Guest guest Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Does anyone know for sure whether phytic acid is a problem with Masa Harina? The limewater/ wood-ash lyewater preparation is fundamentally different from the soaking that we generally talk about. It has nothing to do with sprouting or simulating sprouting. It's functions as I understand it are to increase protein availability, niacin availability, and to add calcium (in the case of limewater, not lyewater). It's also supposed to improve the corn's palatability and performance in certain recipes. I have never heard any mention of it doing anything with regard to phytates or free phytic acid. I don't know if phytic acid is even really an issue in corn; I know some grains are more problematic than others from a phytate standpoint. I wonder if anyone has ever done any studies (anthropological or laboratory) to see if the nutrition of other grains, beans, seeds, nuts, etc might benefit from a similar alkaline simmering to improve digestibility and/or cooking performance. As long as I'm wondering, I wonder too if anybody has ever looked at whether corn treated in this way is better for livestock like pigs and chickens? Any nutritional science grad students on the list looking for research project ideas? By the way, as a Minnesotan, I can vouch for the fact that cod fish does NOT benefit from a lye bath (lutefisk). -----Original Message----- From: leslie_kosar@... [mailto:leslie_kosar@...] Sent: Friday, February 08, 2002 11:27 AM Subject: Re: how traditional is soaking grains? Oh, I forgot one more thing: Northern Ghanaians are peanut-farmers extraordinaire, and peanuts (have you ever heard of African peanut soup?) were always soaked in salt water for some time before they were roasted and eaten or ground for cooking. I should say also that prepared Ghanaian peanuts are fantastic to eat, and that my Ghanaian friends who are here in the U.S. now have not been able to find any peanut butter of any kind which has the same lovely roasted taste that they know from home. This transmission may contain information that is privileged, confidential and/or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the information contained herein (including any reliance thereon) is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you received this transmission in error, please immediately contact the sender and destroy the material in its entirety, whether in electronic or hard copy format. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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