Corn Shouldn't Be Food, But It Is

Corn is a staple crop found in many foods, yet it wasn't always edible. Originating from teocinte, a grass in Mexico, corn underwent significant genetic changes to become a major food source. Ancient Mesoamericans cultivated it for its sweet stalks, later focusing on kernels. They developed nixtamalization, a process enhancing corn's nutritional value, crucial for its role in diets. Without it, corn's nutrients remain largely inaccessible, leading to deficiencies like pellagra. This transformation highlights the importance of human intervention in making corn a global staple.

What percentage of human nutrition worldwide is made up by corn?

• 10%

• 40%

• 30%

• 20%

Where was teocinte, the ancestor of modern corn, first cultivated?

• South America

• Central America

• Southern Mexico

• Northern Mexico

What was the primary reason Mesoamericans initially cultivated teocinte?

• For its kernels

• For its sweet stalk juice

• For its leaves

• For its roots

What is the main component of corn that makes it a good source of fast calories?

• Protein

• Starch

• Fat

• Fiber

What process did Mesoamericans invent to enhance the nutritional value of corn?

• Dehydration

• Pasteurization

• Nixtamalization

• Fermentation

What nutrient's bioavailability is significantly increased through nixtamalization?

• Calcium

• Vitamin C

• Iron

• Niacin

What disease did Europeans suffer from due to skipping the nixtamalization process?

• Pellagra

• Scurvy

• Rickets

• Beriberi