Maca coffee in its simplest form is maca powder mixed into hot water, just like you’d make instant coffee. You can also make it with cow’s milk or plant milk as a maca latte. Other supplements can be added – such as cacao, reishi mushroom or turmeric – to make a powerhouse of a drink.

Maca powder has been used in alternative medicine for centuries to boost libido, increase energy levels, elevate mood and increase cognitive function. Though there aren’t a huge amount of clinical trials in humans to back these claims up, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not true; alternative medicine doesn’t have the funding that pharmaceutical companies have when it comes to research. It’s a fact that communities outside of Europe have used maca as a boost for donkey’s years, but I’ve only ever used it as jetlag aid – mixing a spoon into banana smoothies.

But given maca’s supposed energy credentials, I’m intrigued to know if it’s a viable alternative to caffeinated coffee. While a pot of regular coffee is delicious, I wonder whether there’s something out there that might offer smoother boost – one that won’t increase my cortisol levels or leave me struggling to sleep.

“I swapped regular coffee for a caffeine-free maca alternative for a week – here’s how it cleared my brain fog”