Healthy Matter Raw Materials epsd (week 3)

Rice

What is rice?

For nearly half the world’s population, rice is life. Rice provides one of the main sources of calories for billions of people. It is a staple, a comfort food, a side dish and a main meal. In fact, rice is so integral to many cultures around the world it is often intermingled with mythologies, gods and goddesses, ceremonies and celebrations. It’s also a highly nutritious component of a healthy diet, if you choose the right source.

How Rice Grows Conventionally

Little rice seedlings are reverently hand planted in a small backyard paddy in Kyoto, Japan. Space age technology computers, lasers and airplanes are used to prepare the soil and sow the rice seeds on mega farms in eastern Texas. Both ways rice will still miraculously emerge from its meadow-like sea, transforming the dark glassy surface of the paddy into a shimmering chartreuse blanket. As the seedlings mature, they draw nutrients from the paddy water. The same water keeps the weed population under control. Eventually small green flowers take shape and the wind pollinates the plants. The paddies of rice change from green to golden yellow to the familiar pale honey color of parched straw.

The levees are opened, the water is drained and the soil is given time to set. In the United States where the rice industry is thoroughly mechanized, a giant combine with an air conditioned cab for the operator, rolls across the field cutting the plants and separating the rough or paddy rice from the straw. The rough rice is transported to enormous dryers where the moisture content is reduced. The rice is now ready for milling. The milling process, although it can be extremely high tech and efficient, is really very simple. Converted or parboiled rice is steam pressure treated before it is hulled. The hull is removed in a sheller which is basically two rubber rollers that remove the hulls by friction. The rice emerges as brown rice. The bran is removed from the brown rice by abrasion as the grains are forced to rub against each other. Broken grains are sorted out as the rice is sifted through a series of screens. In the most sophisticated of mills a laser scanner spots discolored kernels and almost simultaneously manages to blast them aside with a stream of pressurized air.

Type of rice:

• Long Grain 

Long-grain rice is about four or five times as long as it is wide. Typical length varies between 7 to 9 millimeters.

• Medium Grain

Medium-grain rice is about three times as long as it is wide, measuring about two millimeters.

• Short Grain

Short-grain rice is less than twice as long as it is wide, with fat, round grains that are higher in starch.

Source : http://www.lotusfoods.com/index.php/health-nutrition/all-about-rice/ http://www.riceland.com/all-about-rice/

Wheat

What is wheat?

Wheat is one of the world's most commonly consumed cereal grains. It comes from a type of grass (Triticum) that is grown in countless varieties worldwide. Bread wheat, or common wheat, is the most common species. Several other closely related species include durum, spelt, emmer, einkorn, and Khorasan wheat.

White and whole wheat flour are key ingredients in baked goods, such as bread. Other wheat-based foods include pasta, noodles, semolina, bulgur, and couscous. Wheat is highly controversial because it contains a protein called gluten, which can trigger a harmful immune response in predisposed individuals. However, for people who tolerate it, whole-grain wheat can be a rich source of various antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fibers.

How to storage wheat

Wheat is one of the longest storing food items around. Whole wheat kernels will store longer and better than when ground up into flour. When storing your wheat at home, make sure it is in containers specifically identified on the label as food storage containers. Round containers are best when storing wheat since wheat gives off heat and square containers stacked closely together may not allow this heat to escape.

It is important that wheat doesn’t have a moisture content level higher than 10 percent. A higher moisture content than this causes damage to the wheat and exposure to oxygen may cause some forms of bacteria to grow. Storing wheat in a cool, dry place is the easiest way to keep moisture content low. A properly used oxygen absorber will also keep exposure to oxygen minimal.

A storage temperature of 40-60° F results in fresher wheat. However, 60° F and above is still acceptable. Food storage containers should not be stored directly on a cement floor to prevent rusting and pest contamination. Wheat should also be stored away from apples, onions, potatoes, etc., since the odor or flavor may transfer to the wheat.

Nutrition fact

Wheat is packed with vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, processing used to produce and refine white flour removes most of the valuable nutrients. Wheat kernels have three main divisions; the bran, the endosperm, and the inner embryo or wheat germ. The bran layer constitutes 14% of the wheat kernel and is removed when producing white flour. The bran is packed with vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, iron, and iodine. The bran also happens to be the best source of dietary fiber which aids in digestion and helps ward off disease. The wheat germ layer is an excellent source of vitamin E, as well as other vitamins and protein. Many important nutrients are removed when layers are separated during processing. For this reason, it makes sense to put whole wheat back into your diet.

Pound for pound, wheat is one of the least expensive foods available. And, since grain products will expand in your stomach--satisfying you even if you eat less--using wheat products can help you stretch your budget by eliminating the need for store-bought, overpriced, and over-processed goods. If you are concerned that your food storage may be lacking in protein, a good supply of wheat and beans will form a complete protein. Just a half cup of uncooked wheat contains 8 to 10 grams of protein. So, not only will wheat give you the protein needed for muscle growth and repair, but you will have a low-fat complex carbohydrate to give your body the energy it needs to make it through the day.

If you still aren’t convinced of the importance of storing and using wheat, check out our recipe section. As you begin to use wheat regularly you may be surprised by its versatility, and you will soon see that wheat really is the staff of life.

Source : http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/wheat https://beprepared.com/blog/5997/all-about-wheat/

Corn

What is corn?

corn is actually a vegetable, a whole grain, and a fruit. But no matter what form it comes in or what category it falls into, corn is good for you and can be part of a healthy diet. Even plain popcorn can be healthy when prepared without oil, butter, or salt.

Storing corn

how to store corn

Corn is best eaten the day it is bought but will keep for up to 3 days if stored properly. Keep corn wrapped in plastic and keep the husks on to help protect the flavor.  Corn freezes well: Blanch the cobs for about 5 minutes, place in heavy duty freezer bags and store in the freezer.  Corn will keep up to a year in the freezer.

Preparing corn

There are a number of ways to prepare corn for cooking. You can shuck the corn which involves removing the husk completely and then removing the silk.  An easy way to remove the silk is to use a damp paper towel and rub it gently up and down the corn.  The silk will adhere to the paper towel.  Alternatively you can rub off remaining silk using a vegetable brush.  Next, break off or cut off any remaining corn stalk.

Another option is to preserve the husk to protect the corn. In this case, pull down the husk gently but leave it attached at the bottom.  Remove the silk using a damp paper towel or vegetable bush.  Then pull the husks back up. Next you need to soak the corn before cooking.  Soak it for 20-30 minutes before cooking it in the microwave.  Or, if you intend to barbeque the corn, soak it for 1-3 hours.

If microwaving in the husk, just place it as is in microwave on high for 3 to 5 minutes; turn over and repeat.  (Corn can also be microwaved wrapped in parchment or wax paper.) If placing on the barbeque, tie the husks in a couple of spots and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning frequently. For cooking the shucked corn, just bring a large pot of cold water to a boil, add corn and cook until tender (3 to 8 minutes).  Don’t add salt to the water but you can add a small amount of sugar to improve the sweetness.

Nutrition

A medium ear of corn has 82 calories.  It is a source of fibre and contains potassium, magnesium and folate. It is also a great source of phytochemicals.

Source : http://www.halfyourplate.ca/all-about-corn/ http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/is-corn-a-vegetable