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CULTURAL AND WILD PLANTS
Maca Peruvian. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application
Directory / Cultivated and wild plants Content
Peruvian Maca, Lepidium meyenii. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism Sort by: lepidium Family: Cruciferous (Brassicaceae) Origin: Peru Area: Peruvian Maca grows in the mountainous regions of Peru at altitudes of 3 to 500 meters above sea level. Chemical composition: Peruvian maca is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins (B1, B2, B6, C, E), minerals (iron, calcium, zinc), phytonutrients (leginins, polyphenols, glucosinolates), amino acids (including 8 essential amino acids) and others. nutrients. Economic value: Peruvian maca is used in the food industry as an additive in a variety of products, including beverages, confectionery, and snacks. In medicine, the plant is prescribed to normalize digestion, increase energy and stamina, stabilize mood, and improve the health of women during menopause. Legends, myths, symbolism: In Peruvian mythology, maca was considered a sacred plant that was used in rituals dedicated to the gods. It has also been used as a medicine to treat illness, fatigue and stress. It was believed that maca has magical powers that help people overcome life's difficulties and attract good luck. Symbolically, maca is associated with energy, vitality and fertility. Its roots and seeds contain a variety of nutrients such as proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that can boost energy levels and improve overall health. Maca is also associated with the concept of fertility and growth, as it can help improve fertility and accelerate plant growth. In modern esoteric practice, the poppy is used as a talisman that can help bring good luck and increase energy levels. It can also be used for meditation and chakra work, as its energy can help open the body's energy centers and lead to spiritual insight.
Peruvian Maca, Lepidium meyenii. Description, illustrations of the plant Peruvian Maca, Lepidium meyenii. The history of growing a plant, economic importance, cultivation, use in cooking
In the mountains of South America, at an altitude of 4000-4500 meters above sea level, poppy grows - the only cultivated plant of the cabbage family in all the Andes. At this altitude, there is very strong wind, bright light, low pressure, and the maximum temperature does not exceed 12 ° C. Naturally, the Incas valued an edible plant that could exist in such conditions, and 1300-2000 years ago they began to grow it specifically. Most poppy resembles a turnip. Its underground part, which is called the root or tuber, is actually a thickened root and hypocotyl - the part of the stem between the root and the aboveground part of the plant. The tuber is watery, 10-14 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. The modern Peruvian researcher Gloria Chacon counted 13 tuber color options: from cream to purple, almost black. The color depends on the content of carotenoids and anthocyanins in the peel. The variants also differ in biochemical composition, but it is largely determined by the growing conditions. Red, yellow and black tubers are the most popular among researchers. Yellow poppy is the sweetest. The Incas used maca in the same way as tubers and root crops are treated all over the world: they boiled and fried, baked in ashes, made porridge and a sweet drink makachichu. It seems that traditional recipes have not changed over the centuries. To preserve the crop, the tubers are air-dried. They shrivel up, become hard as a stone, and in this state are stored for many years. The inhabitants of the highlands are not spoiled for herbs. Not surprisingly, maca has been used as a herb to help overcome stress and fatigue, as a wound healing agent, as a pain reliever for rheumatism, and as a laxative. Macoy was treated for anemia and respiratory problems. Warriors ate it before battle to add strength and endurance to themselves. And the Incas believed that the poppy increases the fertility of people and livestock. A nutritious meal really alleviates stress and adds strength, including for reproduction. In a fresh maca tuber, more than 80% of water, but in a dried one - about 10%, about the same amount of proteins, 2,2% of fats of varying degrees of unsaturation and 59% of carbohydrates, dietary fiber. Among the macro- and microelements, it is worth noting iron, potassium, calcium and copper. Tubers contain vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin and ascorbic acid, phytosterols and alkaloids. It is the alkaloids that are considered responsible for the medicinal effect of maca. Already in the middle of the 3410th century, the Spanish conquerors noticed that the locals were eating some kind of roots. They also heard about their medicinal properties, they even levied a poppy tax from the Indians and fed livestock with tubers to increase their fertility at high altitude. Apparently, the Spaniards did not achieve significant improvement, because the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru was soon moved from the city of Jauja, located at an altitude of XNUMX meters, on the coast, to Lima, partly because cattle in the mountains bred poorly. The Spanish missionary and naturalist Bernabe Cobo (1580-1657) wrote about the properties of maca to increase fertility in his famous book "History of the New World", and the botanist Hipólito Ruiz Lopez (1754-1816), who led the Botanical Expedition in 1777-1788 in Viceroyalty of Peru. Nevertheless, interest in maca waned, and over time, its crops were reduced so much that in 1982 maca was considered an endangered cultivated plant. A boom began in the 1990s. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recommended maca, along with other Andean crops, to fight malnutrition, scientists became interested in it. Peruvian pharmaceutical company Quimica Suiza has invested more than a million US dollars in the development of Maca Andina dietary supplement. Maca in the form of capsules, flour, liqueurs and extracts began to be exported to many countries of the world, including Europe, North America and Japan. The Chinese undertook to grow it themselves, in the provinces of Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet, production volumes will soon surpass Peruvian ones. Maca, especially black, is associated with kidneys in Chinese medicine. This organ is responsible for the storage of Jing energy and the flow of Qi energy, which are related to the sexual problems of men and women. With age, kidney function weakens, but there are means to mitigate the effect. Most of these drugs are rare and expensive, Maca is much cheaper and more accessible. According to Peruvian traditions, confirmed by laboratory studies and very few clinical trials, maca tuber extracts increase the amount of sperm and its mobility, restore spermatogenesis, including disorders caused by being at high altitude. Moreover, according to the latest data, this is how black poppy works, the effect of yellow poppy is weaker, and red is completely useless here. But it treats prostate hyperplasia. Maca enhances sexual desire and helps with erectile dysfunction without affecting the levels of male sex hormones, in particular testosterone. In women, maca reduces the unpleasant symptoms that accompany menopause, including osteoporosis, in which bones become light and brittle. Such diseases are treated with hormonal drugs, but this increases the risk of developing cancer of the uterus and breast. Maca stimulates estrogen synthesis without side effects.
Maca is an adaptogen and antidepressant. Residents of the highlands believe that it helps schoolchildren to pass exams better. The chroniclers did not write about these properties of the plant, however, researchers who worked with rodents note that animals that were given poppy perform some tasks better. Scientists have suggested that maca, growing high in the mountains, should be resistant to ultraviolet radiation and help others to acquire this resistance. Maca extracts really protect the shaved skin of rodents from pigmentation and other unpleasant effects caused by ultraviolet radiation. Clinical studies of maca properties are few, so it is too early to draw final conclusions. This is recognized even by Peruvian scientists, who are very interested in the results, nevertheless they are sure that maca is certainly a medicinal plant, useful not only for farmers and sellers, but also for consumers. No wonder it is called Andean Viagra and Peruvian ginseng. However, independent experts believe that consumers should still be on the alert. Let's start with the problems of systematics. The wild Peruvian maca was described in 1843 by the botanist Gerhard Valpers and named Lepidium meyenii in honor of the German botanist Franz Meyen (1804-1840), who studied the Peruvian flora. In the 1960s, Gloria Chacon proved that the maca eaten by the Incas was not just a cultivated variant of the wild maca, but another species, L. peruvianum. The species do differ in chemical composition and DNA sequence, with L. meyenii growing in different areas of the Andes, and L. peruvianum growing exclusively in the Peruvian Andes. Many taxonomists agree with this opinion, but not all, so the plant called L. meyenii may or may not be a real Peruvian poppy, and it is impossible to say with certainty which species in this case was studied by experts and what manufacturers offer. How culture conditions affect product composition is also unknown. In China, they believe that American poppy is better than Chinese. Great demand has led to a rapid expansion of plantations, the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and the tubers grown in such a field are different from those harvested in the Peruvian mountains. Perhaps the low quality of the product is the main danger when using it. And since we are talking about the biologically active components of maca, we note that the mechanisms of its action are still unknown. Some experts suggest that special macamid compounds, fatty acid amides of Peruvian maca, have healing properties. Macamides are found only in L. meyenii. There are no macamids in fresh tubers, they are formed as a result of air drying or in special dryers. In different tubers, the content of macamids can vary several times, so there is no need to talk about standard preparations. However, the role of these compounds still needs to be proven. Data from laboratory studies and clinical trials are difficult to compare because scientists use different drugs, doses, and methods. As a result, there is still no information on effective doses, duration and frequency of administration necessary for a therapeutic effect. It is not known which extract, water or alcohol, will be more useful. It may be better to use not an extract, but whole maca. Many studies are performed in the same laboratory, sometimes without proper controls and on a small sample, so the results are not always conclusive. Thus, the symptoms of menopause are usually assessed using questionnaires, the answers to which can be subjective. The data currently available to experts do not allow us to draw unambiguous conclusions about the healing properties of the Peruvian maca, but it cannot be considered a useless plant either. Most likely, the Peruvian maca is a nutritious plant that supports the strength of the inhabitants of the highlands, making them more resistant to stress and high altitudes. By the way, not all Andean farmers believed that maca increased fertility. They ate it to add vigor to themselves, but not masculine strength. And no it is not Viagra, but just a Peruvian turnip. Author: Ruchkina N.
Peruvian Maca, Lepidium meyenii. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
Ethnoscience:
Cosmetology:
Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!
Peruvian Maca, Lepidium meyenii. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing
Peruvian Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a Peruvian plant whose rhizomes are used as a dietary supplement and traditional medicine. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing Peruvian maca: Cultivation:
Workpiece:
Storage:
Maca is a source of proteins, vitamins, minerals and amino acids that may have beneficial effects on health. Follow these tips to grow, harvest and store Peruvian maca and use it as a dietary supplement. Please note that before using maca as a dietary supplement, you should consult with your doctor or nutritionist.
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