The pleasant-tasting root is usually available in powder form after being harvested and ground down. The black maca root offers several benefits, including a positive effect on hormone balance, increased energy levels, and overall health improvement. Not only is it a natural source of healing nutrition, but it also has a long history as a safe superfood, 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.