Can you eat corn tortillas on the Paleo diet?

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat corn tortillas on the paleo diet?” with an in-depth analysis of corn tortillas, what they are made of, the reason behind eating or not eating corn tortillas, the nutritional components of corn tortillas, along with the advantages and disadvantages of eating corn tortillas on a paleo diet. 

Can you eat corn tortillas on the paleo diet?

No, a corn tortilla is not paleo diet-friendly. Some of us consider corn as a vegetable and also serve it as a frozen vegetable but corn is not a vegetable instead it is a grain that is gluten-free naturally. 

Somewhere it is also described from someone’s experience that corn grains ingestion in a very small amount did cause serious issues in the digestive tract.

Due to the grain nature of corn, it is firmly placed in a non-paleo diet. But if you want to add the corn by choice in your paleo diet, that’s okay, but it is generally not good to eat corn as a part of the paleo diet.

What is Corn?

Corn is also known as maize, which is one of the most popular cereal grains that is cultivated all over the world in different countries. 

Corn’s different varieties such as popcorn, sweet corn, and corn are also being used in processed food such as corn tortillas. This refined, processed product is widely preferred to consume.

Different types of processed food may include polenta, tortilla, corn flour, corn syrup, tortilla chips, and corn oil.

Paleo diet

It is a type of diet plan that mostly includes fish, vegetables and fruits, excluding all dairy products, processed food, and also cereal products.

Difference between flour and corn tortilla

Tortillas are like thin flatbreads that are mostly prepared from wheat or maize. They are a major part of a healthy diet with various health benefits due to which it is mainly focused in the United States. 

The process of making corn and flour tortillas is different. Corn tortillas emerged from Mexican cooking, while traditionally corn tortillas are passed down from the Aztecs, but the invention of flour tortillas was made after the Spaniards launched wheat to Mexico.

Production of corn tortilla

Corn tortillas are produced through a process of nixtamalization. Firstly, it involves the boiling of maize or corn in an alkaline solution that might be made of lime water or sodium hydroxide. 

A dough of maize (also known as Masa) is formed by grinding corn kernels. Then, these doughs are flattened in the form of a flat disc. After shaping the thin flattened disc, it is baked.

Traditionally, corn tortillas are also made of pure corn containing 100 per cent of corn that may be dehydrated cornflour or it may include some of the wheat flour inside the dough in a well-blended form.

They are also produced at the industrial level for larger-scale operations that also include fresh and dry maize flour.

The nutritional components of Corn tortillas 

The nutritional components in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of boiled yellow corns are as following:

  • Water: 73 per cent
  • Total calories: 96 
  • Protein content: 3.4 grams.
  • Carb: 21 grams
  • Sugars: 4.5 grams
  • Fat: 1.5 grams
  • Fibre: 2.4 grams

In addition, Corn tortillas are enriched with a good content of magnesium and fibre. Fibre is good for the digestive system and cardiac health while magnesium has a vital role in the good health of muscles, heart, and brain.

Corn tortillas are whole grain food that has the minimum number of carbs, calories, and fat than other tortillas made by flour. 

Corn also provides a good content of iron that has several good health effects, as iron is a basic requirement of muscles and all other issues related to these muscles. Iron is enriched with oxygen that is a major requirement of body parts to gain energy for performing activities.

Health benefits

Various health benefits can be availed by eating corn-related products, which may include the health of the eye, and it also plays a vital role in the prevention of diverticular diseases.

Corn consists of zeaxanthin and lutein, these are the major antioxidants that are required for good eye health. It also consists of macular pigments that are good for the retina of the eye.

Diverticular disease is related to the colon where the formation of pouches on the walls of the colon takes place. Symptoms are cramps, flatulence, bloating, bleeding, and infection.

Downsides

Corn tortillas might consist of phytic acids and mycotoxins that lessen the absorption of other nutrients and can increase the risk factor of cancer and neural tube damage

Other FAQs about Tortillas that you may be interested in.

How many calories are in one flour tortilla?

Do I Have to Fry the Tortillas for Enchiladas?

How to Use a Tortilla Press?

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Can you eat corn tortillas on the paleo diet?” with an in-depth analysis of corn tortillas, what they are made of, the reason behind eating or not eating corn tortillas, the nutritional components of corn tortillas, along with the advantages and disadvantages of eating corn tortillas on a paleo diet. 

References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/corn#downsides

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