A brief look at the history of Maize Flour

Maize has been a popular food source since the dawn of civilisation. Maize was originally cultivated on the US continent but soon spread throughout the world, becoming an especially popular food in South Africa. Knowledge about the cultivation and processing of maize has been passed down from generation to generation and this knowledge has grown along with the modern advancements in the production and packaging processes. This has enabled exporters to send maize and maize flour, as well as its many by-products, to countries around the world!

At Maize Suppliers, we pride ourselves on supplying the highest quality maize flour to our clients based throughout Africa.

Maize is the most versatile, nutritional and affordably priced balanced food group. One of the lesser-known, but just as nutritious products manufactured from corn, is maize flour. When the corn is ground into a finer product it becomes maize flour, which is the replacement for wheat flour and found in kitchens throughout the world where it is used in all kinds of cooking as well as baking and even in the making sauces. Unlike corn flour, which is created when the flour is reduced to pure starch which can then be combined with water to create a thickening agent, maize flour is created when the whole kernel of corn is milled into flour. Maize floor contains fat as well as protein and the grain can milled into different size such as super fine, fine, and course.

There are a few types of manufacturing processes which are used to produce maize flour, but the most common forms include steel ground processing or stone ground processing. Steel ground maize has the germ and the hull removed, while with stone ground processing the hull and germ are not removed so the flour has a little more flavour. The stone ground method produces a product which is far superior, tastier, richer and healthier than the refined steel grounded variety.

About the nutritional value of maize and maize flour

Maize contains proteins which help build and repair the living cells of the body. Along with the proteins, there are a number of other nutritional components that present in maize flour, such as:

• Thiamine converts nutrition into energy.
• Niacin helps metabolise carbohydrates for energy which also combats high blood pressure and also helps to lower LDL cholesterol.
• Potassium is good for kidney functionally, healthy muscles and heart. Magnesium is good for bones and nerves.
• Iron helps combat fatigue, high blood pressure, Iron combats fatigue, anaemia, gallstones, headaches and insomnia.
• Riboflavin helps fight free radicals, which can damage any healthy living cell in the body causing a variety of diseases.
• The soluble fibre in maize meal helps lower cholesterol and prevents and relieves intestinal disorders.
• Almost all of the fat found in maize is polyunsaturated and monounsaturated (the good fat) which also helps lower cholesterol.

Maize in its basic form has become the staple food in the homes of millions of people all around the world. With all of the healthy products that can be made from maize, such as maize flour, people relying on maize can add a little variety to their diets.