Cornmeal is a grain of corn that has been ground into a powder. It is used in cooking, cosmetology. The composition of the product allows it to be part of the diet. Coarse flour is considered especially valuable. Its taste deserves attention.
In cooking, it allows them to get a bright taste that does not require the addition of spices. Consider the chemical composition, harm and benefits of cornmeal for our health.
How to choose a quality product
Need to pay attention to how tight the packaging is, the date of manufacture, the expiration date of the flour.
The tightness of the package is important for the powder to preserve for a long time beneficial features.
Cornmeal is inexpensive, so you are unlikely to buy a fake. Its color should be yellowish.
Basically, its properties are the same as those of wheat flour. A dark product is not worth buying - this indicates inadequate storage conditions.
The taste should be slightly sweet. If the product is of good quality, it should not stick to your hands.
There are three types of food used in cooking. This flour is coarse, medium and fine. Coarse grind used for the production of baked goods, baby and diet food, breading of fish and vegetables.
Average- for the manufacture of alcohol, feed, medicines for animals. Small used for the manufacture of flour products, dietary food, used independently in the form of porridge.
Composition, calorie content and nutritional value
Powder is produced from a special variety of yellow corn, it is less nutritiously valuable than a product based on wheat, but its scope of application is no less. Diet product.
He contains minerals-, vitamins A, E, PP, B1, a number of amino acids, starch, fiber, fatty acids and vegetable proteins.
Caloric content of 100 g of product- 330 kcal. They contain 7.2 proteins, 1.5 grams of fat and 72.1 grams of carbohydrates.
The video will tell you why corn flour is useful:
Health Benefits
Corn flour has a beneficial effect on many body systems.
Its valuable features:
The product saturates well, is often used in dietary nutrition.
Known for its ability to cleanse the body... It is recommended to consume corn porridge in water for several days.
This is a useful delivery for. It will saturate the patient's body with vitamins and minerals, maintain normal sugar levels.
Carbohydrates in the composition, getting into the body, are broken down slowly, sugars are also released more slowly, therefore sharp jumps no sugar occurs.
Details about the dangers and benefits of corn flour are discussed in the program "Living Healthy":
What is useful
You also need to consider how corn flour affects the body of different categories of people.
For adult men and women
The benefit for men is that corn powder reduces the risk of impotence.
In addition, it is valuable for those who go in for sports, as it helps to enhance muscle growth, to ensure their recovery after intense exertion.
Women, on the other hand, appreciate the cosmetological properties of flour.
It slows down the aging process, helps to rejuvenate and refresh the skin of the face, fights cellulite, acne, saturates the hair with valuable substances.
For pregnant and lactating women
In the absence of contraindications, this flour will give pregnant and lactating mothers only benefit.
It diversifies the diet, normalizes hemoglobin levels, saturates with nutrients and helps provide the body with the support that is especially needed during pregnancy and lactation.
For kids
The product is good for children... It helps maintain the balance of acids and alkalis in the body, strengthens bone tissue, and helps to ensure proper tooth growth.
For seniors
Thanks to B vitamins, corn powder improves mental activity, which reduces the risk of senile dementia.
It helps to normalize blood pressure.
For people aged the rejuvenating and regenerating properties of the product are important.
Contraindications
Although the product is useful, sometimes it can be harmful.
Corn thickens the blood, therefore, a clear contraindication to use is a tendency to thrombus formation.
Croup may be contraindicated in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - with erosive gastritis.
It is worth considering the ability of flour to increase the formation of bile, so it can be prohibited by those who have chronic diseases liver.
Please note that if the corn was grown industrially, then the powder may contain a lot of nitrates that can turn into carcinogens and cause serious harm to the body. In order for the cereal to bring only benefits, it is worth buying it from trusted sellers.
You can also do it at home.
Cornmeal is well tolerated and can be consumed daily. The most useful are coarse-ground products.
Please note that powder-based foods are high in calories, so it is best to consume them in the first half of the day.
Do not overuse cookies and pastries, as they can contain a lot of oils and sugar, which will negatively affect your figure.
With pancreatitis during the period of remission, it is allowed to add coarse cornmeal porridge and yesterday's cornbread to the diet. But the amount should be moderate - no more than 100 g of the finished product per day.
You cannot eat fresh cornbread, since it provokes fermentation in the intestines, it can cause severe pain.
The product is included in the diet of diabetics. Unleavened unleavened flat cakes, which can be used instead of bread, are especially useful.
In cooking, flour of different grinding is used very widely. It is used to prepare bread, cookies, pies, cakes, tortillas, porridge, breakfast cereals, and other dishes that are present in different cuisines of the world.
Such recipes are known with this ingredient.
Cookies
Prepare the following ingredients: 110 grams of corn flour and 100 wheat flour, 120 ml of milk, 4 tablespoons, 4 tablespoons. , a teaspoon of sugar, salt, baking powder.
- Combine all ingredients except flax seeds, mix.
- Then add the seeds, knead the dough. Roll out the finished dough into a thin rectangle and cut into pieces of any shape: squares, rectangles.
- Place on a baking sheet, bake for 10-13 minutes at 190 degrees.
Video on how to bake cookies from cornmeal:
Pancakes
For this recipe, you need to prepare such components: a glass of corn flour, 2.5 glasses of milk or whey, 2, 100 g of wheat or rice flour.2 tablespoons vegetable oil, a pinch of salt, sugar to taste.
- Beat eggs with sugar and salt until smooth.
- Then add milk or whey, mix, add sifted flour, knead the pancake dough so that there are no lumps.
- Pour vegetable oil into the dough, mix everything. Pancakes are fried in a simple way.
- The dough is poured into a hot skillet and toasted on both sides until blushed.
- When kneading, vanillin, vanilla sugar, spices can be added to the dough.
Video tutorial on how to cook pancakes:
Slimming use
Cereals are important for healthy weight loss. And corn flour is one of them, therefore it is a popular component in dietary nutrition.
To include it in the weight loss menu, you need to take into account the recommendations:
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Dishes from this product are best consumed in the first half of the day.
Coarse bread and unleavened corn tortillas are good for breakfast.
They can be combined with boiled meat, low-fat cheese, vegetables and fruits.
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You can have cornflakes for breakfast, but those that do not contain additives.
If you use them in the morning, pouring kefir, you can ensure effective cleansing of the body, which will also have a beneficial effect on the process of losing weight.
- Sometimes you can indulge yourself with a little corn biscuits.
- If you are losing weight, you should not eat corn sticks, sweet pastries, and finely ground desserts.
Application in traditional medicine
The properties of corn flour have found application not only in cooking, but also in folk medicine.
The following home remedies are known:
- With hypertension. Pour half a glass of wholemeal flour with a glass of boiled water, leave to brew for a day. Strain the solution. Consume two tablespoons before meals for two months.
- With sand in the kidneys... Pour a tablespoon of cereal with two glasses of boiling water. After 10 minutes, strain the infusion. Consume it three times a day, two tablespoons. Drinking plenty of clean water is important when treating in this way.
- To lower sugar levels. Mix 20 g corn powder, 10 g rose hips, 25 g each and immortelle. Pour them with two glasses of boiling water, leave to infuse for an hour. Then strain the product. Drink it 70 ml three times a day after meals. The course is four weeks.
To the table of contents
- Mask for cleansing and rejuvenating oily skin. You need to beat the egg white to get foam, then stir in two tablespoons of flour into this foam. Apply the mixture on the face and hold it for about 15 minutes until it dries. Then roll up the mask, wash your face with cold water.
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Nourishing and tonic. Mix in a tablespoon each of corn powder and flower honey.
The result is a product that can be used as a gentle scrub. Use it to massage your face and as a mask that should be kept for 10-15 minutes. Repeat no more than once a week.
- Moisturizer. Pour 2 tablespoons of corn flour with a little water, put on fire for 3-5 minutes. Cool slightly, add a teaspoon each of honey and heavy cream. Keep on face and neck for 15-20 minutes. The product perfectly nourishes and moisturizes the skin, it is especially useful in cold periods.
There is a recipe for using hair flour. In dry form, it must be applied to the roots and combed through the locks with a wooden comb. The product must absorb grease and dirt. It is important to rinse it off thoroughly.
Corn flour is versatile and can be used for different purposes.
If used correctly, it will help fight many problems and supplement the diet. Now you know exactly what is useful and harmful to corn flour.
In contact with
Irina Kamshilina
Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than for yourself))
Content
A cereal such as corn is of great industrial and food value. You can buy flour from it in almost any supermarket. The most important advantage of this cereal is its higher yield compared to traditional grain crops: wheat and rye. Corn flour - from such a product you can prepare dishes for both a family dinner and festive table, it remains only to choose the appropriate recipe for cookies or other delicacies.
The benefits and harms of corn flour
This valuable product is made from different types of corn. Its composition is rich in B vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium. In addition, this corn product contains starch that is easily absorbed by the body. Such a product is known for its dietary properties, i.e. it will help in losing weight. Compared to wheat, corn is considered a gluten-free crop.
As for harm, this product promotes blood clotting and prevents weight gain, because of which it can harm people with insufficient weight. In addition, cornmeal baked goods and the product itself can cause excessive bile production and impair the functioning of a diseased liver. In addition, such a product is poorer in nutritional value than its wheat counterpart.
What to make with cornmeal
The described product has a pleasant yellow color and a sweetish taste. The calorie content of corn products (dietary) is 330 kcal per 100 g. Using this type of product, you can prepare, for example, porridge, cornflakes or some kind of dessert for tea or coffee. Fine grinding is widely used for delicate and lush culinary products, and coarse grinding can be used to bake liver or homemade bread. The latter is very easy to prepare:
- First you need to mix flour, salt and baking powder in a deep saucepan, and in the second container combine granulated sugar with vegetable oil and the addition of milk.
- Next, you need to mix everything and knead the dough to a semi-liquid consistency.
- It remains to pour the dough into a large mold, preheat the oven to a temperature of 180-200 degrees and send the bread there. You need to bake for about 45 minutes.
Bakery products
Before making the cornmeal dough, choose a baking option that will appeal to your whole family and guests. For example, it can be used to make cheesecake, cheese rolls, Mexican tortilla, kefir pie, muffin, etc. Carbohydrate-rich corn baked goods are great for making gluten-free cookies, great for breakfast.
Diet meals
Having decided to treat relatives and friends dietary meal with the taste of corn, pay attention to the Abkhazian mamalyga, Moldavian and other options. You can also make summer veggie patties that require carrots and cheese. An excellent option can be diet pancakes on kefir, Italian polenta, which, in fact, is porridge, vegetable steak, etc.
Corn flour recipes
Before answering the question of how to cook meals from cornmeal (often called maize flour), choose the appropriate step by step recipe... Pancakes, pancakes, cookies from such a healthy dietary product are very popular. There are many known baking recipes, especially all kinds of pies. If you do not know what to choose, especially if you urgently need to prepare lunch or dinner, then pay attention to the following options:
- cake;
- pies;
- hominy;
- pancakes.
Corn bread
- Servings Per Container: 10 Persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 266 kcal per 100 g.
- Cuisine: American.
Even a young housewife can cook at home corn bread, which contains vitamins and minerals necessary for the human body. Moreover, such flour is best combined with wheat flour, because it does not contain gluten, so pure corn baking with yeast, without any additives, is not very successful. In this regard, for cooking, you will have to use the addition of other types of flour.
Ingredients:
- wheat and corn flour - 240 g each;
- milk and yogurt - 120 ml each;
- butter - 100 g;
- egg - 1 pc.;
- sea skim - 1 pinch;
- baking powder - 10 g;
- chili pepper (green) - 1 pc.:
- onion feathers (green) - 4 pcs.
Cooking method:
- Stir both flours, add baking powder, finely chopped onion and pepper.
- Melt about 90 g butter in milk. Whisk the egg with salt, yogurt, then mix with milk and butter.
- After combining all the ingredients, knead the dough.
- Grease a springform pan with the remaining oil, pour the dough into it evenly and place in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Corn flour cake
- Servings Per Container: 7 Persons.
- Cuisine: European.
- Complexity of preparation: difficult.
When planning to make something tasty, pay attention to the cake, which can be a great addition even to the holiday table. Light cake "Violet" without flaky wheat cakes and fatty cream can please any person. To answer the question of how to make such a confectionery masterpiece, you need to purchase the necessary products and be patient. But the result will exceed all expectations.
Ingredients:
- corn and wheat flour - 400 and 150 g;
- sugar - 2 tbsp. l .;
- sugar for cream - 120 g;
- milk - 450 ml;
- corn starch - 1 tbsp l.
- lemon zest (optional) - 1 tsp;
- black currant or other berries - 50 g .:
- walnuts- 50 g;
- cranberries - 25 g;
- Violet food coloring- 0.5 tsp
Cooking method:
- Add sugar to warm water, stir until dissolved. Mix both types of flour, add butter there, knead with your hands.
- Knead the dough, gradually adding the water and sugar. You should get a semi-sweet shortbread dough. Put it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
- For the custard, place the milk on medium heat. Mash the yolks with starch, sugar and pour in half of the hot milk. Then pour the resulting mixture into the remaining milk. Cook until thick, stirring constantly.
- Rub the zest into the cream, cover, cool. Then divide it into two parts, adding chopped nuts to one, and berry puree to the other.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls, roll each of them into a crust. Bake the cakes until lightly blush on both sides. Give each a round shape. Chop the trimmings in a blender.
- Assemble the cake by smearing the cakes with cream with nuts and berries - be sure to alternate.
- Add the dye to the remaining cream, mix it and put it on the top cake. Sprinkle with crumbs. Place the pastry in the refrigerator to soak.
Corn biscuits
- Cooking time: 120 minutes.
- Servings Per Container: 4 Persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 339 kcal per 100 g.
- Purpose: for breakfast.
- Cuisine: American.
- Complexity of preparation: easy.
Delicious gluten-free cookies can replace almost any breakfast. For many, recipes for baking from corn products are still perceived as a bit of a curiosity, but in fact, people began to use this product for making cookies, bread and tortillas for a very long time. Corn has played an important role in the history of America; the territory of modern Mexico is considered its homeland.
Ingredients:
- corn flour - 7 tbsp. l .;
- sugar - 3 tbsp. l .;
- vegetable oil - 1/4 cup;
- cinnamon (ground) - to taste;
- eggs - 2 pcs.;
- nuts - 40 g;
- raisins - 30 g.
Cooking method:
- Mix 1/4 cup butter with sugar, add crushed nuts, cinnamon and raisins.
- Break 2 eggs. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Add flour. The dough should not come out runny.
- Put the resulting mass on a greased baking sheet with a tablespoon or teaspoon.
- Bake for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 220 degrees.
Cornmeal Patties
- Cooking time: 60-70 minutes.
- Servings Per Container: 3-4 Persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 250-300 kcal per 100 g.
- Purpose: for breakfast.
- Cuisine: European.
What does it take to make delicious pies using raw corn? It is necessary to prepare a suitable filling. Eggs with cabbage are a great option. Finished goods will turn out not only satisfying, but also very nutritious, because corn grains are rich in minerals, vitamins and amino acids. You can have a snack with such pies during any meal.
Ingredients:
- corn and wheat flour - 200 and 70 g;
- white cabbage - 150 g;
- water - 150 ml;
- granulated sugar, salt - 1 tsp each;
- yeast (fast acting) - 6 g;
- eggs - 5 pcs.;
- onion - 1 pc .;
- sunflower oil - 3 tbsp. l;
- spices to taste.
Cooking method:
- Knead the dough, add sugar, yeast. Leave for 10-15 minutes in a warm place.
- Once the yeast is swollen, add eggs, salt. Stir.
- Add all of the wheat flour, some of the corn flour.
- While kneading the dough, add the leftover corn products until the mixture sticks to your hands. Cover the dough with cling film, leave for 1.5 hours.
- For the filling, chop the cabbage, fry it over medium heat. Salt it, add spices, finely chopped half of the onion. Simmer the cabbage, stirring constantly.
- Boil eggs, cool, cut into cubes. Fry the other half of the onion. Add chopped eggs.
- Roll out a "sausage" from the dough, cut it into pieces, from which form circles. Spread out the fillings.
- Bake for about 20 minutes in the oven at 175 degrees.
Mexican tortilla
- Servings Per Container: 9 Persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 268 kcal per 100 g.
- Purpose: for any meal.
- Cuisine: Mexican.
- Complexity of preparation: easy.
Along with various Mexican dishes, flat cakes are also very popular, the recipe for which anyone can master. In Mexico, tortillas is a national bread that can be used to prepare dishes such as tacos, enchilada, burritos, etc. For tortillas, you can use not only corn, but also wheat products.
Ingredients:
- flour - 1 glass;
- fat / oil - 25 g;
- salt - 1/2 tsp.
Cooking method:
- Combine flour with salt and fat.
- Gradually adding water, knead a soft, elastic dough that does not stick to your hands. Then cover it, let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 9 small pieces, rolling each piece until transparent.
- Bake the tortillas until cooked through in a dry skillet on both sides, until light brown spots appear.
Hominy
- Cooking time: 45 minutes.
- Servings Per Container: 2 Persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: about 100 kcal per 100 g.
- Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
- Cuisine: Romanian, Moldavian.
- Complexity of preparation: medium.
This healthy and tasty Romanian and Moldavian dish is rolled into balls or cut into pieces before use. It is also popular with some Caucasian peoples. They eat hominy with melted cracklings, grated feta cheese, butter and sour cream. As a side dish, it is served with fish or meat. To find out how to make delicious hominy, check out the ingredients and cooking method below.
Ingredients:
- corn flour - 2 cups;
- water - 4 glasses;
- butter - 2 tbsp. l .;
- salt - 1.5 tbsp. l.
Cooking method:
- Start by pouring water into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or cauldron. Add salt there.
- Add flour, stir. Try to avoid clumping.
- Put on medium heat, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the remaining flour, stirring well.
- Continue cooking for 20 minutes, picking the hominy from the sides of the container and remixing again.
- The dish is ready when crusts appear on the sides of the container.
Pancakes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes.
- Servings Per Container: 2 Persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 221.8 kcal per 100 g.
- Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
- Cuisine: American.
- Complexity of preparation: medium.
Corn flour is great for pancakes, which will slightly differ in taste from their wheat counterparts. The finished baked goods will have a pleasant aroma and taste. In the process of making pancake dough, you can experiment by adding a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla. It is advisable to use them warm immediately after cooking. Serve jam, honey, condensed milk or sour cream with them.
Ingredients:
- wheat and corn flour - 40 and 130 g;
- sunflower oil - 30 g;
- milk - 260 ml.;
- eggs - 2 pcs.;
- sugar - 2 tablespoons;
- salt - 1 tsp
Cooking method:
- Knead the pancake dough. To do this, mix eggs with granulated sugar. Next, beat the whole mass until fluffy using a whisk or mixer.
- Then add oil and salt while continuing to work with a mixer.
- Add milk and whisk. Use water to reduce calories.
- Add flour to the dough in small portions. Whisk everything thoroughly to break up the flour lumps.
- Make a homogeneous mass that should not be too thin or thick.
- Heat the pan, brush with a thin layer of oil (sunflower). Pour a portion of the dough into the center, spread quickly in a circular motion.
- Fry until golden brown on both sides. Do this with each piece.
Discuss
Useful properties and harm of corn flour - recipes for cooking dishes with a photo
Many people underestimate corn flour and rarely cook from it, not knowing about the beneficial properties. In addition, dishes based on it turn out to be unusually tasty and at the same time low-calorie.
Cornmeal is made from a special variety of yellow corn. This product is inferior in nutritional value to wheat flour (the latter contains more nutrients), but you shouldn't discount it. At least one clear benefit is dietary properties.
- macro- and microelements: calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
- vitamins: E, A, PP (niacin), B1.
- amino acids: arginine, histidine, tryptophan, leucine, valine, isoleucine, methionine, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine.
Also, corn flour contains starch, fatty acids, vegetable proteins and fiber.
Calorie content:
- 1 tsp (10 g) - 33.1 kcal;
- 1 tbsp. l. (30 g) - 99.3 kcal;
- a glass (200 ml, or 131 g) - 430 kcal;
- a glass (250 ml, or 161 g) - 529.6 kcal.
100 g of flour contains about 330 kcal, which is 16% of the average daily intake for an adult.
Why do you need this product
Corn flour cannot be called in demand in the CIS countries. Even during the reign of Khrushchev, a kind of "golden age" of corn in Russia, few people cooked from it at home. And not because it tastes bad or can be harmful to health. Just in our traditional cuisine no corresponding recipes have appeared.
In fact, a lot of useful and delicious dishes: muffins, tortillas, pancakes, casseroles, muffins, pancakes. Such baked goods are particularly light and crumbly. And cornbread does not stale for a long time and retains its pleasant taste.
This product has been used in world culinary for a long time. The Indians knew and loved him in pre-colonial times. It is no coincidence that tacos (corn) are mentioned in the novels of F. Cooper, M. Reed and D. London.
Corn bread has many advantages over wheat bread:
- saturates quickly and for a long time;
- does not deteriorate for a long time;
- contains a large amount of vegetable proteins.
It is for these properties that cornmeal bread has always been highly valued by travelers. Today this product is recommended for use during heavy physical exertion and sports.
Slimming
Food made from corn flour is low in calories, but satiates quickly and for a long time. It can be used to unload the body after a heavy meal - as a preventive measure against extra centimeters at the waist.
But to create diet baked goods, you need to use a minimum of eggs, sugar and butter. Surprisingly, but true: even in this case, the baked goods are crumbly and tasty, and most importantly - satisfying.
Corn flour does not contain gluten, so it is advisable to use it for patients with celiac disease (intolerance to the protein found in wheat and some other cereals). Other gluten-free flours include very, amaranth and coconut flours.
Today, it is not difficult to find dietary cornbread on store shelves. But before you buy it, you should evaluate the calorie content. For example, the common option of adding cheese instead of good can harm your figure.
For gastrointestinal health
The product contains a lot of fiber necessary for the normal functioning of the digestive tract: 4.5 g per 100 g, or 22% of the recommended daily intake. For this reason, cornmeal dishes prevent and eliminate constipation, normalize intestinal motility.
Scientists note that such properties of the product are directly related to a decrease in the risk of developing malignant colon tumors. In addition, regular consumption of cornmeal meals prevents the development of hemorrhoids.
It also has a choleretic effect, therefore it is offered for therapeutic nutrition for certain diseases of the liver and gallbladder.
For the brain
The product contains vitamin B1, which is necessary for normal blood circulation and metabolic processes, maintaining brain and nervous activity.
For the circulatory system
Cornmeal is rich in iron, which promotes blood formation and is beneficial for iron deficiency anemia.
Improves the condition of blood vessels, cleanses and strengthens them, lowers cholesterol and has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart muscle.
For skin
If you consume dishes made from this flour for a long time, you will notice that the color and texture of the skin have changed for the better. The product promotes cell renewal, nourishes them from the inside.
It will be equally useful to use corn flour in recipes for home cosmetics: scrubs and masks for the body, face, hands, neck and skin. Such procedures gently remove impurities, massage the skin, make it elastic and tender, and rejuvenate.
But the beneficial properties of the product are not limited to this:
- maintains the acid-base balance in the body in a harmonious state.
- promotes the elimination of kidney stones;
- this type of flour is good for the health of bones and teeth;
- eliminates inflammation in the bladder;
- participates in the formation of muscle tissue, which is especially important for a growing body and adult athletes;
- normalizes urination;
- slows down the aging process;
- it is recommended to introduce into the diet of patients with tuberculosis;
- corn flour helps to normalize sugar levels, therefore it is useful for patients with diabetes mellitus;
- gives a significant healing effect in poliomyelitis and epilepsy.
Corn flour is also recommended during pregnancy. For expectant mother it is advisable to include tortillas, breads, pancakes and casseroles in the diet. Pediatricians do not advise giving any baked goods to children under 12 years old, but they are allowed to include other dishes containing cornmeal in the children's menu, starting from 1 year old.
Harm and dangerous properties
This food product also has properties that can cause serious harm to humans. Specifically, corn flour:
- It causes blood clots and is contraindicated in people with a tendency to form blood clots. For the same reason, it should not be given after surgeries.
- Not recommended for children with wheat flour allergy or diathesis.
- Reduces weight gain. Dishes from it can not be eaten by people with a lack of body weight, poor appetite, as well as patients with anorexia.
- May be harmful during exacerbations of gastrointestinal diseases.
- Promotes the secretion of bile, therefore, with diseases of the liver and gallbladder, a preliminary medical consultation on this issue is required.
In the countries of the European Union, since 2014, cultivation and use in Food Industry genetically modified corn. Accordingly, if you try to eat exclusively healthy food, choose flour of domestic production.
Corn can accumulate nitrates, which can be harmful to health and provoke the development of cancer. In addition, yellow molds, which contain carcinogens, sometimes attack corn flour. Therefore, you should not take damp products or make a purchase in a store where storage issues are negligent.
A high-quality product is hermetically sealed, it shows: date of production, country of origin and expiration date. In a good product, the grains are small and have a pleasant golden color without dark inclusions. It is not worth buying freshly produced flour for immediate use: its beneficial properties are revealed to the maximum extent about a month after production.
Corn flour is renowned for its ability to add tenderness and fluffiness to baked goods. Housewives prefer it for its amazing taste, as well as valuable properties. Few people know that the usual in the culinary world benefits the body, strengthens the immune system and improves the work of the heart. But let's not be unfounded, let's talk about everything in order.
Composition and properties of corn flour
- The composition contains many valuable substances that are important for human body... We are talking about magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, copper, etc. Retinol, tocopherol, nicotinic acid, pyridoxine are isolated from vitamins. folic acid, riboflavin and thiamine.
- For the correct functioning of the most important systems, it is important that amino acids enter the body. There is an abundance of them in corn raw materials, and many are irreplaceable.
- Bread made with corn flour is subject to a longer shelf life than a similar product made from wheat. Accordingly, all valuable substances are stored for much longer.
- A person fell in love with the composition for its ability to quickly saturate and prolong this feeling for a long time. Travelers love this type of baked goods due to the fact that you can eat a little, but feel full for a long time.
- Flour prolongs physical endurance, which is appreciated by athletes, losing weight and those who lead active image life. It is drunk, diluted with water, in order to fill the stomach and lose weight.
- The beneficial qualities extend to patients with celiac disease. This disease is based on gluten intolerance, and corn flour does not contain it.
- On the basis of the discussed raw materials, dishes with a relatively low calorie content are made. Baking is welcome in the diet of adherents. proper nutrition and healthy way life. The product does not allow you to gain excess weight, but, on the contrary, starts metabolic processes.
- After a hard feast, flour will help unload the stomach, cleanse the esophagus from congestion, and eliminate the effects of alcohol and tobacco intoxication.
- In order to fully enjoy all the most valuable qualities, experts recommend that you carefully study the "Composition" column on the back of the package. The flour should not contain harmful impurities that increase the calorie content.
- The most valuable properties of the raw materials under discussion include the fight against anemia (iron deficiency). It contains a lot of iron, which increases hemoglobin and prevents the development of anemia.
The benefits and effects of flour on the body
There are many benefits to this product. Therefore, the effect on the human body is difficult to overestimate.
- Thanks to the systematic intake of incoming mineral compounds and vitamins, they help fight urolithiasis, strengthen teeth, and improve the condition of hair and nails.
- Flour perfectly forms bone tissue, lowers blood cholesterol levels and thereby prevents a serious disease in the form of atherosclerosis.
- It is used when diabetes mellitus to lower the concentration of glucose in the blood. The product is especially popular for diabetes mellitus of the second category.
- A positive effect is the ability to relieve inflammation in the bladder if urination is accompanied by discomfort and pain.
- The impact is truly multifaceted. The raw materials are used for the formation of muscle tissue, which is beneficial for children and athletes. Incoming antioxidants affect youth, prolonging it and preventing early tissue aging.
- It is enough to include the product in the basic diet and consume it regularly to improve the complexion, hair condition, the strength of teeth and nail plates. The effect is the ability to regenerate skin cells.
- This kind of flour has a positive effect on the entire body. It is prescribed to be taken instead of wheat for people who have difficulties with the gastrointestinal tract and the entire esophagus as a whole. The composition contains fiber, which clears the intestinal tract from congestion and thereby prevents constipation.
- There is an opinion that this kind of product helps to prevent cancer changes in the body, namely in the colon. This is possible because flour stops the ill-fated cancer cells and blocks the blood flow to them.
- Also, the product is suitable for people with susceptibility to hemorrhoids. It is also worth saying that flour has the ability to remove bile, which is why it is so often prescribed to be taken when therapeutic diets for the gallbladder and liver.
- The composition contains various vitamins belonging to group B. Thiamine is considered especially valuable, which controls the activity of the brain and improves the most important cognitive functions for humans.
- Undoubtedly, the product has a lot of positive qualities, but, like any other raw material, there are contraindications. Corn flour can cause blood to thicken. Therefore, it is not recommended to include the composition in the diet with a tendency to form blood clots. The same applies to people who have recently undergone surgery.
- The product has been found to inhibit rapid weight gain. Undoubtedly, this quality is good for those people who are struggling with extra pounds. Flour can harm those who, on the contrary, have problems with underweight. Also, do not include the composition in the diet with poor appetite and anorexia.
- It is not recommended to include in the diet foods that contain corn flour if you suffer from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract in acute form... It is also worth knowing that the composition provokes the release of bile. Therefore, strictly control the consumption of cornmeal for diseases of the gallbladder and liver.
- In some cases, the product can have a positive effect on health. Do not take risks and consult your doctor in advance. It is not recommended to include corn flour in the diet for children who suffer from diathesis. Check with your pediatrician.
- It is important to note that genetically modified corn is most often found on store shelves. Almost everyone knows what negative impact such products have on humans. Therefore, when buying ready-made flour, pay attention to the mark that the raw materials were used unchanged.
Rules for the consumption of corn flour
- Corn flour is sold at any grocery supermarket. Also, you can easily prepare the powder yourself. The disadvantage of the latter method is that some of the nutrients will be irretrievably lost. There are many variations on how to cook dishes from such flour.
- In order not to bother too much, it is enough to cook porridge based on raw materials. This dish is perfect as a breakfast on fasting days. In this case, the porridge must be cooked in water and without adding any harmful sweeteners or salt.
- For more mouth-watering dishes, you should consider several recipes. To make delicious tortillas, enter 400 gr. corn flour 10 gr. baking powder, 230 ml. kefir and salt to taste. Stir the mixture thoroughly to avoid clumping. Once the mixture is smooth, add the grated zest of 1 lemon. Next, shape the cakes and fry them in a pan in vegetable oil until golden brown.
- In addition to tortillas, you can also make tortillas. In fact, it is the same thing only thinner. Mexican pancakes are quite simple to prepare. Mix 700 gr. flour with 10 gr. salt and 12 gr. baking powder. Enter 30 ml into the composition. vegetable oil. Add hot water gradually. Knead the dough by hand. Form a ball and leave in a cup for 12 minutes. cover with a towel. Cut the composition into several pieces and roll into thin pancakes. Fry without oil in a pan.
Corn flour is a real find in the field of culinary. It has a low calorie content, but at the same time it saturates well and promotes weight loss. The effect on the body is multifaceted, which encourages people to increasingly bake corn-based baked goods.
Video: useful properties of corn grits
Corn flour is a valuable food product that is widely used in cooking, cosmetology, and folk medicine. It gives dishes an unusual taste, and valuable chemical elements have a positive effect on the body.
This type of flour is not as rich in composition as wheat flour. However, it contains some unique ingredients that give it positive properties.
It contains the following nutrients:
- vitamins E, A, H, PP, B1, B2, B5 and B9;
- minerals - magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium;
- amino acids;
- alimentary fiber;
- carotenoids.
The calorie content of corn powder is 331 kcal per 100 g. It contains 3.5 g of fat, 8.8 g of protein and 71 g of carbohydrates, 60 g of which is starch.
To calculate the calorie content of ready-made corn dishes, you can use the following table:
This flour is included in many weight loss diets with limited added sugar in ready meals. It contains a lot of fiber, so it keeps you feeling full and reduces appetite.
Why corn is better than wheat
Wheat flour is most commonly used in cooking. However, its corn variety has more beneficial properties:
- It can be consumed by those on a diet. It improves the microflora of the stomach and intestines, and also slows down the fermentation process of carbohydrates.
- It is allowed to be eaten by people with gluten intolerance.
- The feeling of fullness after consuming it lasts much longer.
- Thanks to the rich chemical composition it is recommended for athletes and people undergoing severe physical exertion.
Influence on the body
This product is not very popular in Russia, therefore, not everyone knows about the benefits and dangers of corn flour. However, the presence of valuable components determines its positive impact on health.
Benefit for health
The product has a wide spectrum of action on many body systems:
- Improving digestion. Fiber and amino acids stimulate gastric secretion, cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of harmful substances, prevent the development of intestinal cancers and promote better absorption of nutrients.
- Helps strengthen bones and teeth. Phosphorus, which is part of the product, is their main component.
- It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, restores neural connections and improves concentration.
- The choleretic properties of the product are used for cholecystitis. However, its use is prohibited for cholelithiasis.
- It has a beneficial effect on the skin, improving its color and general condition.
- Thanks to its high protein content, it helps to maintain muscle tissue in good condition.
- It has a positive effect on the circulatory system, strengthens blood vessels and prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques.
- Iron, necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells, improves the process of hematopoiesis, and amino acids help purify the blood.
- Vitamins and trace elements strengthen the immune system.
This product is used in traditional medicine. It is used to prepare medicinal potions that relieve kidney stones, high blood pressure and inflammation of the bladder.
Possible harm and contraindications
Contraindications to the use of corn powder logically follow from its beneficial qualities:
- Due to the fact that this flour has a stimulating effect on digestion, it should not be used in food for people with gastrointestinal diseases - gastritis or stomach ulcers during an exacerbation, pancreatitis.
- It prevents weight gain, so use should be limited if you are underweight.
- Not recommended for people prone to blood clots, because the product additionally thickens the blood.
- In case of liver and gallbladder diseases, prior consultation with a specialist is required.
- Individual intolerance.
If you have these health problems, you must exclude the product from your diet.
Features of use
Corn powder is widely used in cooking. It is used to bake bread and flat cakes, produce confectionery and snacks, and use it in the preparation of sauces as a thickener. But, despite the usefulness of this product, some norms of its use should be observed.
The norm for an adult
Daily use of this product is allowed, but it is better to eat it in the morning.
The largest number of valuable substances is contained in coarse flour, so this particular variety should be preferred.
Excessive use of baked goods leads to weight gain.
With diseases
The consumption of this product should be limited in case of pancreatitis. During the period of easing of symptoms, it is allowed to consume up to 100 g of stale corn bread or porridge per day. Fresh baked goods provoke an exacerbation of the disease.
Diabetics are allowed to eat corn products. Regular bread should be replaced with unleavened unleavened flat cakes. Periodically, you can introduce porridge into the diet - it has a low glycemic index and slows down the absorption of glucose. But sweet and deep-fried foods are prohibited.
When losing weight
The beneficial effect on the digestive system and the presence of some valuable components determines the use of corn for weight loss. Dishes made with this cereal flour will leave you feeling full for a long time. They contribute to better cleansing of the body during fasting days and prevent the appearance of extra pounds after holiday feasts.
With the help of this product, you can cook diet baked goods, but certain conditions must be observed - add a minimum amount of sugar, butter and eggs. Even in this case, the products are extremely tasty and airy.
It is good to eat cornmeal bread during your diet. However, it is necessary to carefully study the composition - some additives increase its calorie content.
To excess weight left faster, it is important to follow a few simple recommendations:
- Dishes made from this type of flour are best consumed in the morning. They will provide the body with energy for the entire day ahead. For breakfast, you can eat unleavened cakes or tortillas. They go well with fruits, vegetables and seafood. So that the product does not lose its dietary value, you should choose products made from wholemeal flour.
- You can also have breakfast with cornflakes. But they should not contain sugar, glaze or chemical additives. Then they will positively affect the digestion process;
- During the diet, it is forbidden to eat corn sticks and other high-calorie sweets.
There are various maize-based mono diets. However, it is impossible to limit the diet to one product for a long time.
During pregnancy
Eating cornmeal flour in moderation during pregnancy will not only harm you, but it will help to cope with some problems.
Dishes made from this product should be added to the diet 3-4 times a week. It is better to eat them in the first half of the day: consumption in the evening increases gas production and disrupts sleep. This effect is associated with a large amount of fiber and carbohydrates.
- Unleavened stale cakes relieve toxicosis in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is enough to eat a small piece and wash it down with clean water. The unpleasant sensations will go away quickly;
- In the second trimester, when the fruit grows most actively, corn flour will saturate the body with the necessary substances. To replenish the loss, it is recommended to consume 50-80 g per day. It can be used to bake bread or add to other dishes;
- In the final trimester, a corn product will relieve swelling and prevent severe weight gain. It should be consumed daily, but in small amounts. If discomfort and bloating occur, the portion should be reduced until the discomfort disappears.
The use of baked goods should be limited to 1-2 times a week.
For nursing mothers
It is allowed to consume corn flour during the entire lactation period. It can be added to dishes, for example, cheese cakes, or to make unleavened bread and liquid cereals from it, which are best absorbed by the body.
Sweet foods such as corn sticks should not be eaten until at least 3 months of age. Sugar has a negative effect on the baby's digestive system, overloading the intestines and pancreas, and causing diathesis.
In the diet of children
At the age of 6-7 months, corn porridge is recommended to be included in the diet of babies. Preference should be given to the product of medium or coarse grinding, because the amount of valuable components in it is the greatest. You can make it yourself from corn kernels by grinding them in a coffee grinder.
In order for the use of a new product not to have a negative impact on the health of the child, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization:
- For underweight children, complementary foods can be administered at the age of 5.5-6 months. The rest of the babies should be given porridge after vegetables - upon reaching 7 months;
- It should be gradually introduced into the diet and the baby's reaction should be monitored. For the first time, 1 teaspoon will be enough. If there are no problems, the portion can be gradually increased;
- The porridge should have a liquid consistency and not contain salt or sugar. To 1 st. a spoonful of flour must be added 80 ml of water - this is the optimal proportion. V ready meal you can add a small amount of breast milk;
- For 8-9 month old babies, it is allowed to prepare a mixture of corn porridge and fruit purees.
Baking made from this flour, like other confectionery products, is allowed to be given only from the age of 1.5.
Types of corn flour
Depending on the grinding method, it happens:
- coarse grinding - obtained by grinding grains using stone millstones. This type is the most useful and dietary;
- medium grinding - most often used in bakery production;
- fine grinding - produced by modern processing of cereal with metal millstones. The product does not contain bran impurities and is used for the preparation of puddings, desserts and other confectionery products.
Depending on the type of cereal, the following types are distinguished:
- blue - has a sweet taste and a bluish tinge;
- yellow - is the most widespread, since this cereal variety is grown almost all over the world;
- red - has a rich taste. It is used by the Spaniards to prepare polenta - an analogue of hominy;
- white - produced in Africa and the USA.
The yellow variety of this product is usually found on the shelves of Russian stores.
Diet recipes
Hominy
This is porridge, which is a national dish in Moldova and Romania.
It requires the following ingredients:
- 400 g medium-ground flour;
- 1.3 liters of water;
- salt (to taste).
You should take a small cauldron with thick walls, fill it with water and put it on fire. After the liquid boils, flour is carefully poured and salt is added.
The porridge must be constantly mixed. The mixture is cooked for half an hour until thickened. After that, it is laid out on a plate and sprinkled with low-fat cottage cheese or feta cheese.
Corn syrniki
For cooking you need:
- 300 g low-calorie cottage cheese;
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of flour;
- 1 egg;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of brown sugar;
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest;
- 1/3 teaspoon vanilla.
Cottage cheese, vanilla and sugar are ground until smooth. Then 2 tbsp is added. tablespoons of corn flour and knead the dough from which the cheesecakes are molded. Then they are rolled in breading and fried.
This is just a small part diet recipes that use this nutritious product. You can find it at your regular supermarket or specialty store. Used in moderation, it can help support immunity and address some health problems.