benefits of maizes

Maize is popularly known as corn or bhutta, widely found all over the India during summer season (sweet corn) and rainy season (common corn). Corns having high value of sugar are called as sweet corn (used by human) however common corns are generally used for animal feed. It was first originated in the American hills and spread throughout the world to be cultivated.

While the kernels that we commonly call corn are technically the fruit of the plantorZea mays, corn is widely classified as a grain and is typically included in research studies of whole grain foods like wheat, oats, and barley. Throughout much of the world, corn is referred to as maize. In many ways, maize is the best way of describing this plant since it was first domesticated in Mesoamerica over 8,000 years ago and was originally described using the Spanish word maiz. This remarkable food took on sacred qualities for many Central American and South American cultures, as well as many Native American tribes in what is now the United States.

Perhaps no other food has been more closely identified with the Americas than corn. Both the Mayan and the Olmec civilizations that date back to 2000 1500 BC in what is now Mexico and Central America (commonly called Mesoamerica) had not only adopted maize as a staple food in the diet but had also developed a reverence for maize that was expressed in everyday rituals, religious ceremonies, and in the arts. The first domestication of maize in Mesoamerica actually dates back even further, to 9000 8000 BC. Corn was equally valued by Native American tribes living in North America, although tribal wisdom about corn was largely ignored by European colonists in the 15th and 16th centuries AD.

Bhutta or maize come under the category of whole grain food having high amount of dietary fibers, low calorie, low fat and good amount of all the essential nutrients. Carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), vitamins and amino acids found in it help in nourishing the body and preventing from various diseases like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart ailments, digestive ailments, Alzheimers disease, birth defects in babies and so many.or

Its high availability of insoluble dietary fibers makes it able to nourish the lower digestive tract means large intestine as well as enhances the population of friendly bacteria. It lowers the risk of colon cancer by organizing the functioning of intestinal cells if eaten on regular basis. Insoluble dietary fibers regularize the food digestion and prevents from constipation and hemorrhoids by enhancing the absorption of water in large intestine. It normalizes the bowel movements, intestinal peristaltic motion by stimulating the proper production of gastric juice and bile thus reduces the risk of irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea.

It has strong antioxidant property as it contains more than one phytonutrients such as anthocyanins, beta carotene, alpha carotene, ferulic acid, lutein, zeaxanthin, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, syringic acid, protocatechuic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid ad etc. Phytonutrients found in it decreases the risk of cardio vascular problems. It helps in inhibiting the angiotensin I converting enzyme thus lower down the risk of hypertension.

As a food it is a staple food in many countries around the world. It is consumed in the form of whole grain or ground corn, roasted corncobs, cooking the unripe kernels etc. It is also used to make corn starch, corn oil, maize gluten, beer, alcohol and livestock feed. It is used in herbal medicine and the starch from it is used make chemical products like plastics, adhesives, fabrics etc.

Corn contains a number of phytonutrients like carotenoids, anthocyanins, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, coumaric acid, syringic acid and caffeic acid. Cooking increases the levels of the antioxidants and beneficial compounds in sweet corn. In fact, it has been found that it raises the ferulic acid content by as much as 550%, with increases in levels of other antioxidants as well. Studies at Cornell University indicate that the excellent antioxidant profile destroys the free radicals that cause different cancers. Ferulic acid is very effective against breast and liver cancer.

Corn oil has been found to have anti atherogenic effects on the cholesterol levels. Corn husk oil lowers LDL cholesterol since it reduces cholesterol absorption. This was referenced in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. Maize, scientific name Zea mays, also known as corn or mielie/mealie, is one of the most extensively cultivated cereal crops on Earth. More maize is produced, by weight, than any other grain, and almost every country on Earth cultivates maize commercially for a variety of uses. The abundant cultivation of maize globally has led to concerns about monocropping and biodiversity, especially since genetic evidence suggests that maize is radically less diverse than it was originally.

The high fiber content and protein levels enable just the right pace of digestion leading to a steady absorption of sugars and preventing sudden spikes and drops, in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. maize is heavily genetically modified, and the crop has been used as a rallying point by the anti Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) community.