Sip on This: Maca Coffee Isn’t Your Average Joe

Your coffee routine just called: it’s ready for its maca moment.

Maca Coffee: A better morning kickstart

As our daily lives become increasingly busy, many of us rely on the comforting ritual of a morning coffee to fuel our day, or at least to give us a little caffeine buzz to jolt us into action.

But have you ever considered the power of an alternative brew?

You’ve probably heard whispers in the world of wellness about a particular Peruvian root known as Maca. When combined with your daily coffee, it has been said to work wonders.

But what is it exactly, and how can it boost your daily routine? You might be surprised by what this humble root has to offer.

 

My aim with this article

In this guide, I’ll take you on a dive into the details of Maca Coffee, a healthier substitute for a traditional cup of coffee, that’s starting to take the java world by storm.

With a rich history and a unique set of health benefits, this blend of roasted Maca root and other functional superfoods — with or without your favorite coffee — may well be the upgrade your coffee habits have been waiting for.

Along the way we’ll explore the origins of Maca, look at a handful of tasty recipes you can easily make yourself, & go over the science-backed health benefits of adding it to your coffee.

This mini-tour will show you how a morning Maca coffee routine might help you navigate your day with more energy, enhanced mood, better overall health, and even increased libido.

Science resources included

As is my custom here on heydayDo, I will provide links to all of the relevant sports science and medical resources, clinical studies, & nutritional data used in this article.

 

What is Maca Coffee?

Maca Coffee is a term associated with two types of beverages, believe it or not. Both have maca in them as you probably guessed. The difference between them is huge because one version has coffee in it, but the other doesn’t. I’ll get more into this later on, but for now let’s look at the star of whichever version of Maca Coffee you’re interested in, and it’s not the coffee. 

To truly appreciate Maca Coffee, we must first understand the main attraction: the maca root itself. Maca is known scientifically as Lepidium meyenii, and is a plant native to the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia.

It’s a root vegetable in the Brassica family, meaning its a cousin to some healthy veggies you’re probably very familiar with:

• kale
• broccoli
• cabbage
• turnip
• cauliflower
• brussel sprouts
• Asian greens like tatsoi, bok choy, & mizuna
• collard greens

If you know anything about this family of vegetables, you know they’re very good for you nutritionally, with vitamins, minerals, & phytonutrients galore in every bite.

I’ll show you a list of what Maca brings to the table nutrient-wise in a sec. By the way, a maca root looks a lot like a turnip (I think so anyway). Here, have a look:

The 3 colors of maca roots: black, red, & yellow

It’s often called “Peruvian ginseng,” despite being unrelated to the ginseng family. The nickname is fitting given the Maca root’s reputation for enhancing strength, stamina, and libido.

Growing at elevations near 14,000 feet (4,000 meters), the resilient Maca plant withstands harsh conditions where few other plants can survive. It’s cultivated for its nutritious root, which has been a staple food in the diet of the indigenous Andean people for over 2,000 years.

And while it’s a daily food source, it also brings with it a number of potential health benefits when taken in concentrated form, like we do when we mix a teaspoon or two of it into our food or drink.

 

The Taste of Maca

Maca powder carries a unique flavor profile that is somewhat of an acquired taste. It has a sweet, earthy nuance with a hint of butterscotch, according to many people.

(From my taste buds’ perspective, I guess I can go along with that description pretty much. My wife thinks maca powder tastes like a turnip, which I don’t taste at all, but you know how that goes.)

This distinct flavor is what gives Maca Coffee its richness and depth, making it a truly unique brew. While not everyone falls in love with Maca’s taste at first sip, the wealth of benefits it offers makes it a worthy addition to your coffee routine.

 

Maca Coffee Benefits

Once harvested, the Maca root is dried and ground into a fine powder, ready for use in a multitude of ways. Maca root powder comes in three primary varieties, each with its unique characteristics – yellow, red, and black.

Yellow Maca is the most common type and is known for its versatility. It’s often used for general wellness, helping improve your energy level, and stamina.

Red Maca is similar in taste to its yellow cousin and is often associated with promoting hormonal balance as well as brightening our mood and improving prostate health in men.

Black Maca is considered the most potent of the three, and is the rarest among the various colors growing alongside each other on the slopes of the Andes. Studies using black maca root have found it can improve memory & concentration, slow cognitive decline, boost stamina, and enhance male sexual function & desire.

With this brief peek into maca’s benefits, I hope you’re starting to see why Maca Coffee has been gaining attention in the world of wellness drinks.

 

What is maca coffee used for?

Maca coffee can be put to use in your day-to-day routine in a handful of beneficial ways. Here are a few:

* Use Maca coffee as a mellow alternative to your usual caffeinated coffee, providing an even stream of energy that lasts throughout the day.

* It can transform your morning ritual into an occasion for holistic nourishment, replacing the rush of caffeine with a more balanced lift.

* Maca Coffee offers a delicious avenue for introducing vital micronutrients to your diet, enriching your wellness journey one cup at a time.

* It’s not just a beverage swap, but an enriching lifestyle choice that subtly improves your wellbeing.

 

Have You Met The Maca Team?

Over the years, I learned that all maca products are definitely not created equal. I’ve also discovered that the best way to tap into maca’s benefits is to focus on the quality and freshness of the maca I use.

And that’s exactly why the only place I get my maca powder is from The Maca Team.

These two happy ladies harvest maca roots for The Maca Team.

 

Being a customer of The Maca Team feels like being part of a respectful, caring community to me. Every purchase feels like supporting a chain of positivity, from the Peruvian farmers to my own health.

 

Maca’s micronutrients

What does maca have in it that’s so good for you? When asked this, I use the word “powerhouse” and clichés like “it packs a punch” when describing its nutritional value to us, if that gives you any idea.

Here’s what you can expect fresh, potent maca powder to deliver to you every morning, or in every smoothie, or every whenever you use it:

1. Vitamins:
   • Vitamin C: Essential for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues.
   • Vitamin B6: Vital for brain development and function, and for keeping the nervous and immune systems healthy.
   • Niacin: Plays a crucial role in energy production and supports cardiovascular health.
2. Minerals:
   • Iron: Needed for making the oxygen-carrying proteins, hemoglobin and myoglobin.
   • Potassium: Crucial for heart and nerve function, and for maintaining fluid balance.
   • Calcium: Important for bone health, muscle function, and nerve signaling.
   • Copper: Plays a role in making red blood cells and maintaining nerve cells and the immune system.
   • Manganese: Needed for processing cholesterol, carbohydrates, and proteins.
3. Phytonutrients:
   • Macaenes and Macamides: Unique to maca, these compounds are believed to be directly related to its potent health benefits.
   • Glucosinolates: Found in several cruciferous vegetables, these compounds have been linked to reduced risk of certain types of cancer.

What is Maca Coffee good for?

Maca has long been revered for its various health-boosting effects, and I mentioned a few up there when telling you about the three colors of maca roots.

Here’s a more complete list, along with links to the various research studies I’ve read that relate to a particular benefit that maca has demonstrated the potential to provide us:

• Increased antioxidant protection;
• Reduced blood pressure & depression symptoms in postmenopausal women;
• Improved sexual dysfunction caused by anti-depressants in older women;
• Increased testosterone & sexual desire in men;
• Increased energy levels without stimulants;
• Increased sperm production in men;
• Balanced hormones & increased female libido;
• Increased athletic performance;
• Improved memory & concentration;
• Increased UV ray & solar protection;
• Improved cognitive learning.

 

Maca Coffee v.1 = Coffee + Maca

Well, it’s pretty easy to see that adding a little maca in the morning can certainly elevate your regular cup of joe. Coffee has a few of its own benefits too, thanks primarily to its caffeine content, and here are five that I have handy:

1. Boosts Physical Performance: Caffeine can increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from fat tissues. This makes it a great partner for physical activity like athletics, weightlifting, & cardio exercise.
2. Supports Mental Alertness: Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, leading to improved mental function, energy, & mood.
3. Rich in Essential Nutrients: Coffee contains several important nutrients, including Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, and Niacin.
4. May Lower Risk of Some Diseases: Numerous studies have indicated that coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.
5. Contains Antioxidants: Coffee is rich in antioxidants, and many people in Western diets get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.

Combining these two gives you a pretty potent morning kickstart no doubt, and for some people this is what a Maca Coffee is — their morning cup of coffee with a dose of maca added to it.

 But for many others, maca is used in place of coffee in their morning hot beverage ritual.

 

Maca Coffee v.2 = Maca + other stuff, no coffee

Most regular coffee drinkers who go this route have to slowly wean themselves off of coffee over a period of weeks, because no one on the planet loves those coffee withdrawal headaches.

The people who give up coffee all have their own health reasons for doing so, as I had mine when I surprised myself & kicked the habit last year.

Many studies have clearly shown that coffee & its caffeine — besides the nice benefits they can provide — also have a handful of unwanted side effects. Here are a few of the more common ones:

1. Can Cause Digestive Problems: Some people find that coffee can irritate their stomach and cause symptoms like heartburn, stomach upset, and loose stools.
2. May Contribute to Sleep Disturbances: The caffeine in that cup of coffee can interfere with sleep patterns if consumed late in the day, leading to insomnia or reduced quality of sleep.
3. Potential for Addiction: Regular consumption of caffeine can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms like headache, fatigue, and irritability.
4. May Increase Anxiety Levels: In some people prone to anxiety disorders, coffee can worsen symptoms and cause feelings of nervousness and jitteriness.
5. Can Raise Blood Pressure: While the effect is usually temporary, caffeine can cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure, even if you don’t have high blood pressure.

The desire to avoid these side effects is what has driven thousands of people towards a switch to coffee-free alternatives in the morning.

At the top of the Most Beneficial For You list of coffee alternatives is Maca Coffee, and that would be the ‘Maca Coffee’ version that’s without any coffee, of course.

As a reminder – I’ll share a handful of Maca Coffee recipes for you to check out a little later.

The Maca Team website has LOTS of great maca recipes too.

 

Maca Coffee has superfood potential

Maca coffee is not only flavorful and invigorating but also nutritionally dense, as I showed you earlier. So when you sip Maca coffee, you’re treating your body to a symphony of nutrients alongside a comforting, energizing brew.

And as you’ll see later, imagine if you were to add a handful of other healthful functional foods to your morning maca, such as:

• MCT oil or coconut oil
• Raw cacao
• Almond milk
• functional mushroom powder
• whey shake
• flavorings such as cinnamon or coconut sugar
• etc.

You’d be building your own superfood hot drink around maca, which is what many maca fans do every morning, yours truly included.

 

Maca Coffee Safety Considerations

Right away I can tell you that maca powder is very safe for the vast majority of people. As I mentioned earlier, maca’s a food staple that’s a part of the population’s regular diet up in the Andean region of Peru where it’s grown.

Per the Maca Team website, it is very common for people of all ages, including the elderly, to eat & drink maca daily. On top of that, it is also very common for children in that area to consume maca, and for expecting mothers & breastfeeding mothers to eat or drink maca daily as well.

 

Any maca side effects?

Although Maca is generally well-tolerated, some people with a sensitive digestion system may experience mild discomfort initially, especially if they start with a high dosage.

This can occur if raw powder is used by someone who has bloating issues with starchy foods.

To avoid this, there a couple of ways to go. One is to not use the raw powder, but instead go with its gelatinized version that The Maca Team sells for sensitive tummies.

The other thing someone with a sensitive digestive tract could do is to start taking maca powder at a very low dose, say 1/2 a teaspoon (around 1.5 grams).

Go slow at first and see how your body reacts before gradually increasing the amount towards the standard daily dosing range of 1-2 teaspoons per day.

 

Does maca have caffeine?

Despite the energizing effect of maca, you might be surprised to learn that this superfood is actually caffeine-free. Maca provides a different kind of vitality unlike coffee, which often delivers a quick jolt of energy followed by an eventual crash.

Maca offers a more sustained, balanced energy throughout the day, which may help you avoid the mid-afternoon slump that caffeine can often induce.

Its long-lasting, gentle energy makes maca an excellent choice for those looking for a natural, non-jittery boost. So with maca, you get all the “get-up-and-go” without the caffeine rollercoaster ride. Pretty nice, right?

 

Precautions for specific groups

This section is about anyone with existing health conditions or issues.

Certain groups, like pregnant and breastfeeding women, people under treatment for any hormonal-related conditions, or anyone on prescription meds should consult with a healthcare provider before introducing Maca into their diets.

This is merely a precaution, as research on Maca’s effects for these specific groups is limited. It’s about ensuring that the incorporation of Maca aligns with your unique health journey.

So while the safety profile of Maca is quite favorable, it’s best to listen to your body and consult a health professional if you have serious concerns. That way you can enjoy your Maca coffee with peace of mind.

 

How to Make Maca Coffee

Let’s look at the two ways people make Maca coffee, starting with the one that uses coffee.

Just so you know –you can really put together any pleasing combo of ‘coffee + maca + other stuff’ or just ‘maca + other stuff’ that you can think of.

 

How to use maca powder in coffee

If you’re already a coffee lover, it’s easy to enhance your morning cup with the addition of maca powder. Just add it to your morning brew & stir, simple as that.

Start with a 1/2 teaspoon to dip your toe in the water as far as its taste goes. If all’s good, go with a teaspoon of maca powder per cup of coffee.

So if you drink 2 or more cups of coffee a day, you could spread your unique daily dose of maca across multiple cups, or even use it in other beverages along the way.

Maca Dosing: Most people (from my experience) use 1-3 teaspoons of maca powder a day, though bodybuilders & powerlifters — particularly those who are vegans — use at least twice that amount daily.

 

Maca Coffee recipes

You can create your own Maca Coffee recipe too, as many (many) people have done before you. Here are a few recipes to inspire you; some are made with coffee, some without, and the links go the recipe pages.

The “Maca Coffee Recipe” from CleanEatingKitchen.com  combines your regular brewed coffee with maca powder, cacao powder for a hint of chocolatey flavor, your choice of creamer, honey or another sweetener, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This combination brings a new depth of flavor and nutrition to your regular cup of joe.

On the other hand, the “Vanilla Hazelnut Maca Coffee” recipe from Mommypotamus.com offers a richer, creamier take on maca coffee. This blend incorporates coffee & maca plus the nutty depth of hazelnut butter, the smoothness of coconut milk, and the fragrant sweetness of vanilla extract.

Add a scoop of grass-fed collagen peptides for extra protein, and sweeten to taste for a truly nourishing and satisfying morning brew.

 

Maca Coffee Without the Coffee

When we talk about ‘Maca Coffee’, we’re often referring to a hot beverage that provides energy and vitality without the caffeine.

If you’re looking to reduce your caffeine intake or just want to try something new, here are a few maca-based beverages to check out.

The “Best Maca Coffee” from GoodFoodBaddie.com offers a non-caffeinated energy boost. It uses maca powder along with non-dairy milk, canned coconut milk, turmeric, cinnamon, and sweeteners.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability. You can modify it to suit your taste, adding in optional extras like cacao powder or cardamom.

Another coffee-free version is HomeGrounds.co’s recipe, simply called Maca Coffee. The ‘coffee’ in this case refers to the pairing of maca powder with full-fat coconut milk, along with a flavor explosion of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, honey, & a sprinkling of cacao nibs on top.

 

Pairing Maca with Other Superfoods

Maca also blends beautifully with other superfoods to create nutrient-dense beverages. For instance, The Maca Team shares a recipe pairing maca with matcha green tea, another powerhouse of antioxidants and beneficial compounds.

This “Maca Matcha Latte” combines the slightly sweet and vegetal taste of matcha with the robust, caramel-like flavor of maca, alomg with honey, pink salt, & plant-based milk of your choice.

Another intriguing combination is cacao and maca, found in the “Powerful Cacao-Maca Coffee Recipe” on FurtherFood.com. This recipe merges brewed coffee with coconut oil, coconut milk, maca, cacao powder, vanilla extract, and a touch of cinnamon and sea salt for an energy-packed start to your day.

 

My 2¢

I thought I’d share my caffeine-free maca morning energy beverage too, & its listed under the Maca + Superfoods recipe section for good reason. It’s pretty simple to make — no stovetop saucepan or blender required, just your cup & a few very healthy ingredients.

(I drink decaf beans that I buy on Amazon: The Organic Coffee Co. – Hurricane Espresso Roast.)

So I brew a pot of the decaf, then add the following to each mug:

• 1 tsp. black or red raw maca powder from The Maca Team
• 1 tsp. Laird Superfood Creamer Original Coconut Powder
• 1 tsp. Lion’s Mane mushroom powder
• then I add 6 oz. or so of the decaf
• finish with 6 oz. or so of vanilla whey (pre-mixed in a shaker bottle with water)

FAQ

Here are answers to a few of the questions often asked about Maca Coffee.

 

Related maca articles here on heydayDo

Does Maca Root Make You Horny? A Lively Exploration

Creapure vs. Creatine Monohydrate: Not All Creatine Is Created Equal

The Maca Team Reviews: A Deep Dive Into the World’s Best Maca

Do Resistance Bands Build Muscle As Well As Free Weights?

Natural Power: Ashwagandha vs. Maca For Peak Performance

Mystery No More: Do You Take Creatine On Rest Days Or Not?

Horny Goat Weed With Maca: A Vibrant Dance Of Natural Forces

The Maca Team Coupon Code Page

Nature’s Truth Horny Goat Weed + Maca Review

 

Wrapping up

As we conclude this guide, you might be considering maca coffee for yourself. Think about it this way: a drink that’s easy to make, yet full of interesting flavors and good for your health. Coming from the lands of Peru, maca could be the small change your coffee routine needs.

Let your coffee blend with the smell and taste of maca, making it even healthier. Or skip the java, use maca as the centerpiece of your fave warm beverage, and build around it using other tasty & healthy ingredients.

Whether you’re a big fan of coffee, or want to ditch it, or are just looking for a healthy start to your day, maca coffee may be a good choice worth considering. So here’s to a new coffee experience made better with maca, one soothing sip at a time.

– greg