Maize

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.

Maize first came into being in Mexico, where it was domesticated around 9000 years back. It was cultivated from a wild grass known as 'teosinte', that had kernels which were not long and were also not placed together. From there, it soon propagated to the New Wold in 1500 BC and by the 16th century, maize was being cultivated throughout the globe. Maize soon became the staple diet of North and South America when Columbus set his foot in these two continents. In fact, corn was not just a staple food for many, but was also an important means of trade and was used as a form of currency.

0Maize is used in many different areas because of its nutritional as well as commercial value. Some of the areas where it is used are:

1. Maize is a rich source of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Vitamin C, dietary fibers, etc.
2. The presence of thiamin in maize helps in keeping the memory power intact, thereby preventing the dreaded "Alzheimer's" disease.
3. 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.
4. 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.