Botanical Library
Maca
Traditional use tradition
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At a glance
Where it's from
Native to the high Andes of Peru, above 4,000 m.
Look & taste
A radish-like root vegetable that grows high in the Andes. Malty, nutty, earthy
Signature compounds
Macamides and macaenes, plus glucosinolates.
Traditionally used for
An Andean food tonic traditionally eaten for stamina, fertility and vitality at high altitude.
In Canada, we can say...
Source of antioxidants. Helps to support emotional aspects of sexual health, and to support healthy mood balance during menopause.
Did you know?
One of the few food crops that thrives above 4,000 m, where little else grows.
History & natural history
Cultivated in the Peruvian Andes for 2,000+ years as food and a stamina tonic.
What we're actually allowed to say
🇨🇦 Health Canada
✓ Permitted: Source of antioxidants. Helps to support emotional aspects of sexual health, and to support healthy mood balance during menopause.
How to use it
Powder in smoothies, oats or coffee, daily.
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Request Maca →Side effects & safety
Check with a practitioner if pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have a psychological condition such as anxiety or depression; at higher doses if you have a blood-pressure condition or take blood thinners.
A note on how to read this page. Traditional (TCM / Ayurveda) and holistic notes are cultural and historical context, offered for education — not medical advice or health claims. Health Canada's permitted claims reflect what regulators have assessed. Emerging research is early, and not a promise of results. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always talk to your (or your pet's) health professional before starting a supplement.