History and Traditional Use

Range and Habitat

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis, Asparagaceae) is a herbaceous perennial with stalks that can grow to several feet in height. Most asparagus is harvested once the stalk reaches 6-8 inches in height. The stalk is the edible portion of the plant, along with its pointed, budlike tip.^1,2 If asparagus is not harvested, the stalks grow into finely textured, fern-like plants before going dormant in winter.³ In the United States, the primary asparagus producers are the states of California, Washington, and Michigan.⁴

Depending on the cultivation method, asparagus yields a crop in one of three colors: green, white, or purple. Green asparagus, the most common in the US, is allowed to grow exposed to sunlight until harvested. White asparagus contains no chlorophyll due to human intervention, which involves mounding dirt on the stalk as it grows to shield it from sunlight.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii, Brassicaceae) tubers have been used by indigenous Peruvians as a medicinal food since antiquity. Age- and gender-specific physiological effects of maca have been seen in vivo and in human trials with male and pre- and postmenopausal female subjects. Effects vary by color phenotype and levels of bioactive compounds, including glucosinolates (GCs). In an earlier study, red maca (RM) was found to have the most GCs. RM is reported to have a selective therapeutic effect in men over 50 against prostate hyperplasia. Black maca (BM) and purple maca (PM) had the next-highest GC levels in the earlier study. BM was reported to improve sexual desire and function in healthy men. Yellow maca (YM), with the least GCs, in a mixed-phenotype, traditional blend, was reported to help hormone balance in pre- and postmenopausal women. The effect of altitude on plant composition has been well documented across various…