Corn starch - good and bad

Corn starch - a product obtained from corn kernels, has a milky white with a yellowish hue and a characteristic odor. This product dissolves well both in cold and hot water, and thanks to the property of corn starch for swelling, it is widely used in the preparation of food, both domestic and manufactured at the factory, as a thickener.

Recently, adherents of a healthy diet agitate to abandon starch-containing products. However, in order to judge the benefits and harms of cornstarch, one should understand its properties, as well as indications and contraindications for use.

The Benefits of Corn Starch

Starch, made from corn seeds, has a good vitamin and mineral composition, due to which it positively affects the nervous system and mental activity, and this is important, given the rapid pace of modern life.

However, it has a higher caloric value, comparable to potatoes, about 343 kcal. / 100 g of product and contains mainly carbohydrates. It is the carbohydrates contained in cornstarch that make many avoid using it. And in vain, because it consists of complex carbohydrates, which have nothing to do with harmful monosaccharides.

Starch from corn is shown to people suffering from diabetes, as it is able to control blood sugar level. In children's food, too, it does not do without, because it does not contain gluten, which some children have allergies or intolerances.

With hypertension and cardiovascular disorders, starch contributes to the improvement of vascular status. Mineral composition of corn starch positively affects the immune system and even lowers cholesterol, and also has a pronounced choleretic effect.

Harm to cornstarch

In addition to individual intolerance and allergies to corn, it is not necessary to take starch for people with a tendency to form blood clots, digestive problems, heartburn, and obesity .

Particular attention should be paid to the origin of the product. Since when treating it with pesticides and a lot of mineral fertilizers, the use of corn starch becomes doubtful, but the damage is obvious.

Cornstarch with slimming

Despite the fact that starch is a high-calorie product, you can still lose weight with it. It is important only to remember the sense of the measure and not exceed the recommended norms for the content of carbohydrates in the diet. In addition, the popular Ducane diet advises those who lose weight to actively use cornstarch for cooking homemade cakes.

Also it is worthwhile to carefully study the composition of the products used, since starches are found in many of them, from sweets to semi-finished products and sausages.