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Article: Corn- or Maize-Based Diets
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- Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Corn- or Maize-Based Diets
Maize, the American Indian word for corn, literally means "that which sustains life." After wheat and rice, it is the most important cereal grain in the world, providing
nutrients
for humans and animals. It also serves as a basic raw material for the production of starch, oil,
protein
, alcoholic beverages, food sweeteners, and fuel. Maize has the highest average yield per hectare.
Maize is an important food in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and parts of the former Soviet Union. Each country has one or more maize dishes that are unique to its culture. Examples are
ogi
(Nigeria),
kenkey
(Ghana),
koga
(Cameroon),
t
ô
(Mali),
injera
(Ethiopia), and
ugali
...