before eating to eliminate the irritating substance. Once the root has been exposed to the sun, the astringent, bitter taste is replaced with sweetness. Bolivian forms are more often irritating than Ecuadorian forms. The leaves are also edible, and can be used in salad and chili sauces. The roots can be prepared in the same way as sweet potato or cassava, two similar crops, and can be an ingredient in soups and stews. In one of the traditional preparations the boiled roots are mixed with honey and toasted grain. In Ecuador they prepare mauka in two ways: savory and sweet. To prepare mauka as sweet, the plant is buried for one week in the soil with layers of barley straw alternated between it to concentrate the sugars. The cooking water of M. expansa makes a satisfying sweet drink. “In Bolivia, the stems and roots are left to ripen and then cut and cooked. The cooking water is served as a soft drink”. M. expansa can be used to feed livestock, allowing the entire plant to be used. Mauka's many different uses give it a higher degree of conversion than other agricultural by-products. Nutritional information Mauka roots contain approximately 87% carbohydrate on a dry weight basis. Mauka analyzed from Bolivia and Peru has a 7% and 5% protein content. The underground parts of the plant contain 2760 mg of calcium and 590 mg of phosphorus, and the foliage contains 17% protein. Sodium and iron levels are low in Mauka but the protein, calcium, and phosphorus content are higher than other roots and tubers grown in the same agro-ecological area. These high levels are an advantage for the poor people consuming the crop because they help to give Mauka a high nutritional value. If the root is not left to ripen, there are astringent components that may affect a person's tongue and lips. Economic, social, gender, and cultural issues At this point in time Mauka is a crop that is grown only in small vegetable gardens in a marginal way. It was forgotten for many years therefore its profile needs to heighten to make it more profitable. Value can be added by selling it in soups and chilies that are already made. There is not enough information to determine if it is considered a “poor man’s crop”. It is also not popular enough to know if it is appropriate for an urban