Maca grows in the harshest, most difficult farmlands in the world. Growing at elevations between 10,000 and 15,000 feet on the barren high plateaus of the central Andes, it withstands intense sunlight, fierce winds and sub-freezing temperatures. Surprisingly, maca thrives in these conditions. Maca has been a staple crop of the people of the high Andes for centuries. Traditionally it was consumed cooked as a root vegetable or made to flour to produce bread and baked goods. The formidable imperial warriors of the Incan army reportedly ate Maca to fuel their legendary strength. Maca was also used as currency and later became part of the tribute paid to the Spanish conquerors. Not so long ago, maca was placed on a list of endangered plants. Now, because of rapidly growing popularity worldwide, thousands of acres of maca are cultivated in Peru. Our MacaXtra^® is organically grown in Peru by subsistence farmers using traditional farming practices, providing them with a sustainable source of income in a region where little else grows. MacaXtra^® is carefully processed in modern, state of the art facilities to preserve the natural nutrient and flavor profile. NP Nutra^® is pleased to offer what we consider to be the highest quality certified organic maca root powder available on the market today – MacaXtra^®.