Ingredient Spotlight: Mashua

Mashua is a perennial plant that produces colorful flowers and a beautiful climbing vine that hummingbirds and gardeners love. Underneath the soil is an edible deliacy. The tuber of mashua was cultivated as food by the Incas. When eaten, mashua causes a decrease in testosterone production. For this reason, Inca warriors ate mashua while away fighting wars, to help them stop thinking about their wives.

Mashua is highly resistant to pests and diseases and grows well in high elevations and poor soils. They are related distinctly to nasturtiums, and when eaten raw, mashua has a peppery flavor similar to nasturtium leaves. This peppery flavor disappears when it is cooked. The tubers are long and pale in color, and can be roasted, baked, fried, and cooked in soups.

(Image: Wikipedia)

Comments (4)

This sounds like such an interesting vegetable to grow for use in my diet in conjunction with my transition. Thank you for writing this piece. Awesome information!

posted by Ezmyrelda on October 6th 2009 at 6:46pm
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the plant and roots look identical to the japanese sweet potatoes i'm growing in the garden. the small tubers are carrot thin, yellow-amber hued and mash into a sweet,dry meal. sweet potatoes grow on a long vine and have beautiful flowers, too. could they be related to the above?

posted by lona on October 6th 2009 at 11:01pm
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No, japanese sweet potatoes are a variety of normal sweet potatoes, Ipomea batatas, in the family Convolvulaceae and are not very closely related. Mashua is in the Tropaeolaceae family according to wikipedia.

posted by Aariq on October 7th 2009 at 9:42am
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Where do you buy this plant, I can't find it anywhere on the internet?

posted by joyee on October 12th 2009 at 9:57pm
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