Cornstarch is a versatile product made from processing corn kernels. Want to know how versatile it is? Let’s play a trivia quiz and be surprised!
Which common ingredient do you use in your kitchen pantry to thicken soups, sauces, and stews? The answer is cornstarch. In restaurants, what gives fried chicken tenders a crisp coating? It’s cornstarch. What marinade would make meat succulently tender and velvety like those in Asian restaurants? You guessed it, cornstarch!
Now that we have answered some easy questions let’s move on to a few odd ones.
What remedy would the doctors recommend if you are diagnosed with low blood glucose levels? Yes, it’s cornstarch, and that, too, in raw form! Besides, some people eat cornstarch in large quantities as a compulsive eating disorder due to the mineral deficiency condition called pica.
On and on the list goes…
Whether you enjoy cornstarch or not, it regularly ends up in our home-cooked meals and takeout, and for some, in the form of medicines, too.
Here, we will look closely to see if cornstarch adversely affects your teeth and overall health, and we will help you make smart and healthy choices.
1. From Corn to Cornstarch
Corn was domesticated and has been a staple for thousands of years. But with the dawn of modernity, corn is being processed to make various edible products and additives and many other non-edible derivatives used in different industries.
Corn starch is a highly processed corn product obtained from wet milling of the corn endosperm. Apart from its culinary uses, cornstarch has found multiple uses in modern industries.
1.1. Taste and Texture of Cornstarch
You may never know what cornstarch is if you are not a cook. There is a plausible reason for that beyond your lack of interest in culinary art.
Cornstarch tastes nothing like corn. Unlike sweet, milky-tasting, and chewy corn, cornstarch is powdery, bright white, and so bland that it has almost no taste. So, you cannot taste cornstarch separately in food.
Other than its thickening properties, cornstarch is found in both savory and sweet dishes precisely because of its tasteless nature.
Raw corn starch is super smooth in texture and feels squeaky. Think of talc powder, powdered sugar, or all-purpose wheat flour.
1.2. Nutritional Value of Cornstarch
Apart from being nearly 100% carbohydrates and lacking protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, cornstarch has little to no nutritive value.
Portion Size: 1 US Cup of Cornstarch = 128 grams of Cornstarch
Calories = 488
Total Carbohydrate = 117 grams (43% of the daily requirement of 2000 calories)
However, people consume cornstarch in small amounts in a single serving. There are approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bowl of soup or a slice of pizza, which amounts to 10-20 grams of cornstarch and 35 to 70 calories.
Portion Size: 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch = 10 grams of Cornstarch
Calories = 35
Total Carbohydrates = 9 grams (3% of the daily requirement of 2000 calories)
Corn starch is naturally gluten-free.
2. What Does Eating Cornstarch Do to Your Teeth?
The effects of cornstarch on dental health are detrimental, especially when eaten regularly and in combination with other processed food additives.
2.1. Cornstarch Causes Dental Cavity
In people addicted to eating raw cornstarch and also in patients with glycogen storage disease who are prescribed a diet of raw cornstarch, regular consumption has been shown to cause dental plaque1.
Plaque deposition and poor oral hygiene can lead to periodontal diseases like gingivitis and tooth decay later in life. People who regularly ate cornstarch were found to have many bacteria in their mouths that are known to cause dental cavities and periodontal diseases2.
This is because cornstarch and other starchy foods create an acidic environment in the mouth. Such an environment is ideal for these bacteria to multiply and thrive.
2.2. Cooked Cornstarch Has Worse Effects
It is not only about the consumption of cornstarch but also how one consumes it. When we add cornstarch to soups, baked goods, and fries, the cooking and heating causes cornstarch to break down, a process called hydrolysis.
The cooking process creates compounds that are even more likely to cause dental cavities3 than raw cornstarch.
2.3. Cornstarch Promotes Bacterial Biofilms on Teeth
There is more bad news. Almost all processed foods in your supermarket aisles that contain cornstarch also have other added cornstarch derivatives, like corn syrup or its closely related compound, maltodextrin.
Multiple scientific studies4 have proven that certain food combinations can further increase the chances of tooth decay. When you consume food containing cornstarch-derived products, dental biofilm5 forms on the top layer of your teeth. These biofilms promote bacteria that cause dental cavities.
Cooked cornstarch and these cornstarch-based sugar derivatives cause more significant mineral loss of tooth enamel and can potentially lead to dental caries.
2.4. Cornstarch in Your Toothbrush?
You better believe cornstarch is ending up in more ways than ever in our products. Innovators are developing cornstarch toothbrushes to reduce non-biodegradable waste that is filling up landfills and contributing to environmental degradation.
These biodegradable alternatives could be a small step towards lessening environmental impact. However, the effects of cornstarch leeching in the mouth while brushing or with warm water remain to be studied.
3. Is Cornstarch Bad for Your Health?
Besides causing tooth caries and gum diseases, cornstarch might not suit your overall health.
3.1. Pure Carb is a Concern
Cornstarch has calories similar to other gluten-free cooking starches like arrowroot flour.
While your body can burn the calories in one serving (approx. 1 tablespoon) of cornstarch within an hour, too much and regular consumption can cause obesity and weight gain for people on calorie-restricted diets.
3.2. High Glycemic Index Increase Blood Sugar Levels
Moreover, cooking cornstarch, such as in soups and fries, increases its glycemic index (GI 97)6. This measures how quickly it breaks down and gets absorbed into the blood, which is very fast.
Since cornstarch is all starch, this fast breakdown of starch causes blood sugar levels to spike, which can lead to various health conditions, especially heart health and diabetes.
3.3. People Eat Uncooked Cornstarch Too!
On the contrary, uncooked cornstarch has a low glycemic index. By now, you might not be surprised who might want to eat raw cornstarch.
People with a common condition called pica7 can consume large amounts of raw cornstarch. Because of its low GI, raw cornstarch is the most common treatment for glycogen storage disease and diabetes.
Uncooked cornstarch increases bacterial biofilm formation on teeth, which can cause dental cavities.
3.4. Highly Processed Product
Although cornstarch is a vegan, gluten-free, and plant-derived product, the word to look for is ‘processed.’ which means it is exposed to chemicals and acids.
Tune in to the conversation with Dr. Vidhi Chawla on Icy Tales to learn how to strike a healthy balance of nutrition and taste with a well-rounded diet, especially when you have eating disorders.
3.5. Zero Essential Nutrients
Cornstarch, being nearly 100% carbohydrate, is nutrient-poor. It lacks protein, fiber, or essential nutrients. Besides texture and high carb content, cornstarch minimizes the nutritional value of foods.
FAQs
Can I use cornstarch to whiten my teeth?
No. Cornstarch does not whiten teeth and is not a replacement for toothpaste. Over time, it can even erode the top protective enamel layer of teeth.
What are some healthier cornstarch substitutes?
Yes, there are plenty. But the alternatives vary depending on how you want to use the versatile cornstarch. If you want to adopt a natural alternative to commercial toothpaste, consider oil pulling and using naturally sourced products.
For healthy alternatives for frying and baking and as a thickening agent, substitute cornstarch with all-purpose wheat flour or tapioca starch. If you want another gluten-free alternative to cornstarch, rice flour or arrowroot powder are healthier substitutes. For a low-carb, keto-friendly cornstarch substitute, try flaxseed flour.
Is modified cornstarch healthier for my teeth than regular cornstarch?
Modified cornstarch is nutritionally poor and even more processed than regular cornstarch. Regular cornstarch is further treated with enzymes and undergoes physical processes to produce modified cornstarch.
It is regularly used in processed foods for textures in deep-fried foods, frozen soups, and pizzas, primarily upon reheating and cooking under high temperatures.
Is cornstarch the same as cornflour?
No. Cornstarch is the starch extracted from corn endosperm, which is pure carbohydrate. Conversely, cornflour is a whole ground corn kernel with protein and fiber. However, note that in the UK, they say ‘cornflour’ to mean cornstarch.
How have corn-derived products changed our relationship with food and nutrition?
Corn and its use in modern civilization have various facets. Commercialization, health, and the environment are the main drivers of how corn and its derivatives have integrated into our lives. Learn more about the ongoing discussion around corn in the documentary King Corn and the book The Starch Solution.
Conclusion
Cornstarch is another versatile corn-derived product that has found its uses in our pantries, homes, and industries. It is a great way to enhance the texture of fresh and processed foods, and cornstarch and its derivatives have been liberally used in various food preparations for decades.
However, as a highly processed refined product stripped of all the nutritional goodness of natural corn, eating cornstarch regularly can cause severe damage to teeth and overall health.
Other than enjoying cornstarch sparsely, we can replace it with healthier choices and even reverse its eroding effects on teeth by incorporating a balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and maintaining good oral hygiene.
Sources
- Kidd, S. A., et al. “Dental disease indices and caries‐related microflora in children with glycogen storage disease.” International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 12.1 (2002): 8-13. ↩︎
- Garcia, Chealsea E., et al. “Microbial Profile of supragingival and subgingival plaque of patients with glycogen storage disease.” Journal of Inborn Errors of Metabolism and Screening 4 (2016): 2326409816682765. ↩︎
- Grenby, Trevor H. “Summary of the dental effects of starch.” International Journal of food sciences and nutrition 48.6 (1997): 411-416. ↩︎
- Rezende, Gabriela, et al. “Cariogenic potential of sucrose associated with maltodextrin on dental enamel.” Caries Research 51.2 (2017): 129-135. ↩︎
- Duarte, Simone, et al. “Influences of starch and sucrose on Streptococcus mutans biofilms.” Oral microbiology and immunology 23.3 (2008): 206-212. ↩︎
- Olausson, Eva A., and Anders Kilander. “Glycaemic index of modified cornstarch in solutions with different viscosity. A study in subjects with diabetes mellitus type 2.” Clinical Nutrition 27.2 (2008): 254-257. ↩︎
- Mills, Margaret E. “Craving more than food: the implications of pica in pregnancy.” Nursing for women’s health 11.3 (2007): 266-273. ↩︎
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