In the modern world the food industry can brag of such amount of nutritional supplements that many ask a reasonable question: Why they are necessary and whether products with their presence are harmful? Of course, it would be desirable to eat only natural food, but in the large cities it is almost impossible, or is very expensive. On the other hand, additives as they speak about them are not so terrible. In this article we will consider corn starch — the nutritional supplement received by means of the destruction of proteinaceous communications got from starch corn grains.
About quality and grades
The technology of receiving substance is very simple, it is just taken from raw materials by means of soaking in sour solution and the subsequent machining. Its quality depends on quality of grain, observance of manufacturing techniques, rules and periods of storage.
Corn, as well as any other starch, has to correspond to certain indicators of quality.
Carry to them:
- Lack of foreign smells and tastes. Presence of those demonstrates the wrong storage (considering that the product has strongly expressed occluding properties, it needs to be stored in the dry, well aired rooms).
- Lack of impurity, including various grains, dust, traces of other types of a product.
- Color inherent in grade — for corn is characteristic white with an almost inaudible yellowish shade, gray — sign of availability of impurity.
- The humidity of a product, normal, should not exceed thirteen percent.
Whether you know? Though potato starch is most habitual to us, tubers contain not enough this substance — only about 25%. Most of all starch in cereals, and especially is a lot of it in rice seeds — to 86%.
Unlike the potato, having division into four grades, at corn it is allocated two: the highest and the first.
Corn starch is used at preparation of kissel and protein bars and also at observance of a diet of Dyukan.
The distinction is defined according to the following indicators:
- The maximum percent of ashes in solid: the premium — 0.2; the 1st grade — 0.3;
- The maximum acidity on hundred grams of solid: the premium — 20; the 1st grade — 25;
- Maximum share maintenance of a protein: the premium — 0.8%; the 1st grade — 1%;
- Existence of dark impregnations (on 1 sq.dm of an even layer): the premium — no more than three hundred; the 1st grade — no more than five hundred.
All these features also influenced increase in popularity of this type of starch.
Composition of corn starch
Corn starch belongs to universal grain products, and its characteristics — low protein content and ashes. It almost completely consists of carbohydrates (84 g on 100 g of a product), the share of proteins and fats is scornfully small.
Also contains fluorine and calcium, useful to teeth and bones, in small quantities potassium, sodium, magnesium and also RR vitamin.
Chestnut honey, kefir, sour cream, cod liver are also rich in fluorine and calcium.
Nutrition value and caloric content
Product caloric content — 330 Kcal on hundred grams. It is higher, than at the starch extracted from potatoes (313 Kcal). In the ratio, it: 1% proteins; 2% fats; 97% carbohydrates.
The product has practically no nutritional value, is used for the purpose of change of consistence and structure of food or industrial output.
It is important! Though the product period of storage from the moment of production makes two years, but, considering its susceptibility to moisture and absorption of foreign smells, it is not recommended to buy long lying product.
Than food starch from corn is useful
The product has some properties, unambiguously useful to an organism:
- Does not contain gluten, therefore, suits the people suffering from intolerance of this substance. It can be used, including as flour substitute (if not to abuse) at a bezglyutenovy diet.
- Reduces the level of sugar and cholesterol, i.e. it can be eaten even during a diet (including ordered on medical indications), but besides, on condition of small dosages.
- It can be used as urine - and bile-expelling means.
- Well influences activity of nervous cages.
- Reduces appetite and dulls feeling of hunger.
Coffee, peppermint, tomato juice are also capable to reduce appetite.
With such properties no wonder that corn starch sometimes more demanded than standard potato.
Application
This substance has such remarkable properties as lack of viscosity and also gives to products which part is to tenderness and softness.
Thanks to it it found the application in cookery (for example, in preparation of confectionery) and also in medicine and cosmetology (it is generally used for creation of loose dosage forms).
Whether you know? Many remember that once bed linen and articles of clothing were exposed to starching, but the few remember why it became. Rinsing of fabric in a water suspension of starch allowed it to keep long a form, to be rumpled and not to be afraid less of dirt. Various spots not only stick to such fabric less, but also wash off better.
In medicine
Starch (including corn) is used as excipient in the following cases:
- is a part of tablets for their formation, simplification of ingestion and dissolution in a stomach;
- is a basis for powdery medicines;
- it is widely applied in the medicines intended for treatment of skin diseases (powders, ointments).
Besides, there is an opinion that he is capable to replace talc as it is identical to it on functional properties, but has no negative impact on skin.
Is more preferable as children's powder.
In cookery
It can be used as thickener of natural origin not only in recipes of home cuisine, but also in the food industry.
As thickener also use amarantovy flour.
It is added in:
- sauces;
- mousses;
- kissel;
- ketchups and mayonnaise.
Also is a part of some types of pastries and it can be used in technological processes at preparation of any given culinary masterpieces.
It is important! If you use house starch, you store it in hermetically closed glass tanks, far from sources of strong smells.
Harm and contraindications
The main harm of this product — a possibility of manifestation of allergic reactions in the form of rash (allergic dermatitis) or asthmatic symptoms (trouble breathing).
Such cases are extremely rare, however people who have an allergy to corn cannot use corn starch.
Also it is necessary to refrain from it in the following cases:
- at problems with digestive tract (including gastritis, ulcers or even heartburn);
At problems with digestive tract recommend to use chicory, devyasit, nutmeg, lentil, dogrose oil, a mushroom of a chag, Pamela.
- in the presence of the excess weight or tendency to excessive completeness (product kaloriyen);
- at excessive blood clotting (it is better to exclude starch from a diet at all).
So, we found out that starch is quite useful substance which is widely used in medicine, cookery and even in life.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and this substance has shortcomings, however, if not to abuse it, then it will not do any special harm to an organism.