Why Corn Tortillas are better than Flour Tortillas for Tacos

Why Corn Tortillas are better than Flour Tortillas for Tacos

Goal

To convince my audience that corn tortillas are better than flour tortillas for tacos.

Introduction

A tortilla is a word that originally comes from the Spanish word “torta,” which means a round cake. The name was given by Spaniards, who found unleavened bread in Mexico in the sixteenth century among the Aztecs.  Tortillas are thin flatbreads that are either made from wheat or maize. Tortillas are mostly common in northern Mexico and primarily featured in Mexican cuisines in other parts of the world. Tortillas serve several purposes from holding a variety of fillings, toasted, and topped with tossed salads to being used as scoops foods. They can also be served hot and plain. They date back as early as the age of Mesoamericans before the European invasion.

Traditionally for the corn tortillas, the maize was first boiled with limewater to soothe grains and loosen the shells in a process called nixtamalization. The corn kernels formed from this process were then ground by stone to form the dough, which is later flattened and baked to create the corn tortillas.

However, most corn tortillas that are available in our modern stores were nixtamalized in an industrial process that used mills instead of the traditional stones. The process of nixtamalization helps make the nutrients of the corn tortillas more available for human consumption.

Conversely, flour tortillas are made from a dough of water and refined wheat flour and other ingredients like baking soda, lard, and salt to create the required gluten. This more modern process is useful since it creates a texture for the dough that is sturdier and softer.

1. Corn tortillas taste better and are more suited for most tacos, taquitos, and any other dish.
2. Corn tortillas make a healthier choice when compared with flour tortillas due to their nutritional profile.
3. Corn tortillas have a unique texture and are part of a specific culture that should be preserved.

Body

1. The main ingredient in flour tortillas, as the name suggests, is flour a fact that that makes them softer and also has less flavor than corn. While they are bigger and stronger, flour tortillas are typically used for dishes like burritos and quesadillas. Corn tortillas are preferred when it comes to tacos because they help supplement the other ingredients and make part of the overall flavor profile. For instance, ordering tacos in California, they are likely to be brought on corn tortillas, and so is the case in Mexico safe for the northern parts which prefer the flour tortillas.
2. Due to the difference in the composition of ingredients, both corn and flour tortillas have different nutritional values.

With the increase in lifestyle diseases and with the world health organization declaring obesity as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, there is a need to live a healthy lifestyle one of the mitigation measures being eating a healthy balanced diet. It is, therefore, paramount to observe the nutritional value of each tortilla. Corn tortillas are more nutritious in addition to their excellent taste.

1. Corn tortillas are a rich source of fiber. Corn is a whole grain; hence it’s a good source for fiber, which is important for digestion and heart health. The fiber in food helps in the slow digestion and uptake of food into the blood as glucose. Lack of fiber in diet leads to ingestion, which leads to diarrhea resulting in dehydration and loss of crucial nutrients. Tacos without a fiber source would cause diabetes due to the uncontrolled and fast uptake of glucose, which would create a spike in blood sugar. Fiber promotes good bowel movement lowering the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. People with type 2 diabetes should take tacos with corn tortillas if they must as the fiber helps to control blood sugar. Fiber also helps one to stay full for longer, reducing their intake for more calories. The body does not require insulin to digest fiber and handles it differently compared to refined carbohydrates like white flour. This means that fiber simply passes through the digestive system intact. Taking one corn tortilla provides one with the recommended amount for the fiber that is good for cells and general body health (“Corn vs. Flour Tortilla: What’s The Difference?”).
2. Corn tortillas are a rich source of magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that has a high profile for its efficiency in influencing heart health in its host, especially when taken in the right proportions. Corn has a high composition in magnesium even when grown in soils that are not of a high magnesium composition. Carolyn Dean, a medical advisory board member, explains how the intake of magnesium corresponds to heart health. She noted that the left ventricle of the heart has the highest magnesium level compared to the rest of the body organs.

• Interestingly, the left ventricle does the most work in the heart. Magnesium helps to manage the entry and exit of calcium into the heart muscle cells to aid in contraction, hence, when magnesium levels are low, the heart is unable to limit the flow of calcium, and when it floods the cells, it leads to hyper concentration which ultimately causes angina and heart attack (“The Nutrition In Corn Flour | Livestrong.Com”). Wheat flour tortillas also have a substantial amount of magnesium in them, but it pales in comparison to its rival corn tortillas, which provide a high level of magnesium to the body, which helps to maintain a healthy heart and conversely a healthy body.  Studies have shown that the majority of Americans do not get both fiber and magnesium in the recommended portions.

1. Corn tortillas have low fat, carbs, and calorie as compared to flour tortillas.

Corn tortillas made from whole grains have high fiber levels, low fat, and low calories saving half of each on flour tortillas, which has more of each and sodium. Corn tortillas are low on fat, sodium, and calories as compared to flour tortillas, making them a healthier choice for dieters and diabetics.  Whole grains also provide more antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that are less in flour tortillas that are made through refinement and lard or shortening. Vitamins and minerals in concert perform essential roles in the body like bone formation, healing or wounds and recovery of tissues, and boost the immune system. They also help in the conversion of food into energy in the body. Antioxidants are essential for protecting our bodies from free radicals, which may cause cardiovascular diseases and cancer.  In terms of minerals, whole grain corn tortillas provide iron that is important for the proper supply of oxygenated blood to tissues and muscles. Corn tortillas made from 100% corn provide 100% whole grain.

1. Corn tortillas are gluten-free and are safe for people with celiac disease. Gluten is a collective name for a number of proteins that occur in starch and found in wheat grains. It is responsible for celiac disease, which is the autoimmune reaction that damages the intestinal lining leading to damaging the digestive tract. Gluten intolerant people who should stay away from wheat can still enjoy the delicacy of tacos with the healthier corn tortillas (“Corn vs. Flour Tortillas: Which Is Healthier?”).
2. Corn tortillas unique texture.

This is particularly so when they go through the traditional process of making them that requires stone grinding and the twelve-hour process of nixtamalization. This unique texture is quite different from that obtained from an industrialized wheat flour tortilla. It makes it easy for the bakers to stuff different fillings of tacos in the tortilla and also get different shapes of tortillas. When they are served dry on their own, one can also make differently shaped crisps and chips from these corn tortillas.

1. Preservation of a much-needed culture.

Like everything else, foods are unique to specific cultures. Despite westernization and modernization, it’s important to preserve the culture and pass it down to the new generations. This way, everyone grows to understand and respect the distinct differences that make us who we are. Corn tortillas are considered a staple food in Mexico and have been part of their food culture dating back to the Mesoamerican era. It is essential that we respect this and additionally strive to preserve it as a cultural token. Not to say that evolution is not welcome, but to insist on the need to protect certain aspects of our roots from becoming extinct.

Conclusion.

1. In conclusion, I have been able to illustrate through the use of extensive and conclusive research that corn tortillas are better than flour tortillas, especially in terms of flavor; both white, blue, and yellow corns have a better taste than flour tortillas.
2. In the interest of healthy living, corn tortillas outdo and surpass flour tortillas by far in terms of nutritional value and health benefits.

It is, therefore, imperative and prudent for tacos lovers to adapt to the healthier corn tortillas. For dieters and diabetics, corn tortillas have just the right amounts of calories and low-fat levels.

1. For the sake of preserving culture, it would be of the utmost benefit to maintain the traditional method of preparing corn tortillas in honor of the rich Mexican culture being taken over by technology. Corn tortillas have a better texture that makes it easy to mold to different shapes.

Work Cited

“Corn Vs. Flour Tortilla: What’S The Difference?.” Healthline. N.p., 2020. Web. 15 May 2020.

“Corn Vs. Flour Tortillas: Which Is Healthier?.” Prevention. N.p., 2020. Web. 15 May 2020.

“The Nutrition In Corn Flour | Livestrong.Com.” LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., 2020. Web. 15 May 2020.