Refined grains
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Refined grains have been significantly modified from their natural composition, in contrast to whole grains. The modification process generally involves the mechanical removal of bran and germ, either
White rice is an example of a refined grain
USDA wheat
Nixtamalization
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Nixtamalization is a process for the preparation of maize, or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, washed, and then hulled. The term can als
Refined grains
…vitamins such as Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E. Whole grains also provide phytochemicals which enriched grains lack. In the case of maize, the process of nixtamalization (a chemical form of refinement) yields a considerable improvement in the bioavailability of niacin, thereby preventing pellagra in diets consisting…
An 1836 lithograph of tortilla production in rural Mexico
Bowl of hominy (nixtamalized corn kernels)
Dry maize, untreated (left) and boiled in lime (right). In this case, typical of El Salvador, 1 pound (450 g) is boiled with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of lime for 15 minutes, left to stand for a few hours, and washed with fresh water. The hulls are removed, and the kernels ground into masa. Exact methods vary by use and region.[citation needed]