Corn flour: benefit and harm. Application of corn flour

Corn is a large one-year-old grass and is considered one of the oldest cultures, mastered by mankind 7-12 thousand years ago. Today, maize crops occupy about 132 million hectares of land, and the annual harvest is about 450 million tons.

About half of the world's crop grows in the US, where local farmers grow corn for domestic pastures. The grain of this crop is meant not only for human food needs. It is also the main food for livestock and poultry. In this article we will consider such issues as:

• Corn flour, the benefit and harm it for a person.
• Fields of application of corn flour.
• Properties.

Corn flour: benefit and harm

Fresh corn is one of the favorite dishes of many people. The seeds of this wonderful cereal can be eaten in boiled and dried form (popcorn). Also very popular is canned corn, which is an indispensable ingredient in many home cooking dishes. Corn is also made for cereals, intended for making tasty and healthy porridge. No less popular product is corn flour, which is widely used by many cooks for cooking a variety of baked goods.

The use of corn flour is its high nutritional properties. Various products made from such a component are well absorbed by the body, improve digestion and metabolism.

Often you can hear this question: "Is corn flour useful?" To answer it, you should consider in more detail the chemical composition and nutritional value of this product. The composition of the flour includes many minerals, such as: calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins (B1, B2), PP and E vitamins, starch and beta-carotene.

Despite the fact that this product is quite high in caloric content (331 kcal per 100 g), some types of bread baked from it can be used as a diet and promote weight loss.

The use of corn flour has long been known in folk medicine. This wonderful product is used in the treatment of epilepsy and poliomyelitis, helps to strengthen blood vessels, normalizes the heart, stimulates bile secretion, increases hemoglobin and even prolongs youth. With diseases such as tuberculosis and chronic digestive system disorders, cornmeal is also an indispensable food.

What are the properties of corn flour? Known useful qualities of this product for various inflammatory processes of the gallbladder, hypertension and kidney stone disease. Many athletes try to include in their diet dishes cooked using corn flour, thanks to its high nutritional value.

It should be noted that this product does not include gluten (gluten) - a protein substance contained in white grains (wheat, rye, etc.). Persons suffering from a disease such as celiac disease are prohibited from eating gluten-containing foods. In this case, patients with a diet can eat corn flour as an alternative to wheat or rye. Nevertheless, products made from it can not be eaten if:

• You have high blood coagulability. Corn flour helps to thicken the blood, so with such a disease, its use should be minimized.
• There are any pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, you should eat foods from corn flour with caution, in order to avoid exacerbations of chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

Application

What other properties does cornmeal have? The benefits and disadvantages of this product have been described above. Consider additional fields of application of corn flour.

It is known that this product is used in completely unexpected areas. For example, flour is widely used in fishing as a bait for white fish. In addition, it is used as a binder in the manufacture of a variety of sausages, brewing, etc. Another important feature of it is the slowing of the fermentation of carbohydrates, in connection with which the products with the addition of such a component last longer the shelf life.

The use of cornmeal is known in various fields of human activity. Most often it is used in cooking. In addition to a variety of pastries, this product is used in the production of corn flakes, which are so fond of modern children. Flour is mainly used for baking bread and confectionery. For the production of the most lush and air culinary creations, the product of fine grinding is used. From corn flour, such dishes as pancakes, fritters, bakery products, pies, various cookies and cakes, desserts, soups, second dishes, etc. are made.

Corn flour is also used in cosmetology. Recipes of various masks for the face and hands, made with the use of this product, are known.

Anti-aging mask for wrinkle smoothing

2 tbsp. Spoons of corn flour should be mixed with egg white 1 until the foam forms. Using a cotton swab, apply a thin layer on the skin of the face or hands. After a lapse of 20 minutes, the mask should be washed off or wiped with a damp cloth. To achieve the effect of narrowing the pores, the face should be rinsed with cold water and apply a nourishing cream.

Exfoliating mask

A tablespoon of honey should be mixed with art. With a spoon of corn flour. You can use the resulting mass as a scrub or mask. It is desirable to apply mass in a circular motion. After 10 minutes, the rests must be washed off.

Tightening Mask

1 tbsp. Spoon white clay should be mixed with 1 tbsp. Spoon of flour. Add 2 tbsp. Spoons of strong brewed black tea and 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, then mix the mass to a homogeneous consistency. For dry skin, brewed tea can be replaced with yoghurt.

Apply mask to face, wait 20 minutes. After the end of the procedure, the rests should be washed off.

Mask against acne with corn flour

2 tbsp. Spoons of corn flour should be mixed with 2 tbsp. Spoons of liquid soap. Add 2 tbsp. Spoons of crushed almond powder and 1-2 tbsp. Spoons of apple cider vinegar.

This mask is very beneficial for the condition of oily skin of the face, as well as help get rid of acne and various skin inflammations. This remedy for acne can be used daily, leaving on the face until completely dry.

How to replace corn flour

Often mistresses in the preparation of culinary masterpieces encounter in recipes with an ingredient such as cornmeal. Often this product is not available in the home. The question arises: "How can you replace corn flour?"

If the house does not have such an ingredient, you can prepare it yourself. This requires the usual corn grits and coffee grinder. It is necessary to thoroughly crumble dry rump before the formation of flour.

After grinding, flour may remain in the flour. In this case, it can be sieved through a sieve, and large untwisted particles can be removed.

Conclusion

So, we have examined what properties corn flour has, the benefits and harm it contains. Let's pay some attention to the problem of genetically modified products that filled domestic counters in the 21st century.

Recently, the cultivation of corn from genetically modified seeds has been expanding and growing every year. What is the danger of GMOs?

GMO products are obtained by introducing "target genes" into the gene structure of plants in order to give them new properties. Thus, an artificial acceleration of evolution is made.

In view of the lack of research in this area, one can be wary of over-eating any corn products, since most corn grain is grown by this technology.