Monday, December 6, 2010

Maize Morado- Healthiest Corn on Earth?

I have discovered a new (old) corn! A deep purple (almost black) colored strain of ancient corn that has come under much investigation of late for its alleged high levels of various health-beneficial antioxidants.
"
Purple corn, a variety of Zea mays, is an Andean crop from low valleys locally called maiz morado. Purple corn can be found mostly in Peru, where it is cultivated in the coast, as well as in lands almost ten thousand feet high. There are different varieties of purple corn, and all of them originated from an ancestral line called “Kculli”, still cultivated in Peru. The Kculli line is very old, and ancient objects in the shape of these particular ears of corn have been found in archeological sites at least 2,500 years old in places in the central coast, as well as among the ceramics of the “Mochica” culture. "
http://www.pulpastore.co.uk/detox-your-world-organic-purple-corn-flour-500g-203.html

Here's a great article on some of the research that is being done:
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/act.2007.13210

Here's another article about this corn as a cancer treatment that states "
anthocyanins from purple corn and chokeberries not only completely stopped the growth of cancer cells, but also killed about 21 percent of cancer cells without having any effect on healthy cells."
http://healthrecipes.com/purple-corn-cancer-treatment.htm

I bought some seeds and can't wait to plant them this year! I have heard reports that they grow fast and big- up to 15 feet and can have 3 ears per stalk. It's traditionally used to make chicha morada, a sweet drink http://peruvian-cuisine.blogspot.com/2008/11/drink-recipe-chicha-morada-purple-chica.html
I can't find much information on its uses for fresh eating or as a flour. I'll just have to find out for myself I guess! :)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would love to hear how it went! Were you able to grind flour or polenta or make nixtamal? How did it taste?
thanks!

Delilah said...

I tried to grow it in Spokane, we had really nice tall healthy stalks, but no corn that year. Climate just not quite right maybe? But now I live in Mississippi. I'll be planting it this year, so we'll see how it goes!!

Delilah said...

got seeds planted in flats and the sprouts are up!!