Why is corn ok

movebetter

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Isn't popcorn and corn chips a grain/seed? Is there something different about it that ray Peat says it is ok?
 

Jonk

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Isn't popcorn and corn chips a grain/seed? Is there something different about it that ray Peat says it is ok?
Can be both okay and not okay depending on the individual. But generally it's dependent on the preparation like with masa harina flour.
 

Sapien

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In an interview (forget which one) he mentioned him and his students did testing for “starch persorption” into the blood stream and found Masa corn flour to be the only starch that did not cause starch persorption
 

michael94

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Most corn is used for ethanol and animal feed. What is used for human consumption usually isn't GMO these days. If it's organic or has the non GMO label then you can be sure of course.

Isn't popcorn and corn chips a grain/seed? Is there something different about it that ray Peat says it is ok?
Corn is a grain, but when you nixtamalize it (Cooked in an Alkaline solution) it changes the characteristics of the starch and other things that's makes it very different from untreated corn.

Cornbread for example typically uses untreated corn flour, but tortillas use nixtamalized corn. Both could be from the same corn but are processed differently. The dry form of the nixtamalized corn is called Masa Harina as some others have said.

So in terms of the Corn that Ray Peat talked about favorably it's Corn Tortillas, Masa Harina, Tamales made from Masa, etc. The key difference is nixtamalization of the Corn.
 
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movebetter

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Most corn is used for ethanol and animal feed. What is used for human consumption usually isn't GMO these days. If it's organic or has the non GMO label then you can be sure of course.


Corn is a grain, but when you nixtamalize it (Cooked in an Alkaline solution) it changes the characteristics of the starch and other things that's makes it very different from untreated corn.

Cornbread for example typically uses untreated corn flour, but tortillas use nixtamalized corn. Both could be from the same corn but are processed differently. The dry form of the nixtamalized corn is called Masa Harina as some others have said.

So in terms of the Corn that Ray Peat talked about favorably it's Corn Tortillas, Masa Harina, Tamales made from Masa, etc. The key difference is nixtamalization of the Corn.
Hi, thanks, are those types of corn chips available in stores. Do they say Masa Harina on the label?
 

michael94

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source?

"Corn is the most commonly grown crop in the United States, and most of it is GMO." (FDA.gov)
Most of the GMO corn goes to feed animals and make ethanol. There is still plenty of GMO corn used for bulk derivatives like Corn Syrup etc. but it's not as common anymore due to consumer pressure in other products, like tortillas for example. To be sure you can choose organic corn tortillas or ones that say non GMO.

Here's an example of a huge Corn distributor that serves the Tortilla industry in particular and has a good reputation from Tortillerias. They supply non GMO corn in several varieties and also Organic Corn which is always non GMO

 

michael94

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Hi, thanks, are those types of corn chips available in stores. Do they say Masa Harina on the label?
Corn chips are almost always made from tortillas/nixtamalized corn, but theyre still chips. A better option if you want Nixtamalized Corn is to make Tortillas/Tamales from Masa Harina or Masa that was made at a Tortilleria. You could also cook the Masa in a pan like a pancake with some coconut oil which is pretty good too
 
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michael94

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A source of dried Masa for Tamales I really liked is Traditionally Made in Portland, OR | Three Sisters Nixtamal

Read their website if you want a good explanation of Nixtamalized Corn and it's history

Another source I tried that wasn't too bad is Gold Mine White Masa Harina which some health food stores have or you can get online

Even better if you live nearby and can buy from a place like Three Sisters directly, or find another good place making Masa. I live near Los Angeles and can recommend a few places there

Most of the Masa Harina available in stores isn't prepared the traditional way
 

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