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The short answer: Black maca is the darkest and rarest color of maca (Lepidium meyenii), an Andean root vegetable grown above 4,000 meters in central Peru. It tastes earthy, nutty and malty, and you can use it two ways: as raw powder (1 teaspoon, 5 g per serving) stirred into food and drinks, or as a 50:1 extract in capsules (750 mg per capsule, made from 37,500 mg of root).
Picture a frosty morning on the Junín plateau in Peru. Little grows up here: the air is thin, the sun is fierce and the nights drop below freezing. Yet families have farmed maca on these plains for centuries. At harvest they pull up roots in yellow, red, purple and, now and then, a small handful of black. Those dark roots get sorted out by hand, dried in the open air for weeks, and milled into the powder that ends up in your morning smoothie. Here are the 11 things worth knowing before you try it.
Maca is a root vegetable in the same plant family as broccoli, radish and turnip. It looks a bit like a small turnip and comes in several colors. Black maca has a dark skin and a slightly stronger, earthier taste than the more common yellow roots.
Maca is grown on the high plateaus of the Junín and Pasco regions of Peru, at roughly 4,000 to 4,500 meters. Frost, strong sun and wind make most crops impossible at that height, which is part of what makes maca special. Our black maca is from Peru.
In a typical harvest, yellow roots are by far the most common and black roots are a small share. Farmers sort them by hand after harvest, which is why black maca usually costs more than yellow.
In the Andes, maca is food first. Dried roots are cooked into porridge, blended into warm drinks such as jugo de maca, or baked into breads and sweets. Black maca is often marketed toward men today, but in Peru every color is simply part of the family table.
| Raw black maca powder | Black maca capsules (50:1 extract) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Dried, milled whole root | Concentrated extract plus 5 mg BioPerine® |
| Serving | 1 tsp (5 g) | 1 veggie capsule, 750 mg extract |
| Root per serving | 5 g root | 37,500 mg root (per label) |
| Servings | About 91 per 16 oz bag | 60 or 180 per bottle |
| Taste | Earthy, nutty, malty | None |
| Best for | Smoothies, coffee, oatmeal, baking | Travel, busy mornings, no measuring |
Want the details on the extract? Read what 50:1 means on a black maca capsule label.
Raw means the root is simply dried and milled, with no pre-cooking step. Our black maca powder is raw, so it keeps the root's natural texture and full malty flavor, and it blends easily into cold or warm (not boiling) recipes.
Earthy, nutty and malty with a slight butterscotch note. It is a little bolder than yellow maca and pairs well with cacao, banana, cinnamon, coffee, oats and peanut butter.
Start with the label serving and build it into something you already make every day.
Want more? See 6 raw black maca powder recipes with exact amounts.
Keep the bag sealed in a cool, dry place. Refrigeration isn't needed. Moisture causes clumping, so always use a dry spoon. Capsules should be kept tightly closed, away from heat.
Maca is a food, but if you are pregnant, nursing or take medication, check with your healthcare professional before adding any supplement. Everyone's experience is different, and we don't promise any particular result.
Lifestyle photo. Not the reviewer.
★★★★★
“I am very impressed with the quality. My package was delivered on time, and I will definitely order again.”
Adrienne M.
Review of Organic Black Maca Capsules, mothernatureorganics.com
Lifestyle photo. Not the reviewer.
★★★★★
“Great company. Love their product. Tried others and this is the best!!!”
Cari S.
Review of Organic Black Maca Capsules, mothernatureorganics.com
Raw powder for your kitchen, or extract capsules for busy days.
60-day money-back guarantee, opened or unopened, no need to send it back. Flat $4.95 shipping, free on orders of $49+. See all black maca.
Yes. All maca colors are the same species, Lepidium meyenii. Black maca simply has a dark skin and a slightly stronger, earthier flavor.
Yes. Our black maca powder is raw: the root is dried and milled, with no pre-cooking. That keeps its natural texture and malty, nutty taste.
Our black maca comes from Peru, where maca is grown on the high Andean plateaus.
The label serving is 1 teaspoon (5 g), about 20 calories. A 16 oz (454 g) bag holds about 91 servings.
Choose the raw powder if you like to blend, bake or stir it into coffee. Choose the 50:1 extract capsules if you want no taste and a fixed serving you can take anywhere: 1 veggie capsule with 750 mg of extract, made from 37,500 mg of root.
Yes. Swap about 1 tablespoon of flour per batch for raw black maca powder in cookies, pancakes, muffins or banana bread.
No. Keep the bag sealed in a cool, dry place and use a dry spoon so it doesn't clump.
Every order has our 60-day money-back guarantee, opened or unopened, and you don't need to send anything back.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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