Corn Day: a versatile food for a tasty diet | Press

It’s no coincidence that corn features so strongly on Brazilian menus; it’s been around these lands since before the country’s discovery.

May 2019 – Present in the Brazilian diet even before the country’s discovery, corn is a great ally on many occasions thanks to its versatility. Whether to make that tasty popcorn before a movie, or during June festivities, when we find the ingredient in various dishes such as curau and canjica. And because it’s such an important food, May 24 is celebrated as National Corn Day.

Graciela Vargas, a nutritionist from the Umami Committee, explains that besides being a great ally in the kitchen, the grain is extremely healthy. “Corn helps reduce cholesterol, improves intestinal transit, strengthens the immune system, and is considered a great source of carbohydrate,” she notes. The specialist adds that, beyond these points, corn is an umami food—one of the five basic tastes of the human palate—and contains 106 mg of glutamate per 100 g.

To celebrate the date, Graciela has shared a delicious cream of corn recipe. With an estimated prep time of 20 minutes, the cream serves up to six people. Check out the method below:

Simple Creamed Corn

Ingredients

• 1 can of steamed sweet corn, drained (285 g)
• 250 ml milk
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 can table cream/heavy cream without whey
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

• Set aside 3 tbsp of the drained corn.
• In a blender, add the remaining corn and the milk and blend until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until the onion softens. Add the blended corn mixture and the salt; cook, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy.
• Stir in the cream and the reserved corn and heat through.
• Remove from the heat, finish with the parsley, and serve immediately.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.