Maca is all the rage in the health and wellness circles. It has been touted as a mood enhancer that improves fertility in both men and women, and balances hormones in menopausal ladies.
Prior to its popularity amongst the health-minded folks, Maca was traditionally eaten as a food in Peru and has been cultivated for the past 3000 years.
That means Maca is a super food, not a supplement. But, many people are using it as a supplement and that can lead to problems like insomnia, headaches, mood swings and thyroid disorders, when taken in excess. We also put raw Maca into smoothies or drink it in cold water or juice. Maca was never eaten this way, at least not for the past 3000 years.
When it comes to using this super food, follow the traditional ways of preparation to gain the most benefit from it. That means, cook it, eat it as a food or enjoy it as a warm drink, and let it work it’s magic on your hormones and your libido. Read more about Maca while you enjoy this delicious Maca Hot Cocoa recipe:
- 1 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
- 2-3 tsp. Maca powder
- 1 heaping tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 dash of cayenne pepper
- 2 cups milk (oat milk, whole milk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc.), or water
- 1-2 tbsp. honey, maple syrup or other sugar
Heat oil, maca, cocoa and cinnamon in a sauce-pan for 1-2 minutes. Add milk of your choice and bring to a boil, whisking to incorporate all the ingredients. Reduce heat to simmer, add honey, and cook additional 3-5 minutes. Makes 2 servings.
Andrea Beaman is an internationally renowned Holistic Health Coach, Natural Foods Chef, Speaker and Herbalist. Named one of the top 100 Most Influential Health and Fitness Experts, she is also a recipient of the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Award for Excellence in Health-Supportive Education and a Health Leadership award from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Since 1999, Andrea has been teaching people how to harness the body’s own preventative and healing powers using food, herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
