ROOT IT OUT

It seems the Incas probably knew a thing or two about getting it on. Maca is a root vegetable that only grows in the most inhospitable parts of the Andes, yet it’s fast getting a world-wide reputation as a very effective aphrodisiac. In a study in 2002, improvement in sexual desire was recorded in those who took it over an eight-week period. It also appears to regulate ovulation cycles in women, and therefore is known as a fertility enhancer. One theory is that Peruvian farmers noticed that their livestock bred more successfully when fed maca root, so started consuming it themselves! Maca root needs to be cooked, and is treated in the same way as potatoes, but it’s not usually available in the UK other than in supplement form.