Much Ado About Maca

This South American sensation is making its presence known as a world-class tonic that does just about everything.

- KARTA PURKH SINGH KHALSA, DN-C, RH

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a member of the Brassica family that’s a wonder of biological adaptability. It grows high in the Andes, where low temperatures and strong winds limit other crops. This hardy perennial, cultivated at altitudes of 11,000–14,500 feet, is the world’s highest cultivated plant. With its extreme climate and poor-quality soil, the locale is some of the world’s worst farmland, yet maca flourishes in this wasteland.

The medicinal part of the plant is its pear-shaped root, which is up to 3 inches in diameter and varies in color from yellow and red to black.