Maca Powder: Your New Favorite Superfood

Curated By EatsbyIvy: Ivy.

A year ago, one of my friends asked me if I liked maca powder. I said yes and that I loved it in smoothies and lattes. About halfway through the conversation, we both realized that I was talking about matcha powder, not maca powder. And you can bet that I’d tried or even heard of maca. Although my friend insisted that I would love it, I just couldn’t bring myself to try it. She told me that it was natural, from a root, and had some pretty amazing health benefits. But just knowing that it was from a root made me think that it would taste and smell like dirt -- but I was completely wrong!

I recently partnered with Pride of India, a company that has very similar values as me regarding food. They make their products with organically-grown food from sustainable farms, and on top of that, it’s 100% vegetarian and completely gluten-free! When I partnered with Pride of India, their team let me pick out several products to test out. Testing out these products gave me a chance to make sure that anything I recommend to my followers is something that I genuinely love (trust me, I wouldn’t have y’all spending money on skinny teas or gross food just so I can make a profit). So, back to maca.

While I was skimming through Pride of India’s products, I saw maca powder. Despite my protest with my friend, I decided that I wanted to try it. So, I asked Pride of India to send me their maca powder to try. When I tried it, I was amazed! To my surprise, it didn’t smell like dirt, instead it smelled nutty and delicious. And even better, it tasted amazing and added a boost of vitamins and minerals in my smoothies!

Health Benefits of Maca

Reduces Symptoms of Depression & Anxiety

There’s no dietary cure-all for depression, but a 2015 Australian study found that maca powder reduced symptoms of depression. Another study found that daily consumption of maca can actually reduce anxiety, as it acts as an energizer.

High in Antioxidants

Reduces Blood Pressure

Maca is naturally high in potassium, which is an electrolyte that naturally counteracts sodium. This leads to reduced blood pressure which can help protect against heart disease.

Increases Libido & Fertility

Improves Memory

Another study found that maca root has properties that can reduce oxidative stress on the brain. This helps to improve memory and brain function -- so I’ll definitely be adding it to my smoothies before exams!

References:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24931003
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096456/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184420/

Pride of India’s Organic Premium Raw Maca Root Powder is one of the best minimally processed maca powders that I’ve seen.

It’s also less expensive than most, costing only $7.99 for an 8 oz jar.  Use my code EATSBYIVY for 20% off your purchase!

CACAO PEANUT BUTTER MACA SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE BOWL

I like to use maca powder in my smoothies. One of my favorite recipes is my Cacao Peanut Butter Maca Superfood Smoothie Bowl. It tastes just like a milkshake and it’s made with 100% plant-based whole foods!

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ frozen banana
• 1 tbsp of peanut butter
• ¾ cup of soy or almond milk
• ¼ cup of ice
• 1 tbsp of Pride of India Organic Premium Cacao powder
• 1 tbsp of Pride of India Organic Premium Raw Maca Root Powder
• 1 tsp of agave nectar
• Frozen raspberries
• 1 tbsp of coconut flakes
• 2 tsp of hemp seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a Nutribullet blender (any type of high-speed blender will work for this recipe but I prefer a Nutribullet because it’s easier to clean!).

Blend well for 2 minutes or until creamy. Add additional soy/almond milk if needed.

Enjoy!