How to distinguish the authenticity of Maca?

The health benefits of maca and its value have always been recognized. It can help us regulate our endocrine system, help men deal with impotence and premature ejaculation, and alleviate sub-health problems. However, we cannot ignore the issue of how to distinguish the authenticity of maca. We need to understand the methods and techniques for distinguishing maca so that we can buy real maca and effectively avoid the effects and harm caused by some adverse diseases.

First, fresh maca fruit

Fresh maca fruit is the most original maca fruit, and generally there is less adulteration. However, some merchants still mix turnip (turnip, also known as rapeseed, also belongs to the Cruciferae family. It looks similar to maca and has green and purple varieties. Small turnip varieties weigh only a few dozen grams, similar to maca, but can only be eaten and have no medicinal value at all. They are usually used to make pickles.) with fresh maca fruit to pass them off as genuine. Identify maca by looking at its appearance. Fresh maca has many roots and many lines on the surface. Second, taste it. Pure maca has a light spicy taste.

Second, maca dried fruit

Dried maca fruit is easier to counterfeit than fresh maca fruit. Fake maca dried fruits are mainly made from turnips. The water content of turnips is much higher than that of maca. Therefore, the wrinkles on the surface of turnip dried fruits are obviously more than those on maca dried fruits, and the wrinkles are deeper, and sometimes they will crack. However, if freeze-dried, the difference is not very obvious. Well-made turnip freeze-dried fruits can basically be indistinguishable from the real thing.

(1) Fake Maca Dried Fruit

In addition to fake maca dried fruits, there are also inferior maca dried fruits, mainly including hollow maca dried fruits, dried maca dried fruits, sulfur-smoked maca dried fruits and dyed maca dried fruits.

(2) Hollow maca dried fruit with bulking agent

Many farmers and small-scale workshops do not have the ability to build large-scale drying areas, so fresh maca fruit can only be dried at high temperatures (over 80 degrees Celsius). Once dried, the precious macaene, macaamide, amino acids, vitamins, proteins and other substances in maca will be greatly damaged, and the glucosinolates will basically evaporate. The color of dried maca fruit is very uneven, and may even appear burnt black. If the drying equipment is not properly controlled, the maca will be heated unevenly, which will affect the quality of the maca.

Knowing these methods and techniques, we can then use these techniques to identify and choose when purchasing maca, and avoid choosing fake maca, which not only fails to exert its efficacy, but is likely to cause other adverse effects on our bodies. Also, please note that maca is not suitable for pregnant women and infants.