Nixtamalization process affects fiber content in tamales
A study published in the Journal of Food Science explores the effect of three different nixtamalization processes (traditional, ecological, and classic) on the chemical composition, starch properties, and glycemic index of tamales.
A study published in the Journal of Food Science explores the effect of three different nixtamalization processes (traditional, ecological, and classic) on the chemical composition, starch properties, and glycemic index of tamales.
Tamales are currently produced by traditional nixtamalization by cooking maize kernels in water with calcium hydroxide (lime). However, this process decreases nutrients such as fat, protein, dietary fiber, and various nutraceutical compounds. An ecological nixtamalization process replaces the lime with calcium carbonate and shows that the nutrient deterioration found in traditional processes can be reduced. In addition, other researchers have reported improvements in the nutrition profile of tortillas made with classic nixtamalization, in which lime is replaced by wood ashes.
The researchers found that the calcium sources used in the nixtamalization process affected the structure and functionality of starch in the tamales. The ecological nixtamalization and classic nixtamalization processes produced tamales with higher resistant starch formation than native maize or maize boiled without salts. In addition, the tamales made with the classic and ecological nixtamalization processes exhibited the highest total, soluble, and insoluble dietary fiber content, and lower in vivo glycemic index compared to tamales elaborated with traditional nixtamalization process.
The researchers concluded that “tamales from ecological nixtamalization processes could represent potential health benefits associated with the reduction on blood glucose response after consumption.”