Lepidum meyenii - nature's viagra?

Looks a bit like a stunted parsnip or a turnip - comes in white, red and black - the black being the most prized. It's appearing on your supermarket shelves after thousands of years of cultivation in the high mountains of Peru. Where it is still grown. Except the Chinese, who have become sort of addicted, have bought up lots of the harvests and illegally exported seeds so that they are now growing them in China. Peru is worried.

I had to include this drawing as it made them look almost sinister - and certainly very alive.

I have noticed it a bit on the supermarket shelves of late (in all three), in various products or as the powder. You don't eat the leaves which look a bit kale like - and indeed it is related to cabbage, broccoli and turnips. It's the roots that are used and they are generally made into a powder which is then put into all sorts of things, from smoothies to cheesecake.

Look at this picture of a smoothie containing maca. Don't you love the ripped jeans? Says it all really.

I gather it has an earthy, nutty, malty taste which only one article mentioned that some might not like. But I guess if the taste is not that strong you can disguise it with something else.

But back to the supermarkets. When I looked at their online sites they only seemed to have the powder or maca in pill form. But I have definitely seen it in other things, including a green tea latte - or some such. Anyway I had never heard of it and so decided to look it up.

Like all superfoods it is said to be good for just about everything. But the main things seem to be energy, libido, memory and depression. The Incas ate a lot before battle to give them energy, but they were not allowed any after the battle so that they didn't rape every woman in sight. Which sounds somewhat dubious to me. Do conquering soldiers need anything to make them want to rape every woman in sight - in times gone by anyway? Maybe even today.

It seems to contain just about every good thing you can think of. Here is one description, but all the others I saw, said much the same thing.

"Maca is a tuber, which means that under the ground, the plant stores its rich nutrients in a bulb shaped like a radish or turnip. It is rich in vitamins C and A as well as B2, B6 and Niacin. The hardy root is also packed with minerals, including iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, copper, magnesium and potassium. Maca is also rich in beneficial plant sterols that are biochemically related to hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. And it contains healthy fatty acids, which are beneficial for the heart and appear to help stabilize blood glucose levels and reduce inflammation." Hormones & Balance

What doesn't it have, one is tempted to ask. I have to say that if you are into these things the Hormones & Balance article was probably the most comprehensive. And all those different colours - there are actually 13 according to this article, might actually do different things. They are looking into it.

BUT - and there is always a but is there not? If it's too good to be true, then it isn't - good that is! Although they are doing more research, so far there have been no major studies and no conclusive findings. Most of it has been done on rats, and human studies have been small. Our own Victoria University has done one. There do seem to be some potential side effects - not recommended for pregnant women, and athletes are banned. It can cause constipation and stomach upsets and in more extreme cases cause kidney and liver damage. So don't have too much.

I have to say though that even people like the Huffington Post seemed to think there was potential - once the research has been done. But they all recommend you consult your doctor before going into it in a big way. Which you should do with any of these superfood things I reckon.