Seasonal changes always put pressure on the metabolism, pushing it from time to time to wake up to enjoy the summer or to quieten up for the winter.
Spring recalls the body after the calm of the winter cold, during which biological activities have reduced their rhythms to a minimum.
The rise in temperature, the increase in hours of light, the perfumes that saturate the air thanks to pollens, remind us that it is time to stretch, to return to action and to deal with the awakening of many energies, including the sexual one, and get ready for the real heat, the summer one.
A regular intake of maca helps to better manage stress and supports the nervous system in its work of processing hormonal stimuli.
Maca: origin and botanical characteristics
The first description of the maca dates back to the mid-1800s, when a German botanist gave it the scientific name by which it is still known: Lepidium meyenii .
It is the tuber of a cruciferous tree originating from the Andean highlands of Peru, where locals have learned to use it as food and as a pharmaceutical remedy. The name maca derives from the word with which it was identified in one of the various Quechua dialects.
Although it is normally harvested in the wild, it can be grown. The apogeal part of the plant consists of a basal rosette of rather short leaves. The radical part, on the other hand, has a very variable shape, depending on the cultivar, as well as the color can vary from white to yellow to purple to black.
Maca is also a natural antidepressant, discover others
Composition and properties of Maca
One of the nicknames that accompany maca is "Peruvian ginseng", due to its re- energizing, tonic, re-mineralizing and positive action on the nervous system.
Maca proves to have a high nutritional level, sometimes similar to that of many cereals, but it is above all rich in proteins, amino acids and dietary fiber.
It contains numerous elements, such as calcium, iodine, potassium and many metals such as iron, copper, zinc, selenium. in addition to this, the methanol contained in it has the ability to act as a strong antistress on the nervous system.
In it we find several acids very useful for the body: malic, linoleic, palmitic. Its richness in vitamins and proteins is energizing and this makes it gain the reputation of aphrodisiac food, although recent studies seem to demonstrate the positive effect that maca has on the male reproductive system, especially as regards the quantity of spermatozoa, the quality of the spermatic fluid and the presence of positive hormones.
Use of maca
Given its high nutritional value, maca is mainly used as a food, especially in its dried form, which can also be stored. Fresh maca is roasted or boiled with milk to obtain a sweet and nutritious product at the end. Maca flour is also mixed with other flours to produce sweet breads or pancakes.
As a food supplement, it is sold in specialty stores such as pharmacies and herbalists. The form of intake is usually as capsules or tablets and each manufacturer indicates its daily dose according to the amount of maca inside the supplement. A morning and a month intake is recommended to have a modulated and lasting effect.
