Corn, also called maize is a popular cereal grain native to southern Mexico. The grains or corns of corn are actually the edible portions. However, as it matures, the sweet, crunchy, or otherwise, edible corncobs or piece on which the kernels are grown generally becomes less edible or even non-existent. They now come in multiple shades, depending upon what specific species or variety they come from and where they have been grown.
These days, corn syrup is used in a large number of corn and sorghum products. Corn syrup is made from corn’s high-fructose corn syrup and water, which make for extremely sweet soft drinks and foods such as cornbread, pancakes, waffles, and wafers. However, as with most food processing, corn syrup can have both beneficial and harmful effects. It is used in food processing especially in the manufacture of energy drinks, diet sodas, sweetened juices, some cereals, and even diabetic drinks.
Because of corn’s high-fructose content, and sugar content, this product has been highly processed for human consumption. However, it is still considered to be minimally processed foods, since it is very pure in both taste and nutritional value. There are two different ways in which corn is minimally processed, either by washing or by soaking. In food processing, food is generally washed before being soaked for a longer period of time to remove any extra starch, lumps, or grit. In soaking, corn is soaked for a longer period of time, so that more of the original nutrients in the corn are retained. Soaking also minimizes the effects of enzymes such as amylase and starches, which are usually present in most other food, leading to higher calories and sugar levels.