Corn grits, the useful properties of which we will describe below, are very often used in cooking. By its nutritional value, it is in no way inferior to other types of similar products.
Today we will tell you about the properties of this ingredient, what can be prepared from it and so on.
History reference
What is corn grits? The beneficial properties of this product are known to many. But not everyone can tell about where such a fruit as corn originates from.
American researchers organized many expeditions, as a result of which they examined the whole of South America. But this did not give any knowledge about who is the wild ancestor of the presented product. And only in 1948, during long studies of caves and laborious excavations in South Mexico, scientists still managed to find prehistoric ears. It is noteworthy that they practically did not differ from modern types of corn.
Corn grits: useful properties
Before you tell you about what you can cook from the presented ingredient, you should tell what properties it generally has.
Corn grits are a very valuable and nutritious product. It contains vitamins B2, B1 and PP, up to 75% carbohydrates, as well as provitamin A and carotene. That is why such an ingredient is often recommended to be used by older people, as well as those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
The special properties of corn grits allow you to use it at least every day. After all, the presented product belongs to easily digestible.
Calorie content of the product
Cooking corn grits does not take much time. However, it should be noted that many women are afraid to eat dishes involving this ingredient. What is the reason for this? The fact is that 100 g of corn grits contains about 325 kilocalories. But, despite the high energy value, this product is still unable to negatively affect your ideal forms. After all, the carbohydrates contained in it are complex. That is why your body will need a lot of energy to digest them.
It cannot be said that with regular use of corn porridge you are able to cleanse your body of toxins and pesticides.
Cereal composition
Corn grits, the beneficial properties of which are undeniable, contain a lot of trace elements. Among them, I want to especially highlight silicon, which has a positive effect on hair growth and tooth strength.
Porridge from such cereals is able to suppress all putrefactive processes occurring in the intestine. This fact is explained by the fact that this dish contains a large amount of dietary fiber.
As you know, corn grits includes 8.3% of proteins. However, they are inferior and poorly digested. This means that a person who regularly uses the product we are considering will never recover and will not get fat.
As mentioned above, corn grits contains a lot of trace elements and vitamins. That is why in those countries where dishes from this ingredient are quite common, people suffer the least from cardiovascular diseases.
Corn grits: product harm
Like any foods rich in trace elements and vitamins, corn grits also have their contraindications. It can cause harm to a person if you use it during an exacerbation of an ulcer of the duodenum and stomach, as well as with individual intolerance.
It is impossible not to say that doctors highly recommend not using dishes made on the basis of corn or corn grits for people with a small body weight. This is primarily due to the fact that this product has a direct effect on appetite, significantly reducing it.
Medical research
Dishes from corn grits, the recipes of which we will consider later, do not lose the above properties even after heat treatment. That is why this product is recommended for those who want to cleanse their intestines and the body as a whole of radionuclides and toxins.
It should also be noted that traditional medicine advises every day to include corn grits in your diet for various diseases of the reproductive system, in the treatment of infertility, painful menstruation, decreased sex drive and menopause.
By the way, corn grits, recipes of which, as you yourself will see, do not include many expensive ingredients, can reduce the harmful effects of fried fatty foods and alcohol on the human body.
Making mamalyga
The presented dish is very popular in Moldova, Romania and in Western Ukraine. Moreover, it is regularly boiled in the Caucasus.
Porridge made from cornmeal or cereal is very healthy and nutritious. With all this, her recipe for cooking is incredibly simple.
So, we need:
- corn grits - a full glass;
- filtered drinking water - 3 glasses (milk can be used);
- iodized salt, granulated sugar — use at discretion.
Cooking principle
Usually porridge from corn grits turns out to be quite stiff and thick, with a specific taste and aroma. This product is boiled for about half an hour, increasing in its volume by 3 or 4 times.
The culinary recipe for creating this dish is surprisingly simple. After boiling water or milk, sand-sugar, sea salt and corn grits are placed in the same container. After boiling again, the fire is reduced to a minimum. Cook such a dish until the corn kernels are completely softened. At the same time, porridge must be stirred regularly. In conclusion, the container must be tightly closed, wrapped in a blanket and left in this form for ¼ hours. After the specified time, the porridge should be flavored with butter and served to the table in a warm condition.
By the way, such a dish with the addition of pumpkins and dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots) is very tasty and nutritious.
What else is made from corn?
Now you know how to cook corn grits. It should be noted that the presented product is the result of careful processing of corn cobs. However, one cannot help but recall that other products are also made from such a fruit (for example, popcorn and corn flakes). These products taste very good and are absorbed much better than coarse corn grits. They are ideal for dressing a variety of soups. In addition, they can be easily served with tea, milk and other drinks. And, most importantly, before using them, you do not need to further process them.
Storage conditions
As you can see, making porridge from corn grits is not so difficult. But in order for such a dish to turn out really tasty, it is extremely important to properly store the main ingredient. How exactly? We will tell about it right now.
The main storage conditions for corn grits are the correct humidity and temperature conditions. In the room where this product is contained, the air humidity should be about 60-70%, and the temperature should be about +5 ...- 5 ° .
This storage mode is quite difficult to create at home. That is why it is recommended to stock up on such cereals for no more than one month. Otherwise, mites or insect larvae can easily form in the product.
We figured out the room. But what about the container, where the cereal will be placed? Corn grits should be stored in glass jars that are closed with plastic lids.
It must be said that if the humidity in the room is too high, the product may become rancid, get a musty smell, and even mold. In this case, the porridge you cooked will not have the proper taste and aroma.
If the pests in the product still wound up, then the cabinet where it was stored should be washed well with hot water, and then dried and ventilated. As for the affected cereal, it must be discarded.