To make nixtamal, we start with dried corn kernels. Or, if you take this nixtamal and grind it, you have masa that can be used to make corn tortillas, arepas, tamales, etc. The end product of this step is hominy (“nixtamal” in Nahuatl or “maíz pozolero” in Spanish). This softens the corn kernels, makes them easier to grind, and adds a lot of nutritional value, as well! Technically, any grain food can be nixtamalized, but when we say nixtamal we are almost always referring to corn. Nixtamalization is the process of soaking a grain in an alkaline solution to loosen the outer layer of the grain. So let’s dive in! What is Nixtamalization? If you’ve ever wondered about this yourself, this blog post will amaze you! We’ll learn all about the process of nixtamalization, the unique benefits it adds to Mexican food, and how it’s used in Mexican cuisine. This process makes corn even more nutritious and is one of the top nutrition secrets that makes Mexican food so healthy! More than that, how we treat corn in Latin American food to make foods like tortillas is a unique process called nixtamalization. The answer, of course, is that c orn has plenty of nutrients. With the importance of corn in Latin American food and the low-carb craze, it makes sense that this was a burning question! I was mostly hearing this question from my fellow Latinos. I had no idea this was such a pressing question! As I thought about it, it makes sense. When I first went back to school to get my master’s in Nutrition, I was shocked to find one of the first questions I would hear from my friends and peers was “so does corn have any nutrients or not?”
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