About alberto de leon(Health & Nutrition)vox-91a http://www.ifood.tv/blog/mexican-corn-truffle-becomes-good-medicine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMWFHE-YdhM http://blog.wahaca.co.uk/2010/03/huitlacoche-the-mexican-corn-truffle/ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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Mexican corn truffles have immense health benefits. Some of the most prominent medicinal values of Mexican corn truffle are listed below:
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/mexican-corn-truffle-becomes-good-medicine#YSszKU0DF4AGDAIH.99 .................................................................................................................................................................... Mexico is the 5th most biodiverse country in the world and on a recent trip to Oaxaca we saw how many incredible different types of produce they have just in their local markets. Coming from a UK supermarket where everything is flown in from all around the world it is pretty incredible visiting these markets where all the produce is locally grown and the variety is incredible.
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Huitlacoche (Corn Truffle) Tacos
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Mexican Corn Truffle Becomes Good Medicine
Mexican corn truffle becomes good medicine – it always was, just that we were not aware of it. Mexican corn truffle or corn smut, as we commonly call it, is nothing but a plant fungus called Ustilago maydis, that infects the corn via the ovaries, making the kernels erupt with black pus. Agreed, that visually it is quite repulsive. But taste once and know the medicinal value of Mexican corn truffle and it will never cease to impress you.
• Builds Bones:
Mexican corn truffles contain lysine, one of the essential amino acids that strengthen and build bones. It also prevents and fights infections in our body.
• Synthesize Nutrients:
It is also believed that Huitlacoche (Mexican corn truffle) can synthesize significant nutrients, which in turn benefit our health in various ways.
• Reduces Cholesterol:
Mexican corn truffle contains beta-glucens, the most important cholesterol-killing ingredient, which in turn help in reducing the cholesterol levels of our body.
• Inducing Labor:
Native Americans, especially tribes like Zuni tribes, had used repeatedly used corn smut to induce labor. Corn smut, or Mexican corn truffle as we commonly know, has similar (though weaker) medicinal effects as ergot, due to the presence of a chemical component called ustilagine. It is this chemical that is responsible for inducing labors in human beings.
• Boosts your Immune system:
Mexican corn truffles contain Vitamin D in the edible form, which in turn help to boost your immune system. Ergothiogene, a powerful antioxidant present in mushrooms, prevents the formation of free radicals, thereby protecting us from cell damage.
Mexican corn truffles contain lysine, one of the essential amino acids that strengthen and build bones. It also prevents and fights infections in our body.
• Synthesize Nutrients:
It is also believed that Huitlacoche (Mexican corn truffle) can synthesize significant nutrients, which in turn benefit our health in various ways.
• Reduces Cholesterol:
Mexican corn truffle contains beta-glucens, the most important cholesterol-killing ingredient, which in turn help in reducing the cholesterol levels of our body.
• Inducing Labor:
Native Americans, especially tribes like Zuni tribes, had used repeatedly used corn smut to induce labor. Corn smut, or Mexican corn truffle as we commonly know, has similar (though weaker) medicinal effects as ergot, due to the presence of a chemical component called ustilagine. It is this chemical that is responsible for inducing labors in human beings.
• Boosts your Immune system:
Mexican corn truffles contain Vitamin D in the edible form, which in turn help to boost your immune system. Ergothiogene, a powerful antioxidant present in mushrooms, prevents the formation of free radicals, thereby protecting us from cell damage.
Other than these medicinal values of Mexican corn truffle, there are other health benefits of the corn truffle as well. They are a rich source of high protein and lower proportions of carbohydrates. Thus, for diabetic patients, mushrooms are quite good. It is also a low-fat vegetable and contain mostly crude fat and lipid compounds like, fatty acids, sterols, phospholipids, glycerides and linoleic acid. These are in fact the beneficiary fats for our body. Thus, the health and medicinal values of Mexican corn truffle are immense. Thus, if for so long, you had always been repulsed by its looks and the nasty names that it was associated with – time for a change. Taste it once – you will surely crave for more!!
Photo Courtesy: media.onsugar.com
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/mexican-corn-truffle-becomes-good-medicine#YSszKU0DF4AGDAIH.99 .................................................................................................................................................................... Mexico is the 5th most biodiverse country in the world and on a recent trip to Oaxaca we saw how many incredible different types of produce they have just in their local markets. Coming from a UK supermarket where everything is flown in from all around the world it is pretty incredible visiting these markets where all the produce is locally grown and the variety is incredible.
Huitlacoche is one of those Mexican produce that is impossible to get fresh in the UK so at Wahaca we get it brought in from Mexico canned. (We are hoping to encourage some British farmers to grow the huitlacoche for us!)
It is a very new flavour and ingredient in the UK and it is through Wahaca that many are probably trying it for the first time. Probably half the time not knowing what they are eating but hopefully enjoying the flavours.
I therefore thought it would be good to tell you all a little more about this ingredient.
Huitlacoche growing on the corn
Huitlacoche is a fungal, and in Mexico a culinary delicacy, that grows on ears of corn as they ripen after a heavy rain or period of high moisture. While most farmers will treat it like an infectious affliction that ruins corn crops, it has a long history in the cuisine of the Aztecs, Hopi & Zuni.
The Zuni Indians call the corn fungus corn-soot and say it symbolizes the “generation of life” whereas farmers have called it smut, soot or devil’s corn. The word huitlacoche comes from two words in Nahuatl, the language of ancient Aztecs occupying the area that became Mexico.
“Huitlatl” means excrement and “coche” means raven which apparently is named so because the first time Aztec farmers discovered it they saw the grey appearance on the corn and thought it was ravens excrement. Fortunately as some of the best culinary discoveries have been made someone decided to try it out and discovered one of the most appreciated delicacies in Mexican cuisine. For more information click here for the Wikipedia page.
Fresh huitlacoche, Casa Oaxaca and Alejandro Ruiz
Huitlacoche has been used in Mexican cuisine since then adding a rich, earthy and pungent flavour to stews, tamales, taquitos and quesadillas. We cooked with it in Mexico at Casa Oaxaca with renowned Mexican chef Alejandro Ruiz.
I took lots of photos while going around the markets of Oaxaca of the produce…click here for a few of these.
Created with flickr slideshow.
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