In the natural health world the most promising superfood to emerge in recent years is Peruvian Maca. Maca comes from a tuber which is cultivated at very high elevation in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Normally taken as a powder or used in cooking, maca has been used by people indigenous for thousands of years to boost strength and energy in the oxygen deficient high altitude air.
Maca became popular outside of Peru and Bolivia in the late 1990s as travelers and then importers began bringing it into the United States and later Europe. The powerful healing properties of Maca impressed thousands of people who began to use it regularly.
The common way to take Maca is in powdered form. After they are harvested the roots are cut and then freeze dried. The dried chips are then ground at low temperatures into a micro powder that is easy for the body to assimilate.
A new trend in the Maca market is so called “Gelatinized” Maca. Promoters call it a superior form of Maca. 
They state that Gelatinized Maca has more nutrient content, less pathogens, less toxins and is easier to digest than raw Maca powder. They also say that because it easily dissolves in water the body can assimilate it faster.
The science behind Gelatinized Maca is new and their seems to be a good amount of debate around the actual process of making it. So is it actually better than a high quality normal Maca powder?
To make Gelatinized Maca, producers bring the roots down the mountain, wash them in disinfectant solutions and then put them in an oven that is pressurized and operates at a high temperature. The pressure and temperature remove any pathogens and toxins from the roots. The problem is that high heat destroys some properties within the whole Maca root such as enzymes, vitamins and mineral content.
Gelatinization is said to do two things: remove starch to make Maca easier to digest and to kill bacteria. High quality Raw Maca – like we sell here – is also 99% pathogen free. That said, Gelatinized Maca is a good choice for people with sensitive stomachs.
We’ve tried both Gelatinized Maca and Raw Maca and really love them both. Since we don’t have troubles with digestion most of us here prefer the whole Raw Maca Powder. But, we are happy to provide Gelatinized Maca to those of you who prefer it.
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I didn’t know there was a difference between the Maca on the market, gelatinized vs. ungelatinized. I did notice the difference though on how well the different maca affected my oxycodone withdrawals. I found that I had less withdrawal symptoms when using the gelatinized maca than the ungelatinized and I was using a high quality ungelatinized maca. A health practitioner told me I would get benefits from both but the gelatinized was more medicinal and the ungelatinized was more like food. I know that in Hawaiian herb practice that some herbs need to be cooked to bring out the medicinal qualities while some are just dried, fermented, or eaten raw.
As someone who has happily been using Maca for over 5 years now, I would like to comment on the information written here. I generally prefer the most natural products I can find, so when I first tried Maca I bought the standard ‘raw’ Maca. However I later tried the Gelatinized Maca and found that I much preferred both the taste and the effects of it to the standard Maca.
I then did some research into this subject, to know what the difference was. I found out that ALL Maca goes through the same disinfection process, regardless of if its “Raw’ Maca or “Gelatinized”. The best companies use low dilutions of organic and perfectly safe products for this.
Also the Gelatinization process actually makes the maca more bioavailable, and it certainly feels that way too! The processing is at low heat for a few seconds, so you keep the goodness of the plant. And I must say, it certainly feels that way!! I still try the standard Maca from time to time but the gelatinized one feels and works best for me for ongoing use.
Thanks Yves for your comment. We have just started carrying Certified Organic Gelatinized Maca of very high quality here. We still prefer Raw Maca Powders, but for those you who don’t, visit our Maca Shop for Gelatinized Maca at great prices.
Gelatinized maca was developed to address the digestion issues with harina de maca. I, and many other people I have met, cannot digest raw maca flour. I used it for awhile, and did not develop tolerance to it. I have taken gelatinized maca for 5 years, and it have never bothered my stomach once. It is stronger, warmer, and generally I find it more pleasant. I do use harina de maca in cooking, baking, etc. I find that if I cook it, it digests just fine.
From reading online it is just not a matter of digestive tolerance only, but apparently raw maca has lots of goitrogens (cruciferous vegetable) which can actually interfere with hormones negatively. Gelatinized is stronger, more versatile, and has no goitrogens.
HI Karyn,
Thanks for your comment. Many of our customers love Gelatinized Maca and many of our customers love Raw Maca. We wouldn’t go so far as to say that one is always stronger or better than the other. Different varieties work better for different people. If you’re loving Gelatinized Maca, that’s great! The whole point in taking any kind of superfood supplement or herb such as maca is to see positive health results and gains. If that’s happening, you’re on the right track.
For those you you reading this on the fence about Gelatinized or Raw Maca,, why not try both and see where you land with it. Enjoy the day!
i learnt that maca enlarges the butt size of some female. How true is that? And is maca recommended for people in thier twenties?
HI Judith,
First, yes absolutely Maca is great for people in their 20s as well. It boosts energy and balances hormones no matter your age.
Second, Maca is great for building muscle. It works something like a natural anabolic steroid. That’s one reason natural bodybuilders use Maca so much. Since the buttocks is a muscle it can also respond well to Maca. The one thing to keep in mind is that to build muscle with Maca you need to do some exercise as well.
Hope that helps. Enjoy your day!
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