We are so blessed to have such an infinite amount of healing wisdom from Nature. So many plants that we have access to today have been used for hundreds of years as medicines and healers. These super foods can have just as much benefit if not more for us living in modern times as they did throughout history.

maca is an ancient healing root from the Andes mountains of Peru. It has been used as both a food and a medicine by the people of South America for approximately 2000 years. It is similar to a radish in size and shape, but much sweeter and milder in flavor, and also starchier in composition. It is often mashed and boiled turning the tuber into a thickened syrupy concoction which can then be eaten as a porridge. Incan warriors used to get much benefit from maca, consuming it for it’s strength and endurance enhancing properties before battle or intense physical labour. Extremely high in trace minerals, maca helps build up and nourish the body. A few noteworthy minerals contained in maca include zinc, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, silicon, magnesium, manganese, and Calcium. maca also contains a wide variety of other nutrients to support the body like vitamins B1, B2, and vitamin c. maca powder is also high in fiber for healthy digestion, and contains fatty acids and amino acids for protein synthesis.

One of the most well known benefits of maca is it’s ability to act as an adaptogen in the body. Adaptogens have a very unique effect on the body, by influencing our over-all ability to cope with various stresses and negative impacts, whether it be from an internal or external standpoint. There is even ancient Andean folklore about maca’s role in enabling Andean highlanders to live at extremely high altitudes where blood oxygen levels are much lower. Even though it can increase energy and vitality maca also has a calming and peace-inducing effect on the nerves due to it’s nutrient and mineral profile. Perfect for use in todays world! Also helpful in modern life is maca’s ability to balance and stimulate healthy hormone secretions. The alkaloids and nutrients present in maca can help regulate and nourish our endocrine glands, balancing our hormone levels. One of my favorite uses of maca is for adrenal support, which is another organ that is constantly under stress these days.

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I am loving the trend these days for raw chocolate bars to contain medicinal herbs. This is one of my favorite companies for raw chocolate (Oh, I have others too!) I love these bars because they are actually more like a truffle than a chocolate bar. They are thicker, contain a soft slightly chewy filling surrounded by a substantial amount of decadent, melt in your mouth dark raw vegan organic chocolate. The company is Earth Source Organics which is based in sunny San Diego. Each ingredient is of the highest quality, and is chosen for being an amazing superfood, not just for flavor or texture purposes. All ingredients are raw, organic and vegan. There are 4 different flavors of chocolate bars which all contain cacao butter, cacao powder, vanilla bean and Himalayan pink crystal salt. The filling ingredients vary a bit from bar to bar.

 maca Bar

My number 1 favorite flavor is the maca Bar. I am a huge maca fan, I love the flavor of this powerful root all on it’s own. I have been using it consistently as a healing and balancing food in my diet for years now. For well rounded hormonal support and adrenal support it is my number 1 choice. Combined with raw chocolate there is a definite alchemy both in health benefits, the way it makes you feel, and surely in flavor. The inside of this bar is a perfectly sweet combination of maca root, mesquite pod meal, bahri dates, golden Hunza raisons, Coconut Oil and agave nectar. Even while being dark chocolate it has no bitterness. It has the perfect level of sweetness, and I can even taste the Himalayan pink crystal salt which lends really well to the flavor and ties everything together. It may be this ingredient that adds a subtle salt crystal crunch to each bite. I could eat this one everyday and I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it.

Acai Bar

The acai berry is the highest known berry in antioxidants, containing twice  the levels of blueberries. The filling of this chocolate bar is a chewy blend of freeze dried acai, agave nectar, yacon syrup and Coconut Oil. 90% of acai fruit is actually seeds, so the filling of this bar has a little bit of a gritty texture. The berries are slightly tart, so this Righteously Raw flavor wouldn’t be for someone wanting a purely sweet chocolate experience. However, it is by far the highest of the 4 flavors in vitamin c and antioxidant levels, and offers a unique combination of flavors that will inspire and delight a more adventurous raw chocolate lover.

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