Snack: Corn Nuts

This week's blog, I'll be doing a research on one of my favorite food or snack. My research should focus on what my food or snack ingredients are, where did my food or snacks come from. how was it grown or raised, who raised/ grew/ produced/ manufactured it, what are it's environmental impacts, and what health effects might it have. Now my type of snack came to while I deciding what should I talk about or bring to school as a potluck. While sitting on my desk were a bag of Corn Nuts - Chile Picante, which my grandfather normally would put on my desk as a snack, or sometimes he will bring real homemade beef jerky from a store in Anaheim. He works in the city of Anaheim that is why I mentioned it. Corn Nuts are a favorite type for all types of ages with teeth. They have a lot of flavor to them, so in fact there are 6 types of flavors. The flavors are Chile Picante, Original, Ranch, BBQ, Nacho Cheese, Salsa Jalisco. In 1936, Corn Nuts were originally named Olin's Brown Jug Toasted Corn by Albert Holloawy who invented and sold it. As a beginning life, Corn Nuts were served as tavern snacks, and made from sweet corn. Originated in Oakland and Salina Valley California, so it's basically the central California near Monetary. . Below are the ingredients that are contained in the Corn Nuts.

Ingredients: Corn, Corn Oil, Maltodextrin, Spices, Onions and Garlic, and Tomatoe(s) Powder, Pepper(s), Chili Dried, Monosodium Glutamate Flavors Enhance, Citric Acid for (tartness), Flavor(s) Natural and Artificial, Paprika Extract Vegetable(s)

Corn Nuts are not actually nuts, they're made from kernels corns that are soaked in water, roasted toasted or deep fried. The crunchy nut - like texture and not the taste was the reason for the name of Corn Nuts.Kernels are soaked because they shrink during the harvesting and cleaning process, and re-hydration returns them to the original size. They are fried in one hundred percent natural vegetable oil. Maltodextin is more described as white powder often used in process foods as a thickener or a filler and it's fairly inexpensive. Mostly found in canned fruits, snacks, cereal, desserts, instant pudding, sauces, and salad, dressings.As a result for containing fewer calories than sugar, it's also found in sugar substitutes. Normally, Maltodextrin are used in small amounts that it doesn't have a significant impact in terms of the amount of protein, carbohydrates, or fiber that it adds to food. Monosodium Glutamate Flavors Enhancers is also known as sodium glutamate, and one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids. It helps breakdown product of proteins, and a common ingredients for Asian cooking.

Regarding healthy food choice, Cor Nuts does not meet some criteria because one point it's high in calories. This means if your watching your weight, corn nuts goes over the calories limit. In the fat categories, corn nuts holds 8 grams of fat per 48 grams, fulling 12 percent of the daily value. Only 1 grams is saturated and the rest is the healthy, unsaturated fat. Then unsaturated fats may lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association.If corn nuts are high in fat, they are also rich in calories, with 210 per 48 grams. Snacks rich in protein delays the emptying of food and keeps you feeling satisfied after eating. Corn nuts contain some protein with, 4 grams of protein per 48 rams or 1/4 cup of corn nuts. It's not as high as some other snacks such as peanuts, which contain more than 7 grams in just 28 grams of nuts. The were some information that I can not find which were how the corn was manufacture, transportation, and the environmental impact of them. I know one fact that it get package in 6 different sizes from 0.8oz to 0.7oz bags. Now day Corn nuts are made from Cuzco corn hybrid corn found in every bag. Mr. Holloway and his sons learned of Cuzco corn found in an article in the local paper about a corn in Peru that grew kernels bigger than a quarter. The corn they used were gigante and raised by farmers 9,000 ft up in the rugged Andes mountains. Still cooked in Peru and in Peru restaurants in America. In addition, Corn Nuts are also effect carbohydrates, fiber, and sodium among the snack or human health. High in carbohydrates, but low in sugars. Can be a health risk, if you have diabetes or are at risk for the disease 1/3 of cup serving contains just under 20 grams of carbs, and 7% of recommended daily allowance if you follow a 2,000 calorie diet. Corn nuts can help up a fiber intake, but not too much corn nuts can do good though. Corn nuts contain few nutrients outside of carbohydrate and fat. A serving of corn nuts supplies no vitamin A,C or calcium, and not particularly high in protein. There are high amounts of sodium. Flavored brands often contain more sodium. Age 51 or over, African American descent or have high blood pressure, these people must not consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day; a serving of corn nuts would supply more than 100% of your allowed sodium.
   http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/corn-nuts-healthy-4293.html