White vs Yellow Cornmeal
Flour is a very essential ingredient in people’s food and diet. It is used in most food preparations, in the making of staple food and in thickening sauces. Bread, pastries, and other recipes call for the use of flour which can be made from various grains. It can be made from wheat, rice, even from cassava which is a tuber, and of course, it can also be made from corn or maize.
Have you ever tasted tortillas and burritos? What about tortilla and corn chips? They are all made from cornmeal which can also be used in baking and in the making of sauces and in other food preparations.
Cornmeal is flour made from dried corn or maize and is also referred to as corn flour. It is made by grounding dried corn kernels into fine or coarse consistencies. Cornmeal is made by using either stone or steel grinders.
In Mexico and other countries, corn is usually grounded in a stone grinder which allows the cornmeal to retain some of the germ and hull that adds to its flavor and nutritional content. This process makes the shelf life of the cornmeal lesser even if it is kept in airtight containers and cool places.
The use of steel grinders removes the germ and husk of the corn kernels. This makes the cornmeal last longer but removes most of the corn�s nutrients and flavor.
Cornmeal can either be white, yellow, or blue, depending on the type of corn used. Blue cornmeal is made from the rare blue corn or by adding a blue food coloring. The white and yellow cornmeal are the most commonly used type.
Although made with the same material which is corn, yellow and white cornmeal are different from each other. For one, there are many varieties of corn and each variety has its distinct characteristics and taste.
White cornmeal is made from the kernels of white corn and yellow cornmeal is from the kernels of yellow corn. Both taste good but yellow cornmeal is sweeter than white cornmeal so it is preferred by those who are making pastries.
Its taste is also stronger, it has a more powerful flavor, and it is richer in vitamins A and B than white cornmeal. Both are perfect for use in the making of cornbread and cornmeal cakes and most recipes call for use of either types of cornmeal.
Summary
1. White cornmeal is made from the kernels of white corn while yellow cornmeal is made from the kernels of yellow corn.
2. White cornmeal is sweet while yellow cornmeal is sweeter than white cornmeal.
3. White cornmeal is best for use in recipes that call for flour that is not so sweet while yellow cornmeal is best for recipes that calls for sweeter ingredients.
4. Yellow cornmeal has a stronger and more powerful flavor while white cornmeal does not.
5. Although they are both rich in nutrients especially if grounded in stone grinders, yellow cornmeal has more vitamins A and B content while white cornmeal has less.