Corn is a coarse grain and is very nutritious, containing protein, fat, starch, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin A, carotene, dietary fiber, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Drinking corn porridge regularly can supplement vitamins and dietary fiber. Some people like to add "alkali" when cooking corn porridge. So, does this affect the nutritional value of the porridge?
Through observation of daily life, it is found that many people like to add edible alkali (baking soda, soda ash) when cooking corn porridge, with the aim of making it thicker in a short period of time. There is some truth to this.
This is because the main component of grains is starch. The process of corn porridge becoming thick during cooking is essentially a process of starch gelatinization. If edible alkali is added, it will accelerate the starch gelatinization process, and the corn porridge will become thick more quickly.
Some people may wonder whether adding edible alkali affects the nutrients in the corn porridge. It does, but the effect is twofold. On one hand, adding edible alkali makes the niacin in the corn porridge more easily absorbed by the body. On the other hand, it significantly destroys vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 in the porridge.
If you add edible alkali to the corn porridge solely for the purpose of absorbing niacin, it might be a case of the cure being worse than the disease. This is because fish, eggs, and milk are rich in niacin, and people's intake is generally sufficient. There is no need to rely on corn porridge to get niacin. Currently, people's intake of vitamin B1 and B2 is insufficient, mainly because of the widespread consumption of refined white rice and flour, which leads to significant loss of B vitamins from grains. Coarse grains and legumes are rich in vitamin B1 and B2, making them an excellent source for the body to supplement these two vitamins. Adding edible alkali when cooking porridge will destroy them, which is not conducive to the body's absorption and utilization of these vitamins.
In addition, the content of vitamin B1 and B2 in rice porridge is low, so it is also best not to add edible alkali. Adding edible alkali makes rice porridge easier to gelatinize, making it very thick, which is not suitable for diabetic patients. Moreover, it increases sodium intake, which is not conducive to the prevention of hypertension. Furthermore, adding edible alkali will destroy the original flavor of the food, reducing its taste. Therefore, it is best not to add it.