EvC Forum: A Better Theory: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

quote:
My point about agriculture is that many agricultural products, especially grains, require processing - i.e. pre-digesting - before we can eat them in any quantity. That interference with the natural digestive process is the cause of a lot of our nutritional problems.

Maybe the problem today is that some companies aren't processing the food for maximum nutrition.

I love hominy, but it is getting harder to find in the stores. In researching ways to make hominy today, I found it interesting that some of the processes that various natives used to prepare grains for consumption aren't necessarily used today commercially. I'm still researching the issue, but various soaking and fermenting processes seemed to have been the norm in a variety of cultures.

Nixtamalization

The nixtamalization process was very important in the early Mesoamerican diet, as unprocessed maize is deficient in free niacin. A population depending on untreated maize as a staple food risks malnourishment, and is more likely to develop deficiency diseases such as pellagra. Maize also is deficient in essential amino acids, which can result in kwashiorkor. Maize cooked with lime provided niacin in this diet. Beans, when consumed with the maize, provided the amino acids required to balance the diet for protein.

Be Kind to Your Grains...And Your Grains Will Be Kind To You

But many healthy societies consume products made from grains. In fact, it can be argued that the cultivation of grains made civilization possible and opened the door for mankind to live long and comfortable lives. Problems occur when we are cruel to our grainswhen we fractionate them into bran, germ and naked starch; when we mill them at high temperatures; when we extrude them to make crunchy breakfast cereals; and when we consume them without careful preparation.

Grains require careful preparation because they contain a number of antinutrients that can cause serious health problems. Phytic acid, for example, is an organic acid in which phosphorus is bound. It is mostly found in the bran or outer hull of seeds. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in improperly prepared whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in the long term, many other adverse effects.

We try to think of better way to do things and sometimes it isn't as beneficial.

History of Grains

During Roman civilization, flour milling technology rapidly developed, and soon the Romans were making four or five commercial grades of lour. The finest flour, almost a creamy color and not quite as white of that of our white bread today, was sold only to the upper classes. Interestingly, the wrestlers and athletes of that time were fed the coarser grade of flour to keep their limbs strong.

Refined Grains

Refined grains, in contrast to whole grains, refers to grain products consisting of grains or grain flours that have been significantly modified from their natural composition. The modification process generally involves the mechanical removal of bran and germ,[1] either through grinding or selective sifting.

I found a place that sells masa harina, which is basically hominy flour.

Using a Pizzelle maker to keep on the thin side, I make a pasty mixture of the masa harina, cream, water, and sea salt. This makes a nice simple and thin bread for sandwiches. We have also used them for small soft tacos.

I'm still looking into the soaking, fermenting, or germinating of other grains and how I can work those into our diet. I did find a method using baking soda for making hominy and a slow cooker. Haven't tried it yet.

My husband cringes when he comes home to a kitchen cluttered with food experiments. He just hopes there's an edible dinner in there somewhere.

4 online now:	Percy (Admin), Pollux, Theodoric, WookieeB
Newest Member:	ChatGPT
Post Volume:	Total: 916,929 Year: 4,186/9,624 Month: 1,057/974 Week: 16/368 Day: 16/11 Hour: 0/4