Corn sticks: calorie content, nutritional value, benefit and harm

Nutritional information | Vitamins | Minerals

How much does Corn sticks cost (average price per 1 kg)?

What do you think almost all children of the Soviet Union loved most? Of course, corn sticks, and always covered in powdered sugar. Although, on the other hand, there was nothing cheaper and more accessible in those days. It is gratifying that even today this airy delicacy has not lost its popularity.

A food product called corn sticks, which is a foam based on corn grits prepared in a special way, which is fully formed and subsequently dried. The calorie content of corn sticks is 518 kcal per 100 grams of puffed product.

The main advantage of this sweet, in addition to its excellent taste, is the fact that it is easy, quick and simple to prepare a huge number of a wide variety of dishes from sticks. To do this, you need to purchase corn sticks and some other quite affordable and inexpensive products. Anthill cake, Raffaello cake, corn sticks in melted toffee, sweet sausage, golden balls with coconut flakes, waffles, hedgehogs... And these are just a few examples of desserts and sweet dishes based on corn sticks.

Health benefits of corn sticks

Corn sticks, their benefits and harms, have long been studied by nutrition experts. They came to the conclusion that the product is still valuable for the human body, even though the presence of vitamins and minerals in it is too low.

Experts highlight the following beneficial properties of corn sticks:

1. Saturation of the body with the daily norm of vitamin B2.
2. Improved mood and increased vigor.
3. Eliminate signs of hunger.

Corn sticks are an ideal quick snack if you don’t have time to have a full lunch.

Is it possible to eat corn sticks on a diet?

Corn sticks can still be beneficial for your health. But if you’re on a diet, you definitely shouldn’t include them in your diet. This is because they are high in calories, which means that it is unlikely that you will be able to lose weight with such a diet.

Still, it is recommended to overcome your desire to eat a portion of corn sticks while on a diet. It is best to replace them with a lower calorie product.

At what age can children eat and can nursing mothers eat?

Many mothers begin to give sticks to their babies before they are one year old, arguing that the delicacy is soft, contains many nutrients, and is easy to absorb. Is it possible to give sticks so early? To answer this question, you need to carefully read the composition. If the product does not contain artificial colors and flavors, and is sweetened only with powdered sugar, then 1-2 sticks will not do any harm.

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However, feeding babies under 1 year of age with such products should be done with caution. Breasts react differently to food - too sweet food can cause allergies, rashes on the skin and mucous membranes. You should not feed more than 2-3 sticks at a time.

After 3 years, you can safely buy a package of corn sticks for your children. At this age, the body is able to process the amount of glucose, carbohydrates and fats that comes with the product, and benefit from it. However, you should not abuse it and buy more than 1 pack.

Eating corn sticks during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not prohibited. However, the expectant mother should remember that the treat contains a lot of glucose, so you shouldn’t get carried away with it. The same goes for breastfeeding. The components that enter the body of a nursing mother with food are then passed on to the baby with milk, so you can occasionally treat yourself to sweets, but not every day.

Harm of corn sticks

Corn sticks, the benefits of which depend on the manufacturer, can cause significant harm to the body. If you purchase airy sweets from unknown manufacturers, there is a high probability of dangerous fillers entering your body. High quality corn products are considered harmless. The only serious danger to a healthy person is possible weight gain.

Those with diabetes should limit their consumption of treats. Popsicles are known for their high glycemic index. They are not recommended for high blood sugar levels.

In case of gastrointestinal disorders, consumption of corn delicacy can cause active gas formation, accumulation of gases in the stomach and intestines. If you have an individual intolerance to corn raw materials, it is also undesirable to use air sticks. Sometimes natural and chemical fillers cause negative reactions in the body, so it is important to carefully check the composition of the product.

If the sticks are consumed regularly, over time it can lead to tooth decay. The reason for the development of the disease is not only in sweet additives. The corn mass layers and is difficult to remove from the gums and teeth. Even using a toothbrush, floss and other cleaning devices does not always help get rid of treat residue.

For ulcers and gastritis, consumption of corn sweets is undesirable. This is a prohibited product during therapeutic diets. But in the remission phase, a small amount of sticks will not harm. In this case, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the doctor’s recommendations.

If you are concerned about skin imperfections, especially those caused by digestive disorders, it is not advisable to consume corn products. The sticks contain a lot of corn starch, sugar, and fat, which can cause rashes, dullness and other skin imperfections.

Those who suffer from chronic dermatological diseases should be especially careful. Sometimes the body’s negative reaction does not appear immediately, but only over time. What negative consequences include: spasms, pain, nausea.

Can you give corn sticks to animals...

Sometimes pet owners wonder if they can give their pets corn puffs? The answer is, of course, no. Corn husks tend to stick to teeth. While a person can remove the sticky mass with a toothpick or toothbrush, a cat or dog will not be able to remove it. So if your cat always eats a sugary toothpick, she may have dental problems.

The same applies to your pet's internal organs. Corn sticks will stick to your intestines and stomach all the time, which slows down digestion. This can lead to various diseases.

What are the benefits of corn sticks?

The benefits of corn sticks are small, but they still exist. The nutritional value of the product is as follows:

1. 100 grams of corn sticks contain half the daily requirement of vitamin B2, which is necessary for normalizing the functioning of the nervous system, thyroid gland, vision, good skin and hair condition.
2. The high calorie content of the product allows you to quickly suppress the feeling of hunger in an emergency.
3. A large amount of carbohydrates not only gives you a feeling of fullness, but also improves your mood. If you eat a small amount of sticks for breakfast, you can energize yourself for the whole day.

There are no recommendations for daily dosage of the product. The permissible dosage of treats depends on the person’s health status, age and individual characteristics of the body.

How are corn sticks made?

The product is based on corn flour. During manufacturing, corn sticks undergo additional processing at high temperatures, so they are deprived of most of their valuable nutritional properties. When produced on an industrial scale, corn sticks are made with the addition of powdered sugar, various preservatives and food coloring. In order to make the product a little healthier, various vitamin complexes are added to it.

Manufacturing technology goes through several important stages, each of which plays a significant role. The main component of the product is whole corn grains, which are dried and ground into flour during processing. The resulting flour is carefully sifted so that large parts of the raw material do not get into the finished product. The next step is to mix corn flour with sweeteners, flavorings and flavorings. At this stage of production, excess moisture appears in the flour, which must be removed. After processing on special equipment, not only does excess moisture evaporate, but also a plastic mass is obtained from mixed components.

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The formed corn sticks are placed in an extruder, where at a certain temperature the mixture passes through the equipment, foams and increases in volume. At the final stage, special knives cut the finished sticks, giving them the desired shape and size. After the product is ready, it goes through the final stage - vegetable oil, flavorings are added to it, and rolled in powdered sugar.

How are corn sticks made at the factory?

The process of making corn sticks at the plant takes no more than ten minutes, so the company’s workers can make more than three tons of this product per shift. The production of natural sticks is as follows:

1. Corn grits are placed in an extruder (special equipment for kneading dough into sticks). There, under the influence of a temperature of one hundred and fifty degrees and strong pressure, it turns into a homogeneous dough.
2. Then the corn mass passes through a special matrix with holes of different shapes, which gives the sticks the desired appearance.
3. After the extrusion stage, the sticks are still wet and should therefore be further glazed and tumble dried.
4. As soon as the sticks fall into a special drum, they will begin to dry and various flavoring additives will be sprayed on top of them, as well as warm sunflower oil.
5. Next, the oil-soaked sticks are sent to another compartment of the drum, where they are completely immersed in powdered sugar. Due to the fact that there is warm oil on the sticks, the powder will begin to melt and turn into a sweet glaze.

The corn sticks are ready and ready to pack.

At what age can you give corn sticks to children?

Children have a special love for corn sticks, as for any delicacy. But are there any age restrictions here?

Doctors and nutritionists do not recommend adding corn sticks to a child’s diet until he is 1.5 to 2 years old. Since the composition contains only flour, there will be no benefit from them, but an upset stomach may occur in the baby.

Older children and teenagers are allowed corn sticks, but little by little, so as not to spoil a healthy appetite.

Technology for preparing corn sticks

This technology is not considered complex, but for its successful implementation certain conditions must be met.

The product manufacturing process consists of phases:

1. Preparatory . The raw material in the form of corn grits is dried and sifted. During this process, grains that are smaller than 0.67 mm and larger than 1.2 mm are eliminated. The fractions must be almost the same size in order to be evenly saturated and foamed. If fine flour gets into the prepared mass, during processing it sticks together into dense lumps and burns.
2. Air conditioning . The sifted dry mass is sent to a special conditioner, in which the cereal is kept for 3 hours, constantly stirring. The moisture level of the raw materials does not exceed 25% - this is carefully controlled.
3. Extrusion . The aged, moist, salted mass enters a long extruder. Passing through it, the cereal warms up to high temperatures (from 200 degrees). Gradually, the effect of water vapor increases, which is why the corn mass becomes plastic and homogeneous. Hot raw materials are pushed through the opening of the apparatus, exposed to hot air. Heated water vapor passed through the raw material explodes the particles of the mass and expands it. This is how the structure of the corn stick is formed. The volume of the finished mass is significantly greater than the volume of the original cereal. A mechanical knife cuts off the ejected “dough”. The sticks are sent by air flow to the receiver, where they are dried. The humidity of the final product is up to 6%.
4. At this stage the products are ready for consumption., but before sale they are impregnated with flavoring and vitamin additives. These fillers easily penetrate into the porous product. Usually, puffed sticks are filled with glaze, which increases the nutritional value of the product and improves its taste. The delicacy is also soaked in food essences, vitamins, and chocolate. Glazing takes place in a pan: the apparatus is filled with sticks and vegetable oil. These products are mixed for about 5 minutes. Next, additives are introduced. Fat-soluble flavor enhancers are distributed efficiently across all sticks.

5. Packing . The technology is carried out using standard filling machines.

Corn sticks, the benefits of which also depend on the equipment of the enterprise, can be created using non-standard new technologies. The described algorithm is considered general.

During production, the quality of the sticks is assessed according to a number of parameters:

• the size of the foam bubbles (if the bubbles are too small, the density of the sticks exceeds the norm; if the foam consists of very large bubbles, the products may turn out to be of irregular shape);
• humidity of the sticks at the exit : a product that is too wet will not have an appetizing crunch, will quickly settle and turn into a wet lump. An overdried product can easily lose its shape and crumble;
• quality of distribution of flavoring additives : fortifiers easily fall off to the bottom of the package; conscientious manufacturers try to minimize this defect;
• thickness of the top layer of products : bubbles on the surface are smaller than inside the foam product; this is necessary so that the sticks remain intact and maintain the correct shape; the enveloping layer should be very thin so as not to feel like a crust.

If the product turns out crispy, whole, pale yellow, it was made from natural raw materials, observing the listed conditions.

What can you cook with corn sticks?

The sweet treat is used as a separate product and is used to prepare various desserts: cakes, cookies or biscuits. Many culinary masterpieces of corn sticks do not require heat treatment . If you have a simple set of ingredients at home, you can make a cake from corn sticks. To prepare you will need:

• corn sticks - 1-2 sticks (depending on the size of the dough you want to prepare);
• condensed milk - 1 can (you can take boiled condensed milk);
• butter - 1 package;
• chocolate - 1 bar;
• bee honey - 1 tsp;
• cocoa powder - 2-3 tablespoons;
• berries are fresh or frozen (cannot be used for cooking).

Two-thirds of a package of butter, half a jar of condensed milk and honey should be mixed and beat well with a mixer. This will be a cream cake. Add cocoa to the thick mixture and beat well again using a blender. Pour the corn sticks into a deep bowl, you can chop them first. Place the prepared cream in the same place and stir, trying to cover each stick with it. Apply cling film to the prepared container and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place the mixed mixture into the mold and push it inside. Then put the dough in the refrigerator for 40-50 minutes. Before serving, place berries on top for decoration.

How to make corn sticks at home

Many people wonder if you can make delicious balloon sticks with your own hands, or will it involve shopping? The technology for making sticks is quite complex and time consuming . Their production requires special equipment, so it is almost impossible to prepare the product at home. If you have an extruder that softens and shapes the finished product at the required pressure and temperature, then you can safely start producing your own. To prepare raw materials for further processing, another device is needed - a screw conditioner.

Steps to make corn sticks at home: Pour corn flour into the snail's growing medium and add water and a little salt. The ingredients are mixed for 5 minutes, then the process of breaking down the mixture begins, which lasts about three hours.

The resulting mass is then placed in an extruder, where it is heated to 200 degrees and foamed. The product is then placed in a dryer and cut into several equal pieces. It is necessary to bring the humidity level to 5 percent in order for the resulting product to become crispy. At the final stage, the product is glazed with vegetable oil, spices and powdered sugar.

There is another recipe that will make food look like corn sticks. The finished products will be very different from store-bought products, but everyone will love the taste. To prepare you will need :

butter - 50 grams. Corn flour - 100 grams. Milk - 70 ml. Egg - 2 pcs.

Mix milk and butter in a bowl and place over low heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, stir the flour slowly until there are no lumps. After thickening, remove the mixture from heat, add the eggs and mix well. Fill the dough bag with the resulting batter and press the long sausages onto the prepared tray. Then place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake until done. Pour powdered sugar over the baked sticks.

Composition of corn sticks

The main benefit of corn sticks is that they do not contain harmful components of artificial origin (but not always). The sweet product is made from the following set of ingredients:

• Corn grits.
• Powdered sugar.
• Oil.
• Salt.

It is worth mentioning the beneficial substances that are in the delicacy:

1. Copper.
2. Vitamin B.
3. Sodium.
4. Manganese.

Unfortunately, the percentage of these substances in the product is very small, so they have minimal effect on the human body.

Calorie content of corn sticks

People who watch their diet may be interested in the calorie content of corn sticks. 100 g of product contains 513 calories.

The high calorie content of the delicacy is explained by the large amount of sugar it contains.

Calorie content and composition

A typical treat consists of just four ingredients: crushed corn grits, butter, salt and powdered sugar. At the same time, the sticks have a high calorie content - 325 calories per 100 g of product.

But their nutritional benefits are small. Carbohydrates occupy the main share - 75 g, proteins are in second place - 8.3 g, and the least fat in the product is 1.2 g.

Corn grits themselves are a valuable product, but the sticks made from them have a poor vitamin and mineral composition. During heat treatment, most of the useful elements are destroyed. Only a few of them are worth taking into account, namely:

• vitamin B2;
• sodium;
• magnesium;
• manganese;
• copper.

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The total proportion of other elements, even if they are stated in the composition, is too small.

Important! In stores you can find not only the classic delicacy, but also sticks with additives such as cocoa, cheese, and bacon. Therefore, calorie content and exact composition may vary.

What are corn sticks

Corn sticks are made from corn flour . For its production, only glassy hard varieties of corn are used. The grain is ground into cereal or flour. Then the dough is kneaded, adding vegetable oil (often sunflower oil, it is cheaper) and salt.

Additionally, each manufacturer adds its own components to the dough. These can be stabilizers, preservatives, dyes, flavoring additives, flavor enhancers, and flavoring agents. From this mass, formed into a thick crispy foam, after special processing, a favorite delicacy is obtained, which is most often glazed with powdered sugar.

What are corn sticks made from?

To decide on the benefits and harms of corn sticks, you need to understand the technology of their preparation.

Important! Most people are convinced that corn sticks are made from cereal grains. In reality, corn flour is used during their production.

During heat treatment, corn flour loses most of its beneficial properties, which is almost impossible to avoid.

The process of making healthy corn sticks consists of performing a number of successive steps:

1. Flour is obtained from cereal grains, which is carefully sifted.
2. Flour is mixed with food additives.
3. Next, the raw material needs to be dried and made into a homogeneous mass.
4. Afterwards, the finished mixture is foamed and thermally treated. Upon completion, it is supplemented with various sweeteners.

The result of this work is the usual corn sticks, which have a pleasant taste and an appetizing crunch.

Features of use

There are no strict recommendations for the use of corn sticks. Children over 3 years old can enjoy one pack of sticks per day. An adult can eat several packs of air sticks without harm to health. Products drenched in milk - a nutritious breakfast.

For one serving, take about 0.1 kg of treats and the same amount of milk. The portion will be voluminous, because the sticks are large and light. It’s still not worth eating chopsticks for breakfast every day. Ordinary sticks, not enriched with vitamins, are high-calorie foods and bring almost no benefit.

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Enter the amount of Corn Sticks to calculate its nutritional value

Harm and contraindications

The negative consequences of eating corn sticks are wide-ranging. A sweet treat can do more harm to the body than good. Due to the presence of powdered sugar, the calorie content of the product is high, but it has very few beneficial properties. In addition, some manufacturers, in order to save money, use not powder, but a cheaper and harmful sweetener.

Corn sticks can bring negative consequences in the form of caries development. During the chewing process, the corn mass sticks to the teeth in places where it is difficult to get rid of it with a toothbrush. This is especially harmful for children, because they are not inclined to carefully monitor the cleanliness of their mouth. In addition, the product does not have properties that will help remove toxins from the body, and even slows down the process of their elimination.

Contraindications:

1. It is not recommended to consume this treat for people suffering from diabetes. The product contains a large amount of sugar and preservatives. Some additives may cause allergic reactions.
2. Corn sticks are contraindicated for people suffering from diseases of the digestive system, especially in the phase of acute aggravation of the disease. During this period, patients are put on a strict diet. Sometimes, during remission, a small number of sticks can be allowed, but only after the approval of the attending physician.
3. People who suffer from skin diseases should refrain from such treats. Corn sticks can cause an exacerbation of the disease and aggravate skin rashes. This is especially true for chronic inflammatory processes.
4. People who have problems with excess weight are also not recommended to eat corn sticks. This can worsen the condition even more and certainly will not help in reducing the number of kilograms.

It is also not recommended to use the product for children under three years of age, pregnant and lactating women.

Contraindications and harm

Despite the fact that corn sticks have benefits, they also have harmful properties. Namely:

• provoke rapid weight gain;
• digest slowly and cause intestinal problems;
• significantly increase blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes.

In some cases, the product is contraindicated. It should not be used:

• if you are allergic to corn flour;
• after surgery to remove the gallbladder;
• for diabetes and obesity;
• for gastritis, pancreatitis and gastric ulcers in acute stages.

Attention! With a mild course of chronic gastrointestinal diseases, you can treat yourself to a treat, but in minimal quantities and with the permission of the attending physician.

Nutritional value and calorie content

The sticks have high energy value. There are about 513 calories per 100 grams of product. The calorie content of corn sticks is due to the high sugar content. In addition, the cereal contains about 329 calla per 100 grams .

Nutritional value of the product:

• proteins - 6 grams;
• fats - 26 grams;
• carbohydrates - 58 grams.

They contain saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Vitamins in Corn Sticks

Corn sticks contain the following vitamins: SFA - Saturated fatty acids, Ash, Dietary fiber, Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Fluorine, Selenium, Zinc, Iron.

Calorie content and chemical composition of other products

The nutritional value

Vitamins

• Choline 12.1 mg
• PP Vitamin PP (NE) 1.13 mg
• PP Vitamin PP 0.36 mg
• B9 Vitamin B9 13 mcg
• B6 Vitamin B6 0.12 mg
• B5 Vitamin B5 0.56 mg
• B2 Vitamin B2 0.64 mg
• B1 Vitamin B1 0.02 mg
• K Vitamin K 6.3 mcg
• E (TE) Vitamin E (TE) 1.36 mg

Macronutrients

• Zn Zinc 1.58 mg
• F Fluoride 51.9 mcg
• Se Selenium 6.7 mcg
• Cu Copper 0.22 mg
• Mn Manganese 0.43 mg
• Fe Iron 1.32 mg

Homemade corn sticks recipe

Sweet corn sticks can be made at home. You will need the following ingredients:

• corn flour - half a glass;
• powdered sugar;
• milk - 4.5 tablespoons;
• 2 raw eggs;
• butter - 50 g.

Bring milk and butter to a boil in a saucepan, add flour and stir. When the mass becomes homogeneous, remove the saucepan from the heat, allow the mixture to cool slightly, and then add eggs to it and mix thoroughly again.

The resulting dough is packaged in a pastry bag and squeezed onto a heated baking sheet, forming blanks. After this, the baking sheet is placed in a well-heated oven and the dough is baked until completely cooked. The sticks are sprinkled with powdered sugar last.

How and from what is a sweet delicacy made?

What the sweet is made from is clear from the name. Of course, the basis of the product is corn. The process that turns grain into an air stick is quite labor-intensive.

The production technology consists of several stages:

1. Selected corn kernels are peeled and ground into flour. Corn flour is thoroughly sifted, removing solid grains. What remains is a clean, homogeneous mass.
2. The resulting flour is mixed with salt or powdered sugar. The additive depends on what the taste should be - sweet or salty.
3. The next stage is extrusion. The flour is poured into an extruder, which heats up to a certain temperature and then sharply reduces the pressure. Thanks to this effect, the homogeneous corn mass foams and acquires a characteristic porous structure. At the exit from the extruder, the mass is cut into pieces of 3 cm.
4. The final stage. The finished sticks are treated with vegetable oil or powder and sprinkled with flavoring - strawberry, vanilla, cheese, bacon, etc.

Micro- and macroelements in corn sticks

Corn sticks contain the following elements: SFA - Saturated fatty acids, Ash, Dietary fiber, Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Fluorine, Selenium, Zinc, Iron.

conclusions

To summarize, we can conclude that corn sticks do much more harm to the human body than good . Children, nursing and pregnant women, elderly people, people with diabetes, and people prone to gaining excess weight should refrain from using them.

A person who adheres to a proper, healthy diet will never include this crunchy pleasure in his diet.

If you don’t have the strength to give up this unhealthy treat completely, then at least you need to choose sticks with a minimum amount of additives. The ideal composition is corn flour, salt and powdered sugar.

Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Women have to give up many delicious foods during pregnancy and later while breastfeeding. Corn sticks are banned for the following reasons:

• Simple carbohydrates, which the product is rich in, cause bloating, belching and constipation.
• Sticks are high in calories and contribute to weight gain. During pregnancy, extra pounds may not be noticeable, but after childbirth their presence will become obvious.
• Corn flour can cause allergies. Even if the delicacy is perfectly absorbed by the mother’s body, its intolerance cannot be ruled out in the fetus, and then in the newborn baby.

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Ideally, you should remove the product from your diet at the very beginning of pregnancy - right up to the end of the feeding period.