Page 6 - ce_cusco_2019

quinoa, canihua, kiwicha, maca, mashwa, and yacon, among many others, are still cultivated domestically and

widely sold throughout the country, although most are relatively unknown outside of the region. Many of these

crops have extremely high nutritional value, and additionally, some have possible or confirmed medicinal

properties.

MACA

Maca is a hardy crop that grows

high in the Andes mountains,

where few other plants are found.

The cultivation of maca is very

limited, and it only grows in the

Puna agro-ecological zone of the

Peruvian highlands, at altitudes

between 4000 and 4400 m. This

region is characterized by

frequent frosts and strong winds

that prevent the production of most other crops. Maca is a highly nutritious crop, with 258 milligrams of calcium

and 15.4 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. It also has a protein content of up to 14 percent, depending on the

conditions in which it was grown. The rural communities living in the Andes have long believed that maca has

special fertility enhancing properties. This belief was documented by the Spaniards as early as the 1600s

(Gonzales).

More recently, studies have confirmed that the yellow and black varieties of maca can increase sperm

count and sperm motility. Red maca provides a different benefit; it has been shown to reduce prostate size without

affecting testosterone levels. Studies have also provided evidence that maca has benefits for mood, memory, bone

density, and metabolism. Due to increased international interest in the crop, maca exportation revenues more than

quadrupled between 2001 and 2010 (Gonzales). While still relatively unknown outside of the Andes region, this

6