Black Maca vs Red and Yellow Maca: What's the Difference?

What is black maca?

Maca is a member of the cabbage and mustard family that grows only at about 4,000 to 4,500 meters (roughly 13,100 to 14,800 feet) in the central Andes of Peru. The part people eat is the hypocotyl, a swollen, root-like base just above the true root (Gonzales et al., Forschende Komplementärmedizin, 2009). It has been eaten for centuries as food and as a traditional aid for energy and fertility.

Maca is not one uniform crop. In one Andean district alone, 13 colors have been described, from white to black (Gonzales, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012). The color is in the skin, and after harvest the dried roots are sorted into four main types: yellow, red, purple and black.

Black maca is the scarce one. When researchers counted the colors in mixed harvests from two Peruvian growing regions, yellow made up roughly 52% to 61% of the roots, while black accounted for only about 6% to 10% (Meissner et al., International Journal of Biomedical Science, 2016). For more on maca in general, see our maca guide.

Black maca vs red and yellow maca: what's the difference?

The colors are not just cosmetic. They carry different levels of plant compounds, especially glucosinolates, the sulfur-containing compounds found in all cabbage-family plants. In the 2016 analysis, red maca had the highest total glucosinolates, black and purple were in the middle, and yellow consistently had the least (Meissner et al., 2016). Most of what we know about how colors differ in effect comes from one research group in Lima, Peru, working with rats and mice.

Black maca and sperm. Rats given black maca for 42 days had higher daily sperm production and better sperm motility than controls. Red maca had no effect on sperm, and the group later described yellow maca's effect as moderate (Gonzales C. et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2006; Gonzales et al., 2009).

Black maca and memory. In mice with memory problems induced by a drug (scopolamine), extracts of black maca given for 35 days improved performance in maze and avoidance tests and lowered activity of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that breaks down a memory-related brain chemical (Rubio et al., Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2007).

Red maca and the prostate. Red maca, but not yellow or black, reduced prostate size in rats and blocked prostate growth caused by testosterone injections, without changing testosterone levels (Gonzales et al., Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2005).

These are animal results: useful clues, not proof of what black maca does in people.

What human studies show about maca

Human trials are small and rarely name a color:

• Libido in men. Men aged 21 to 56 who took 1,500 or 3,000 mg of gelatinized maca daily reported more sexual desire from week eight of a 12-week trial, with no change in testosterone or estradiol (Gonzales et al., Andrologia, 2002).
• Libido in women. In 45 women whose antidepressants had dampened their sex drive, 3 g a day of maca root for 12 weeks led to somewhat higher remission rates than placebo, mostly among postmenopausal women (Dording et al., 2015).
• Menopause symptoms. A systematic review found four small randomized trials, all favorable, but called the evidence limited because of their size and quality (Lee et al., Maturitas, 2011).
• Sexual function overall. A separate review of four trials also found some positive results but too little data to be sure (Shin et al., 2010).

Memorial Sloan Kettering also notes that maca may interfere with blood tests for testosterone, so mention it before any hormone lab work. If you are comparing herbs for male vitality, see our guides to tongkat ali and shilajit.

Gelatinized maca vs raw maca

In the Andes, maca is traditionally boiled before eating, and locals advise against eating it fresh. No toxic effects have been reported from traditional use when it is cooked first (Gonzales, 2012).

Gelatinized maca is the commercial version of that cooking step. In one described process, dried roots are rehydrated, briefly exposed to high pressure in a moist state (an extrusion process, with no chemicals), then dried and milled. This pre-cooks the starch, gelatinizing nearly all of it (Meissner et al., International Journal of Biomedical Science, 2005). The starch is not removed; it is cooked. The point is easier digestion and a denser powder. We found no human trials comparing gelatinized and raw maca directly.

Raw maca powder is simply dried and ground without that cooking step. Some of the human trials above, including the men's libido study, used gelatinized maca.

How to use black maca powder

• Start small. One powder we carry suggests 1 to 2 teaspoons in liquid; trials used 1.5 to 3 grams a day.
• Mix it in. Stir it into smoothies, oatmeal, coffee or baking. One maker describes its powder's flavor as caramel-like.
• Give it time. The libido trials ran eight to twelve weeks before measuring results.

Maca safety

Maca is a traditional food, and Memorial Sloan Kettering notes no reported side effects. Reviewers point out, though, that its safety as a supplement has not been formally proven (Lee et al., 2011). Keep in mind:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Safety has not been established. MSKCC advises talking to your provider first.
• Hormone-sensitive conditions. MSKCC advises checking with your doctor if you have breast, uterine or another cancer that responds to hormones.
• Thyroid (theoretical). Cabbage-family foods contain goitrogens, which can interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid. NIH says this matters mainly for people with low iodine intake, but if you have a thyroid condition, mention maca to your doctor.

Find it at William's

• Bio Nutrition gelatinized black maca: black maca in vegetarian capsules, for anyone who wants black maca specifically without the taste.
• Starwest organic gelatinized maca root powder (bulk): sold by weight in the store, so you can buy a small amount to try. It is not labeled as a single color.
• Organic Traditions Maca X6 powder, 5.3 oz: a gelatinized blend of black, red and yellow maca.
• Now maca 500 mg, 250 veg capsules: a budget-friendly capsule; the color is not specified.

Frequently Asked Questions