Ingredients

Maca

Lepidium meyenii · Maca root

Maca is the dried hypocotyl-root of the Andean plant Lepidium meyenii (Brassicaceae), known as a traditional food crop from high-altitude regions of Peru. In supplements it most commonly appears as whole-root powder, “gelatinised” powder (processed with heat and pressure to modify the starch fraction), or as a more concentrated extract, sometimes standardised to groups of naturally occurring constituents. Raw material may come from different colour types (e.g., yellow, red, black), which are often stated on labels as part of product identity. Its composition includes carbohydrates and fibre alongside plant-specific compounds such as glucosinolates and macamides, which can vary with origin and processing. It is used in capsules, tablets, drink-mix powders, and blended botanical formulas. In the EU, Lepidium meyenii is listed in the Novel Food Status Catalogue as having been used as food to a significant degree before 15 May 1997, so it is generally not classified as a novel food.