What Ancient Farmers Had Right About Corn That We Ignore | WIRED
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- Опубліковано 15 гру 2020
- Maize is one of the most widely grown grains in the world. The way that much of it is processed has contributed to making millions of people sick over the past 500 years. Dr. Bill Schindler talks about how our modern approach to corn prioritizes convenience and profit over safety and nutrition. Early farmers discovered a process called nixtamalization that allows the human body access to corn's nutrition, but many of the modern ways that corn is delivered to us skips this process.
Find more information on Dr. Schindler, his research, classes, and recipes:
www.eatlikeahuman.com
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This is why traditional foods are so important, there is a reason why cultures have certain main foods combined and fixed certain ways, and it usually has to do with better health. Just because people lived in the country or were poor didn't mean they were stupid way back then. They made do with what was available. Certain foods combined make better nutrition. There was a very popular book about this in the 70's. Hominy is whole corn that has been processed with lye or lime. Masa is flour that has been processed similarly like you say. Both are much healthier. Makes one consider why so many have a corn allergy.
No they wheren't stupid because they were poor. They were stupid because they were living in the stoneage about 1000 years ago. Today we have better options. There is a reason why they had to make due. They didn't have better alternatives. Making due is never the optimal solution or it wouldn't be called making due.
@Rose Rose WTF. What are on about. We are not destroying our planet because corn is not the main stable of our diet. Global Warming has nothing to do with the discussion.
@@mikaeljensen4399 listen dope, we actually have made almost 0 progress regarding what our diet should be. The scientific community is split on a million factors in this arena. We do not "know better" now. Now there is more data, more research nowadays to assemble those factors into various conclusions, but better is a subjective word that carries no meaning or weight in this conversation. You could argue in a way we know less because we have buried ourself in arbitrary data and opinions based off the aggregation of this data.
That all said the natives had no idea of the health benefits of mixtapes, they did it because it made milling by hand easier. The EU settlers skipped this process because they saw it as a waste of time and money because the EU settlers had animal powered machines to do the milling. Sometimes the answer is simple, kinda like you
@@mikaeljensen4399 I mean people made due and creativity came out of that LOL
@@VGBNDGRL Sure but how is that relevant?
Quick version: soaking corn kernels in an alkaline solution helps our body process a bunch of otherwise wasted nutrients (see 2:55). This used to be done by the OG's but is typically skipped in the modern mass production of corn products.
Aka sprouting, which only works if the seed or grain is still living; didn't get heated
Awesome. Thanks.
Excellent summary! 👏👌
Southern Americans know nixtamalized corn as hominy. If possible, you should prefer to buy traditional hominy grits instead of modern grits or polenta. Historically, cheap cornmeals produced in large industrialized cities replaced hominy in most diets.
South Americans don't eat tortillas
@@marthagonzalez2355 I said Southern, as in the southerly states in the United States.
@@marthagonzalez2355 Y las arepas? There is also chicha.
@@marthagonzalez2355??? We eat empanadas and tamales!
@@marthagonzalez2355 si comen tortillas! And in Peru is largely a corn and potatoe eater! Tamales are súper popular all the way to Argentina!
Nixtamalized corn is fairly popular in the southern U.S. as Hominy but for some reason it's not as openly accepted in the Northern states.
I live in the North. Nixtamalized corn is right in the store for us.
Thats because the south was once conquered by the spanish and a big part of it was also once Mexico.
This is bs. Most dry corn products are niximalized in the US.
@@Chocochip100
Tell that to chichimecas
I always thought that nixtamalization was the way everybody processed corn. My people have been doing that forever.
Hi, do you use dried corn or fresh corn for the nixtamalization? I'm interested.. Thank you.
@@duchessnana dried corn
How to enjoy corn on the cob nixtamalized.
Today I learned there was such a thing as an anti-nutrient.
just wait till you find out there are anti particles, inverted copies of "standard" matter
@@Stue-e I'm well versed on quantum mechanics. Never looked into the whole wild world of nutrition though.
Also raw beans and raw eggs have those... Don't feel bad about it. I learned about anti-nutrients until University. Biochemical Engineering major.
ever heard of phytic acid?
I raise hogs and heat treat soybeans to neutralize the anti-nutrients. I also feed them eggs but I cook them first because of anti-nutrients. I also add lysine to their feed because it helps make the proteins more available. Body builders use lysine as well.
“Ancient farmers” = indigenous people
Ok and?
@@hazzmati and we should stop minimizing the relevance of their culture and starting to pay more respect and attention to them, otherwise I'll arrow you 😡
@@PesteNegro I was adventuring one day and you shot one at my knee, I now no longer go on adventures anymore.
I mean everyone could easily deduce what he meant by ancient farmers in mesoAmerica
@@Cheeky_Raccoon my bad :(
Who knew we had to listen to indigenous people who were able to manage proper food cultivation for thousands of years without ruining the environment or their own health irreparably when it comes to modern food cultivation? Who knew that indigenous people had it right all along and were way more advanced back then than many of our own practices now?
The bar is so low it’s infuriating but at least he mentioned natives in the present tense. Really wish they would show natives outside of South America working with corn as well, since people still have weird borders in their minds.
@@shadowsun5704 Mexico is in North America not in South America.
@@fcplop98 Actually it is in Central America.
@TheLactatingAnus ooga booga
@@mikaeljensen4399 no it’s North America. Central America generally refers to the area north of Columbia and south of Mexico. Would you consider Texas Central America? Bc parts of it sit further south than northern areas of Mexico.
"I'm Dr. Bill Schindler, food archaeologist, chef" and Grade A daddy...
And NOT a medical doctor (MD)
Nice video :) In Mexico is very popular to have nixtamalizado corn, like tortillas, tamales and pozole
I was not aware Food Archaeologists are a thing
He seems to be at the very least an archaeologist, but he doesn't seem to know anything factual about food. Sounds like he read a couple vegan blogs and they blew his mind so he just rambles on about specific nutrients as if they're the next step of humanity's journey into the great beyond. Why WIRED keeps putting him on is beyond my understanding.
@@cob571 Actually he does has a point, before fortification of staple foods pellagra was endemic in pretty much every region and country where corn was staple, except Mexico and Central America where people still ate nixtamalized corn AKA hominy. There is also the fact that alkaline solution neutralize mold toxins. That being said in the modern world the point is moot since grains are fortified.
@@cob571 He is wrong however when he talks about industrialization, nixtamalization has been industrialized in Mexico.
@@tomselleck6912 he did say that in some areas where it was done traditionally it is already part of the proces
@@cob571 found the carnist
I recently bought original Mexican tortilla flour. The tortillas were just spectacularly good!
Before even watching my thoughts was *NIXTAMALIZATION*
Me too, though this is the first time I've heard it spoke aloud. In my head I'd been putting the emphasis on the first and fifth syllables, rather than the second.
Nick thomasation = what my voice dictation says.
Yeah right who's heard of that word before this video? Not me.
@@DannoM_ I hear "Nixtamalization" in my head in Shadiversity's voice.
@@ramshacklealex7772 since the word is in spanish, it's written as nixtamalización, so the emphasis is on the last syllable, actually. However the most common way of saying it is nixtamal, as in: "grandma would prepare her own nixtamal". I'm mexican by the way.
This needs to spread to even more people and needs to grow.
I find it funny that in English language people think masa is only nixtamalized tortilla dough, when masa, literally means dough... any kind of dough. It's the same with queso, it means cheese, not specifically that weird cheese-like spread people in the USA associate with the word queso, but any kind of cheese.
It's because if they are referring to dough generically, they will simply use 'dough', the English word. Just like salsa does not mean sauce generically in English.
And yeah, nixtamalize your maize!! That makes tortillas the basis of the diet of poor people in Mexico, we only add folic acid to the masa in order to also prevent childbirth defects. In the USA I buy Maseca and prepare my own tortillas.
German here. Just recently tried it myself, bought nixtamalized corn flour in a small Mexican shop and made some tortillas. They were absolutely delicious and they are gluten free!
Sadly a lot of Masa Harina has the germ and bran taken out. That includes Maseca and Bobs Red Mill.
@@cigileyAtTR so what the more natural one to buy do you have any links where to buy?
Poor?? 😂😂😂
This was a suggestion that I clicked on by accident but I literally watched the whole thing 😩😂 y’all got me
It'd be helpful if there was a link in the description to a recipe for nixtamalizing corn.
I would boil a cup of dry field corn and like a tablespoon of Cal then rinse all of the goo off
You can literally type "nixtamal" on UA-cam and see recipes
You can also eat the nixtamalized grains without grounding and they taste amazing
I had no idea about the nixtamalization process until today. Thank you for the information..! :)
I’ve been eating this my whole life and I never knew nixtamal was that great!
I've known this stuff for years. I did a long research project about grains and created elaborate processes for grain preparation. The results are wonderful!
can you tell me some recipe for preparing corn or any other grain that is easy to get
Preach! Awesome information!!
If you want to make your own tortillas but don't have the time you can get instant corn flour, the brand I use is Maseca! The bag is bilingual so you can also learn a little Spanish too! You can probably find it in a Mexican grocery store or your local big chain stores in the international/Mexican section
This brand does not use traditional nixtamalized corn
@@joumanaaccad8831 Not true. The bag clearly says lime treated corn.
Thanks for the info!
The processing method mentioned doesn't seem to convert the cellulose in maize into a nutrient that yields additional calories to said product. Could someone correct me on this if that's incorrect?
All I know is he is describing hominy. OP called him out and I google verified.
@@mustangnawt1
Nixtamal is hominy
Different names same product
Awesome video!
Can I eat corn on the cob that has been nixtamilised? Or does the process have to involve squashing the grains?
I loved the video and the explanations. Congratulations! 🌽 💚
Can't find corn nixtamalization recipe on your website.
Can you tell me where to locate recipe.
Just type Nixtamal on UA-cam, you'll see lots of videos with the instructions
@@Mr.Abreu.76 Thank you for the help.
Hominy. You're describing hominy.
Thank you. You have answered a question that has been simmering in the back of my brain for years and I never bothered to google.
How should I know how many. Count it yourself.
Wonder why he didn’t say hominy. Prob wanted to use all his big words. googled & ur right
Thank You 👍
@@mustangnawt1 Hominy is a dish and Nixtamalization refers to the process. They’re two completely different thing so no hes not wrong. On top of that, hominy/pozole is popular but is not a staple in most of Meso America so it wouldn’t be relevant to what he’s talking about. Hominy, tamales, atole & tortillas all start with nixtamalized corn but hominy usually uses a different type of maize variety and is cooked for longer to make the grains softer.
Great coverage... i stopped eating corn lately because my body clearly doesnt process it (ahem , seen in the other end). Great video topic for A LOT OF PEOPLE.
That happens to everyone. Corn contains a lot of insoluble fiber which is good for your digestive system
@@fitztastico Exactly. Fibre is good for you not bad. Poverty is the real cause of pellagra not the processing of corn.
@@mikaeljensen4399 It's not just fiber (as you know) . There are actually supposed to be nutrients in your corn too. Process the corn correctly and it does much more good for your body than clearing out the digestive system. We are not likely to be able to eliminate poverty and the issues that have led to com becoming a staple crop in so many areas, but we can at least process the corn properly so the people eating corn as a main grain source can at least have nourishing food.
Also, why spend money on empty calories? There are so many other sources of fiber that provide nutrients too. Fiber is good in healthy amounts, but it's better when other nutrients can be had with it. And, for some of us, corn isn't a good source of fiber we could chose. Let's just say undigested corn chips that weren't chewed super thoroughly aren't nice to have in the system. I would love to have corn my body could even sort of digest.
@@0nly0NE. How about you try this on for size? Take a handful of peas and swallow without chewing. Then look for it in your stool. Are you now going to claim that eating peas is bad for you? Or that peas are just "empty calories"? Corn contains high amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 and B9, Magnesium and Potassium. Tell me again why you need to process it? Oh yeah I forgot... It doesn't contain the magical Vitamin B3. I guess if it doesn't contain everything then that means it is unhealthy.
Helpful...
Thank you... 😇🙏
Very eye opening
Yes, yes, yes!! More of this content.
I've never been afraid of corn until today
Thank you, what a great video I will share with everyone I can.
There needs to be food processing laws aimed at maximum nutrition
Yep
Wow I can't even focus on the video with that daddy of a doctor narrating
My exact thought
simp
Brilliant!
Fascinating
Can't we _demand_ that large producers & corporations do this?
Only way to do that is to stop buying their junk. Unfortunately, they only listen to our spending habits.
@@user-jd4ow9dr1h Yes you are right, but we still have a long way to go. It easy for cities to have access to local, nutritious goods, but in food deserts where the only grocery store is a Dollar General, there's problems.
@@user-jd4ow9dr1h - Not all of them do though. It saves money yo skip steps remember? They're only about money.
@@positiveG - Exactly. 😊
Nice
I was just learning about nixtamilization on Max Miller's Tasting History channel!!!
What about eating fresh sweet corn on the cob? Or popcorn? Do these cause anti nutrients or can they be eaten safely? Does nixtamalization only apply to field dry corn for flour?
Unprocessed corn can absolutely be eaten safely, it just isn't as nourishing to our bodies
Awesome.
this would be greatly improved with some real science - numbers, and referenced sources that backup the claims.
Just Google it, this have been well known facts for hundreds of years
Then Wired would have to pay an actual scientist to be on the show...
@@Hahahahaaahaahaa his job is literally to study food throughout history. If you can't take on board anything a person with a PhD in a subject has to say, you're a fool.
Is this why the tortillas in the US aren’t as tasty? I always thought it was ingredients and different cooking process. I remember in Mexico sometimes just having a fresh tortilla with a pinch of salt as a snack as a child.
I wonder if the masa harina was nixtamalized. There's a local Mexican shop that sells masa, I wonder if it's been nixtamalized, too. As for the masa harina, corn flour, my friends in Mexico say the Maseca sold in the US is better than the one sold in Mexico. Always thought that was odd.
@@L.Spencer i bought some Maseca. We’ll see how it tastes this weekend.
DOes this apply to corn on the cob, raw?
How do you nixtamalize corn on the cob?
Theoretically You could get some dried field corn cobs boil them in the lye water and then leave them in the water for about 8 hours and then rinse and reheat them. Can’t do it with sweet corn. Or with fresh field corn. Has to be dry.
Make the most of what you've got, it makes sense. Maybe it's time to expand our understanding of what we can do to address this issue via the same process wherein the maze shed it's individual husks. If humanity can engineer such a change in the husk, then we should have no problem finding a solution to this.
What about harina P.A.N. in Venezuelan cuisine? It is precooked corn flour wich has the cellulose pericarp removed. Do we also lose access to the nutrients, because of the absence if nixtamalization?
Bro I accidentally dropped a piece of arepa and the little ant didn’t even want to eat it. I dropped another piece just incase he was blind, and the ant just walked over the arepa like it was a hill. My friends moms asked me if I wanted another one one, I said “ No I’m full gracias”.
Maíz is a beautiful thing
It's A'maize'ing! Lol
love corn.
Cool vid
loved it.
I had no idea.... thank you
So i should eat street tacos and authentic mexican food more often. Understood😋
Thanks for the video blessed ancient ways
Why the "Bill Mays" infomercial cadence?
Timestamp 1:30. What type of ancient corn is this?
And here I was thinking I was eaten corn all this time.
Fantastic educational video for science or health-minded people. Unfortunately for us, too many have no interest in education.
this is truly the content that deserves more views on youtube
so basically dont buy Mission torillas at the food store lol
You’ve convinced me to start freebasing corn
So the bigger question here is how do I know what I'm buying is a nixtamalized corn product???
EDIT:
I rewatched the video and he said it should only have one ingredient, Nixtamalized Maize. And if it contains a bunch of ingredients then it isn't it. In the end, he said this isn't just happening with Maize but also in different ways throughout our food system. So I'm curious as to know what else?
Keep an eye out for hominy, it's pretty popular here in the west/ southwest US. Not sure about elsewhere though..
_Please add English subtitles..._
ah yes, corn
love you wired
Hi! How are you?
South Korea/Seoul started the cold spell this week. The average temperature is -12'C. It snowed.
I hope you have a healthy day this week. ^O^
it's raining diamond in Uranus
So how is hominy different? It's not that we ate a lot of hominy but I would like to be able to buy that forn of maize products. I certainly ate a lot of corn growing up, hominy and grits included. All people should be aware that they can get more out of their corn. Especially those very dependent on it.
Why was my first thought: “ Hey aren’t you that guy that made dishes with weeds?” Lol
This is the first time I've ever seen fiber demonized.
Partially demonized. He focusing on the maize consumtion in many places that skiping the nixtamalization process which is make it the most useless food.
I have a question. Pellagra is caused by a vitamin deficiency because your body can't absorb the nutrients in the corn. Other than the fact that the corn contains this vitamin, does the consumption of corn play any other roll.
Would this develop in a country whose staple food was something other than corn? Even if that food did not have the vitamin, or has the vitamin stored in a way our body's can't access.
Japan. Or any country whose staple is rice. Japanese (Navy) Curry was created explicitly to combat Thiamin deficiency when they found out their sailors are getting sicker despite them having more rice rations...
Wait!! Could we do the same to rice?
Can you do one of these interviews with f1 driver Daniel Ricciardo?
Nice True Classic tee!
Super interesting! Where can we find properly treated maize?
In the grocery store either as hominy or in the Mexican food section as masa.
@@davefreier7738 thank ya:))
so... How can we nixtamalize in our kitchen?
You'd think he would have gone into that
look for homemade hominy recipes. You need to soak the field corn in a basic solution like NaOH
Boil your corn in Cal, you can probably find that online
@@LukeMartinez1991 What is Cal?
@@fitztastico calcium hydroxide or pickling lime
Kept waiting for Dr. Necklace Bro to break out the miracle cure for un-nixtamalized corn: OXICLEAN!!!
Hl , you the first to understand
and valid the food of other's
People,
great! great! great!
Omg 😱
As a minor part of the diet, fresh corn is not a problem. As on gets older dried corn products can gunk ones lymph, such as tortillas, popcorn,….
What?
when are you going on JRE?
Tortillas do go well with a lot of good tho even sweet stuff
Ancient dishwashers were ingenious.
That's how you make corn tortillas lol
I had stopped eating corn due to all the negative aspects of eating the product.
this is really interesting.
and the impact for poorer countries is significant in terms of advancing nutrition for them
we "poorer countries" would not have nutrition problems, if it were not for the "rich countries" and its food industry
aMAIZEing 🌽🌽
Cream corn mmmm
He is a Dr? Medical or archaeology or something else?
Anthropology. Which makes the title misleading since he's not an authority on most things being discussed here.
@@kennythegreatbear Dude, it's a cross-disciplinary topic and his specialization, "food archeologist", is inherently cross-disciplinary. Just because he doesn't have a PhD in every discipline this video touches on doesn't disqualify him as "an authority". By that standard, no one is "an authority" on this topic.
I always hated whole kernel corn and preferred hominy.
Pues ya los gringos aprendieron del nixtamal, ya cuando llega la Navidad y los tamales 🫔😅
Maize and blue 😉
If it really was the be all and end all we would do it but there must be a flaw hes not stating since i had never heard of it and neither have around 20 people i asked
Masa is quite tasty.
Vaya no sabia que los americanos no sabían del miztamal
The first 45s sounds like a hard advertisement
so, simply cooking corn in water isn't recommended?
When you boil the corn with Cal it adds nutrients to the corn. The corn kind of swells a bit and you have to wash the dissolved outer casing off but afterward you have hominy and you can grind that down to masa