Food Grains

Maize is an annual cereal crop, belonging to the grass family of 'Gramineae'. It composes of kernels having long ears. These kernels are used in the form of grains as food for both humans and animals and also as a source of oil. Maize is also known by the name of 'corn' in many countries. Maize or corn is a rich source of carbohydrates, Vitamin B, proteins and minerals. Most of commercial maize grows at a maximum height of 2.5 ft. In India, maize is also known as 'bhutta' in Hindi.

A wide variety of maize or corn is available in the market. Following are the types of corn that are commonly produced in India.

• Dent Corn: There is indentation on the top part of the kernel, because of which it is known as a dent corn. This indentation is caused by the shrinkage of starch present in the crop. Dent corn can be of two types, namely yellow and white corn
• Sweet Corn: It is sweet in taste and is primarily produced for human consumption. It is available in any grocery store in cans
• Pop Corn: Popcorn is a type of maize that explodes from the kernel and when heated, gets puffed up. The term 'pop' implies that the kernel pops open as the corn heats up because of a rapid expansion of moisture present in the kernel
• Flint Corn: Also known as Indian corn, it has a hard outer shell and comes in a variety of colors like white, red, etc.

Maize has a wide variety of uses that ranges from both human to industrial. Maize is used in bird/ cattle feeds, as livestock forage or silage for animals. Humans eat maize or corn in the form of popcorn, porridge, beverage, etc. In terms of industrial usage, the grains of the maize are used in the transformation of plastics and fabrics. Ethanol, produced from maize, is being used as an additive in gas to prevent pollution levels and reduce the use of petroleum.

Maize is a rich source of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Vitamin C, dietary fibers, etc. The presence of thiamin in maize helps in keeping the memory power intact, thereby preventing the dreaded "Alzheimer's" disease. Folate, a good source of Vitamin B helps in preventing birth defects and also helps in lowering the level of Homocysteine that has the potential of damaging the blood vessels. Consumption of corn also prevents the occurrence of lung cancer as it is rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in corn in large proportion.