Maca + Cacao Powder

Healthy-eating doesn't mean you need to skip out on the spice of life... A.K.A. chocolate. In fact, choosing the right types of chocolate can actually have a host of health benefits. So when we choose to use superfood ingredients (like in these Maca+Cacao Chocolates), we're actually doing our body good! Before we get into the recipe, let's look at some easy ways to give your chocolates a superfood boost: Tip 1: Make your chocolates at home. Purchasing fair-trade, organic chocolate on a weekly basis can get expensive. And most of the time, we can't even get through a whole week with just one bar! When you make your own, you cut down on costs, plus you get to make it to suit your needs and dietary choices. Tip 2: Choose cacao powder. When looking to add in your chocolate base, try to choose cacao powder when possible. Or at least ensure you are using fair-trade cocoa powder. What's the difference between cacao and cocoa? Cacao is the raw version, cocoa is roasted! Tip 3: Go refined-sugar free. If you like things a little sweeter, use raw honey, or pure maple syrup. Or if you're following a low-sugar diet, try Stevia or Monk Fruit Sweetener. Tip 4: Don't forget the fat! One of the best ways to take your chocolates from a treat, to a full-out afternoon snack, is by adding a healthy fat like coconut oil, a nut butter, or some MCT Oil Powder. This will help you stay satiated AND curb your sugar craving! Tip 5: Go wild with superfoods! When you make your own chocolates at home, you can add lots of superfoods. Our favourites are Maca, goji berries, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, chia seed... really we could go on forever! Here's how you can make your own hormone-boosting Maca+Cacao Chocolates at home: Ingredients: 1/2 cup of coconut oil or coconut butter 1.5 tbsp honey or Maple Syrup 2 heaping tbsp. of Organika's Maca+Cacao powder 1 tsp. Organika's Bovine Gelatin Silicon molds of choice Optional: add coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, almond slices, or peppermint Please note: If you are sensitive to maca powder or have never used it previously, use 1 tbsp. of maca+cacao, plus 1 tbsp. of cacao or fair-trade cocoa powder. Directions: Melt coconut oil or butter in a small dish on the stove (or in microwave) Stir in honey or maple syrup Mix in Maca+Cacao Powder Sprinkle in gelatin powder. Continuously sure to ensure there is no clumping. If you choose to use other superfoods, add them in after everything is combined. Pour into molds and place in freezer for at least 20 minutes. Remove, and enjoy! And if you don't eat the whole batch right away, place them in an air-tight container and store in fridge or freezer. If you want to know more about why you should include the hormone-boosting benefits of Maca in your routine, check out this blog post. Check out more of recipes that use the power of maca powder here.

Maca: The Hormone Superfood For those of you who have tried Maca in your smoothies in the morning know the energising benefits that this Peruvian “ginseng” provides; an ancient and historical remedy used by warriors in the Andes Mountains in Peru for years! It has an incredible reputation for providing long-lasting energy, improved clarity and helping cut back on those lattes throughout the day. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MACA? Hormone Balance Another great feature that most don’t know about Maca is its amazing benefits for hormone balancing; a secret within its library of benefits! It is one of the leading nutritional benefits that Maca provides! Naturally, an adaptogen helps our body adapt to stress. Maca works within our body to lower cortisol levels that have been shown to cause imbalances in our sex hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and even our DHEA. Maca is rich in polysaccharides (which is essential to our body to gain energy from the food we eat as well as help with our cell structures ), loaded with antioxidants, dietary fibre, iron, magnesium, selenium and even calcium! Considered to be a cruciferous vegetable ( think broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage), it naturally contains a compound called I-3-C, which is responsible for metabolising excess estrogen in the body and helping balance out progesterone and even testosterone. In recent studies, Maca has been shown to help with fertility for both men and women by increasing libido, sperm count and quality, as well as assisting with estrogen and progesterone levels in women which all can play a role in infertility. Menopause Another added benefit and often the most talked about when it comes to Maca and its hormonal benefits is its role with menopausal symptoms. If you are a woman who is peri-menopausal, then your ears may have just perked up as we all know how uncomfortable the night's sweats, mood swings and irritability and low libido can be. Health care providers often address menopausal symptoms with synthetic hormones and other treatments; however, Maca is excellent support especially for those night sweats and hot flashes for those sufferers! Estrogen Dominance Maca alongside menopausal help can be a supporter for those who suffer from a condition called Estrogen Dominance – a situation when the body has too much estrogen and causes like fibroids, endometriosis, painful periods, breast lumps, weight gain, water retention and even depression. Maca is most definitely a powerhouse of nutrients adaptable for all users; however, when I discuss the benefits with my clients, it is always for its fantastic role in hormone balancing and libido increasing effects for both men and women. I find the best way to include maca in your daily routine is to try it in powder form, Organika has both capsules and gelatinized powder! ( I love the maca+cacao ) . I rotate in smoothies, energy balls or even in my coffee in the morning and have noticed the benefits within a few days! For more recipes or information in regards to Maca, be sure to check out Organika as well as follow our social media channels! Lots of great information and recipes! -Chelan Wilkins, RHN- Busy mother of two, and Organika's National Education Trainer.

Travel to Peru with us to learn about the maca root You know those days where it seems like there will never be enough coffee in the world to wake you up or turn your bad mood around? We’ve been there too. So… have you tried maca yet? Maca is a power-packed root that works as an adaptogen to support mood balance, supply you with antioxidants and even promote sexual health to help engage the va-va-voom. We love it! So much so, that we recently went to Peru where it’s natively grown to visit the farms that supply Organika® with the maca root powder we use in our Organic Gelatinized Maca powder, and capsule products. Travelling to the maca farms Peru is stunning. Just driving through the winding roads of the Andes Mountains, there's vast countryside, 30-foot aloe plants, golden berry farms, yacón farms, and gorgeous rivers flowing through the mountainside. Maca has been a part of Peruvian culture for a long time. It's found in candies, flours and alcohol all throughout the local shops. There was even a 60-foot statue of a bright purple maca root located in the village of Huayre, on our way to the maca farm. Yep, maca is kind of a big deal there. The farms are based in Junín, Peru. The drive there reaches elevations of 4500 meters above sea level – that’s more than twice the elevation of Whistler Mountain in British Columbia! Nearing Junín, the beautiful scent of maca is overwhelming. The scent is reminiscent of chestnuts, with just a hint of caramel. Growing and harvesting maca root Maca is the largest export in the region. It has helped grow the city, create jobs and improve the local economy. Only 10 years ago there were about 50 farmers in the region; but today, there’s well over 1000. Maca thrives at 4500 meters above sea level, where most plants die. The nutrient rich soil grows the maca root for 1-3 years before cultivating by hand. After harvesting, the nutrients in the soil are replenished for five years, before maca can be replanted in the same place. The maca roots are hand selected, tested for heavy metals, crushed and dried. They then go through an Organic Sterilization System, that uses steam and vacuum to disinfect, pasteurize and sterilize the root. This pasteurization process removes the yeast from the maca, resulting in a gelatinized maca product easier to digest and absorb. The maca is then milled into a fine powder and prepared for export. The manufacturing process When we receive the maca in our manufacturing facilities in British Columbia, we use third party testing for heavy metals, pesticides, microbes, solvent residues and potency. Once everything is manufactured, we send the finished product for a second round of third-party testing for quality, purity and potency. And that’s not just maca we’re talking about, that’s how we handle all of our products. We want you to trust our products so you feel great using them. From there, the power is in your hands. Make it maca.