staples, but it has a history as a valued commodity. Following the Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, Maca was recommended by the local Indians as a feed for their domesticates that were experiencing fertility problems associated with high altitudes. The results were so notable as to warrant in-depth reports. In 1549, the visiting Spanish encomendero de Soto Mayor was given Maca as a tribute which he subsequently used to improve the fertility of livestock in Castille, and in 1572 the Chinchaycochas Indians used Maca in bartering. Spanish Colonial records indicate in one instance that 9 tons of Maca were used as a method of payment. (1)

Maca is traditionally consumed fresh or dried. The fresh roots are roasted in the field as "Huatias" or "Pachamancas" and eaten directly as one would a potato. Said to have a unique tangy taste and an aroma similar to butterscotch. The dry roots are also hydrated overnight and then parboiled in either milk or water until soft, to make a sweet aromatic porridge called "Mazamorra." The boiled roots are also mixed with fruit juice and milk to prepare a thick broth and can also be liquified to prepare juices and cocktails. In Huancayo, Peru, even Maca jam and pudding are popular. It also makes a popular fermented drink known as "Maca Chicha". This is often mixed with rum to make "Coctel de Maca".

Today, locals consume it boiled alongside dried vicuña meat in soups; or diced with carrots, peas and cauliflowers in salads. Maca flour is used to make sponge cake. Flavored with chocolate, it is made into maca puffs. Villagers offer visitors maca drinks and maca juice; airports sell maca toffees.(4)

Plant Description

The genus Lepidium belongs to the family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae, which includes approximately 175 species. The aerial part of maca has 12 to 20 leaves, and the foliage forms a mat-like, creeping system of stems that grows close to the soil. The underground portion of the plant, known as the hypocotyl, is a storage organ and is the part that is used commercially. The hypocotyl can be a variety of colors, such as red, purple, cream, yellow, or black, and is 10 to 14 cm long and 3 to 5 cm wide; a cold climate seems to be critical for its formation or growth. Maca is cultivated in a narrow, high-altitude zone of the Andes Mountains in Peru, particularly near Carhuamayo and Junin. Maca has one of the highest frost tolerances of any cultivated plant, allowing it to grow at altitudes of 3,800 to 4,800 m above sea level in the puna and suni ecosystems, where only alpine grasses and bitter potatoes can survive. (3)

References

(1) Maca, Raintree Tropical Plant Database
(2) Document: NL E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
(3) Complete Maca information, Drugs.com
(4) On a Remote Path to Cures, New York Times