Es Starch corresponds to foods that are of basic necessity in the diet of all people, most of the energy we obtain from this component and we can find it anywhere in the world. Because it is important to know, we bring you all the information about starch.
What is starch?
El Starch belongs to the group of polysaccharides, that means that it is a component made up of large molecules (polymer), it serves to store energy that can be transferred depending on its use, in this case it would be through food. They also qualify as carbohydrates, meaning they are made up of hydrogen (H), carbon (C), and oxygen (O).
The starches they are obtained mainly in foods of plant origin, historically it has a very important relevance for the development and evolution of the human being, since it corresponds to most of the amount of energy that is used by the human body.
In such a way that our diet is rich in starch, however, there is a large number of individuals who are not aware of this, so it is important that we all know how elemental starch is in our lives and that a good part of the foods that are stored in our kitchen contain it.
It is a very easy component to digest and is not heavy in this process, that is why it is normal for athletes, acrobats or people who must use a lot of physical energy in their daily activities, to have a diet based on foods that contain starch.
Composition:
In chemical terms, starch is a chain made up of glucose molecules, which at the same time corresponds to a polymer, all this together with other elements that are not known if they really belong to the grains or are contaminating particles that infiltrate the grain. starch and that cannot be eliminated during the production chain and food processing.
When the number of molecules that make up the starch is excessive, these accumulate under the influence of Plant cell and the plants use it to store their nutrients, in this way, when they do not have enough carbohydrates to feed themselves, the starch provides them.
It is formed when plants take inorganic matter provided by the environment for their growth and feeding process, the elements that are involved are water and carbon dioxide, they process it through the energy they obtain from the sun.
There is another polymer that is very similar to starch and is called glycogen, the difference is that its formation occurs in the Animal cell, however, also fulfills the function of storing energy
Starch does not dissolve in liquid, but it can quickly absorb water while it is hot and especially when it is in the process of boiling, which is why most starchy foods are cooked in boiling water before being cooked. consumed, on the other hand if the water is cold, the component will not dissolve or absorb the liquid.
How is it obtained?
It is essential to have starch in the home since it is found in foods that are implicit in the diet of every human being regardless of where in the world it is and as we mentioned before, they also contain many nutrients that work above all to provide energy to the body.
The most common starchy foods are rice and potatoes, but these are not the only ones that contain it, since we can also find it in cereals such as oats and barley. Legumes, lentils, and beans also include starch in its composition, in addition to providing many nutrients to the body.
It is impossible to ignore all the known benefits that vegetables provide both for the development of the body and to strengthen health, vegetables should be included in the diet of all people regardless of age, since the nutrients they are absorbed by all types of bodies.
It is important to note that foods that are processed lack much of their nutritional components, because while this process helps many foods have a longer shelf life and makes many foods taste richer, there are also many that by undergoing these changes in its structure and composition, a large part of the food compound is contaminated or wasted.
The Gelatinization of Starch
When the starch grains are placed in water and it reaches a temperature of 60º to 70º then a hydration process begins and the starch retains all the water vapor that enters through channels where the structure is untidy, the higher it is temperature, then more water is absorbed and the grain expands until it reaches a maximum point.
Gelatinization is called the temperature level that the water must have for this result to occur, but for all types of different grains this level is different. If the grains reach their maximum size and still continue to undergo vaporization, then they will not disintegrate, but they can be dispersed and a pasty or gelatinous substance will form.
Utility
Having the perseverance to maintain a healthy and balanced diet is not an easy job, only a minority of the world's population truly cares about their diet and taking care of their body on a physical level, so it is important that this percentage will increase and people at least try to adapt to a lifestyle that is healthy, energetic and beneficial.
When a person wants to start forming habits to take care of their body and improve their physique, the first thing they think about is exercise and the diet that they must maintain so that the process can bear fruit, after that most leave it, just like that , without even trying because they only think about how traumatic people make the whole process look.
We must limit that this is only a problem of misinformation, since in the case of diet it is not about stopping eating, it is only controlling all the food we eat, trying to be mostly healthy or at least have a percentage of Acceptable fat and calories.
El starch It is an important component when it comes to food, and we refer to a specific type of food, since we already mentioned above that the starch It is found in edible elements that are common for human consumption, in addition to being mostly very healthy.
Deviating a bit from the food itself, the starch It is considered one of the most abundant elements on earth, since a large part of the plants and vegetables conserve it to have enough nutrients to feed on when these are scarce by their usual means.
The truth is that the usefulness of starch goes beyond just consumption through various foods, another use could be in the production of food, but this time as an external element to alter the composition and structure of other foods, not as processed food.
Formerly it was also used in the textile industry, to adhere to the fabric and give the clothes rigidity, the final result depended on the type of garment to be used, it could give volume to the clothes or prevent them from wrinkling too much and they will fit folds when using it. After other processes to obtain it, it could be used for other more industrial purposes, such as glue or non-stick.
We can determine that the main utility of starch is to adapt to the Characteristics of living beings to contribute to their diet, since last but not least, we have that due to its high amount of nutrients and components that provide energy, the cells also use it for their feeding process and are necessary so that they can continue reproducing and developing.