Hasta La Ideas

Borrowing their name from the Latin word for energy, Navitas Naturals makes the best in exotic organic and raw superfoods packaged in equally refreshing zip-top bags. The Marin County, CA-based company’s 24 functional foods have seemingly unlimited possibilities for use. From simple snacking to flour substitutes, they all work as both a tasty ingredients and valuable sources of nutrition.

Navitas founder Zach Adelman was introduced to maca, a nutrient-dense root vegetable grown and consumed by the indigenous people of the Andes, while traveling through South America. Maca increases stamina and energy; Incan warriors used it in preparation for war. He brought it back to the U.S. and started selling it in powder and capsule forms. (It’s also used in some specialty chocolates.) Since then Adelman’s goal has been to search the world for “functional foods that have been used by traditional cultures for both medicine and nourishment.”

Bountiful information can be found on the Navitas website, which reads like an encyclopedic guide, filled with recipes, random facts, health benefits, and info on where Adelman sources the products. Available at Whole Foods stores and online, prices and quantities vary.