- 10 foods that come from corn
- 1- Corn oil
- 2- Corn flour
- 3- Popcorn
- 4-
- 5- Cereal
- 6- Corn syrup
- 7- Chewing gum and candies
- 8- Corn starch
- 9- Gelatin
- 10- Diet products
- References
Some of the most widely consumed foods derived from corn in the world are corn oil, cornmeal, popcorn or corn syrup.
Corn is an inexpensive and versatile food from the American continent. It was cultivated mainly by the cultures of Mexico and also of Peru.
After colonization, Europeans adapted to its use and made it one of the main foods in their diet.
Corn is a great source of vitamins A, B and E. It also contains many minerals and antioxidants. It has a high fiber content and is a powerful anti-carcinogen.
According to the "Encyclopedia of Corn" there are at least 220 species of edible corn in the world.
The most widely used corn is the one that has been genetically modified to resist the strong pesticides used in its production.
It is not yet known what the consequences of consuming genetically modified foods may be for humans. For this reason, the ideal would be to incorporate genetically modified corn into the diet.
10 foods that come from corn
1- Corn oil
It is used for cooking and is very inexpensive. This oil is extracted from the germ of the corn kernel and the pericarp that has abundant fiber.
2- Corn flour
Product of its milling, corn flour does not contain gluten and can be consumed by celiacs. It is used to make cornbreads, Mexican tortillas, Venezuelan arepas, and polenta.
3- Popcorn
It is a variety of corn that puffs up when exposed to heat and is eaten as a snack.
A serving of popcorn has only 30 calories, less than half of a serving of potato chips.
4-
Tortilla chips or nachos found in supermarkets are made from corn. There are many trademarks. They are used as snacks and are very crunchy and tasty.
5- Cereal
Corn has a sweet, mild flavor that makes it ideal as a cereal for children.
To consume a healthy variety, it should be checked that it does not contain large amounts of sugar.
6- Corn syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup is an artificial sweetener that is used in virtually all processed products: ice cream, confectionery, desserts, candy, instant soups, instant coffee, and hundreds of other products.
In this case, it is not desirable to consume it in large quantities since the natural properties of the corn are degraded in the process.
7- Chewing gum and candies
The artificial sweeteners in chewing gum, such as sorbitol, are derived from corn.
8- Corn starch
It is obtained from industrialization and is known as cornstarch or cornstarch. It is a food rich in carbohydrates, low in purines and without cholesterol.
It is used for soups, industrialized dry pasta, sausages, thickened of different products, soft drinks and mayonnaise.
9- Gelatin
Dextrose comes from cornstarch and looks like a crystalline powder.
It lowers the freezing point of the products that contain it and is marketed with the addition of artificial flavors to be consumed as a low-calorie dessert.
10- Diet products
They are sweetened with maltodextrin, a derivative of corn that adds sweetness and body to the products, without increasing calories. It is used in yogurts and other low calorie products.
References
- Ashley Lutz. (2012). Here Are 16 Everyday Foods That Surprisingly Contain Corn. 09/30/2017, from Business insider Website: businessinsider.com
- Eliza Martinez. (2017). List of food that contains corn. 09/30/2017, from Live Strong Website: livestrong.com
- Editor. (2017). Benefits of eating popcorn. 10/03/2017, from Better with health Website: mejorconsalud.com
- Editors. (2017). Corn. 09/30/2017, from National Geographic Website: nationalgeographic.org
- Dr. Peter Osborne. (2017). Hidden Corn Based Ingredients. 09/30/2017, from Gluten Free Society Website: glutenfreesociety.org