Red Maca Root Powder, 16 oz – Organic Raw Peruvian Superfood for Women, USDA Certified, Non-GMO, Vegan – Supports Energy, Mood & Hormone Balance – Gluten Free

Madre Nature Gelatinized Red Maca is a truly excellent product. I've been using Maca for a number of years, and in terms of palatability it is extremely good. Maca is not known for its taste, and many people try to mask its flavor. This Maca, however, has a very gentle and pleasant flavor which I really appreciate. More importantly, in terms of its effects, it is definitely potent. In my experience a high quality Maca contributes to a feeling of overall structural strength, as well as greater energy, and this product distinctly has those qualities. As far as gelatinized Maca versus raw, I strongly recommend gelatinized. In Peru, Maca is never eaten raw, but is used as a nutritive floor in cooking. Obviously, the traditional use of Maca in this way is based on long experience. Not everything that is raw is beneficial, and a number of uncooked foods are distinctly anti-nutritive. And there are many instances where cooking increases the availability of certain nutrients. Gelatinization achieves the same beneficial results derived from cooking Maca, although it uses lower temperature along with pressure to remove the potentially undesirable characteristics raw Maca. Notably, raw Maca is very high in oligosaccharides, which are carbohydrates that have certain prebiotic benefits in small amounts, but in the amounts found in raw Maca present a real potential for digestive upset and distress, which is why my use of raw Maca years ago ended soon after it began. These carbohydrates are digestible only by certain gut bacteria, and in large amounts, as are found in raw Maca, can cause bacterial overgrowth, bloating, and gas to the extent that one can experience serious digestive discomfort. Good digestion is not only necessary for a feeling of wellbeing, but is also critical for the absorption of nutrients. I had a similar experience with Yacon, a tuber that is used as a natural sweetener. When I used processed Yacon syrup I had no problem in terms of digestion, but when I used the raw, unprocessed Yacon flour, extremely high in oligosaccharides, I experienced truly unpleasant bloating and digestive upset similar to my experience with raw Maca. Additionally, raw Maca as a member of the brassica family, which includes such foods as cabbage, broccoli, and kale, is extremely high in a thyroid inhibiting goitrogen known as glucosinolate, and in some instances this can apparently negatively affect thyroid function, but this is a complicated issue, and the subject of continued scientific inquiry. This is because these compounds may have beneficial effects, alongside their potential inhibiting effects on thyroid function. At any rate, when Maca is gelatinized or cooked, the goitrogenic characteristic disappears, and Maca becomes one of the highest land-based sources of iodine. There are some people with unique digestive tracts and metabolism who may be impervious to all of the problems associated with raw Maca, or raw Yacon, but based on my own experience, the experience of many others, and the traditional use of Maca in Peru, I strongly recommend gelatinized Maca.

Excellent product

Why did you pick this product vs others?: I am going to order this. Hoping it is the same product I had before. The packaging has changed a little. It no longer says it is from Peru. But it does not say where it comes from. It also no longer says the packaging is BPA free. I am going to order 2 to prevent having to pay a higher price sooner than I need to. Currently the product I have tastes exactly like high cocoa chocolate. Since I no longer can eat chocolate or carob. I felt like I was in heaven when I tasted this almost like the real chocolate. I hope this is the same since I cannot return it. Wish me luck. The 5 stars are for the one I currently have. Which I love.😁🦋🙏 Update: 6-22-25, I received this product. I don't know why I could not see it on line, but the packaging is exactly the same as what I ordered before. The packaging is BPA free. And the Maca is from Peru. So it is what I have been loving. I add it to my oat milk and I have delicious "chocolate tasting" "maca" oat milk. With the needed calcium. I add to a "brownie" recipe. And I end up with a delicious fudge chocolate tasting maca brownie. Yum! I am highly allergic to chocolate and carob is a migraine trigger. So I was sooo very excited to find this beautiful maca that taste like real dark chocolate! And to be able to order more in these times is heaven.👏😋🦋

Is a very slow process and believe it is helping, but only continued time and use will tell.

I've been taking this stuff for months now. I thought I'd return and share my thoughts/experiences. First, the negatives: Maca powder does NOT taste good. At all. If someone writes that it does, they're either lying or enjoy the taste of dirt, LOL. I've tried taking it in my coffee or mixing it into a mashed up banana to mask the taste. At present, I can stomach it best with a large glass of milk. For a little while, I did experience stomach cramping an hour or so after drinking it, but this side effect has seemed to disappear when I drink it with milk. This leads me to the positives of maca root: I continue to take it because I noticed the benefits, such as better focus, energy, mood and digestion. It took me a couple of months to piece it together, honestly. I started taking this stuff because I want to get pregnant (note: still not pregnant...) but I continue to take it because of these other benefits. For example, don't drink/ingest this stuff too close to your bedtime, otherwise you'll be wide awake half the night. Also, it appears to alleviate some of my ADHD symptoms too. I still take an ADHD medication to assist me during the day, but this stuff seems to be working well in conjunction with it, which really surprised me. I experience better mood too, especially at the end of a long working day dealing with kids all day (both at work and my own). As I mentioned above, my digestive upset seems to have disappeared once I started blending 1 tsp of maca powder into 1 cup of milk. Use a milk frother to get it to mix together, otherwise you'll get globs of maca to swallow. Gross. So this stuff gets 5 stars, despite its disgusting taste, as that's the fault of maca root being gross, not the fault of the provider/manufacturer. :) I kinda wish there were more scientific studies on this stuff. So far, in my opinion, it's one of the few 'herbal supplements' with any truth to its claims.

Honestly this stuff absolutely blew me away and made me wanna recommend it to the world because it feels like it’s transforming my life! Lol I’ve had fatigue a lot for the last like 8 years honestly probably even tho I’m pretty young. But after having my son I’ve had some intense fatigue. So bad I was feeling like I needed three naps a day at my lowest… and I also felt like my brain was just like half dead or something… so I heard about maca on a podcast and was like “I NEED that!!!” So I ordered it and a few minutes after drinking it the first time I could like feel my brain coming to life, it was incredible! Now I have a cold and even with the cold I’ve been feeling more okay energy and strength wise than I was before. I also started eating a lot of red meat and avocados and taking ashwaghandha too so idk what all is what, but I know after drinking the maca my brain felt so much better and I’ve been doing better ever since!!! I’ve literally had some days where I don’t feel like I’m so tired I’m going insane. Like I just feel fine. I wouldn’t say I’m bursting with energy. But like so incredibly fine it’s been amazing to me. It did give me a little stomach ache the first time cuz I went straight to using three tsp because I needed energy… lol but I knew it might do that and took it anyways cuz I wanted help. Lol

Really like this product. Boosts energy and libido. Definitely my go to Black Maca. Mixes well also. Highly recommended

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻excellent