The pleasant-tasting root is usually available in powder form after being harvested and grounded down. The generalized maca root benefits include a positive effect on hormone balance, energy levels, and a health booster. And not only is it a natural source of healing nutrition, but it also has a long history of being a safe superfood that has been consumed for its medicinal benefits for thousands of years in regions of the Andes mountains. Applying maca extract, a concentrated form of the plant, to your skin may help protect it from UV radiation. It has traditionally been used by natives in Peru to improve children's performance in school.