What is starch?!
What is starch?
Answers:
Starch (CAS# 9005-25-8) is a complex carbohydrate which is insoluble in water; it is used by plants as a way to store excess glucose.
Starch is by far the most important of the polysaccharides. It constitutes more than half the carbohydrates even in affluent diets, and much more in poorer diets. It is supplied by traditional staple foods such as cereals, roots and tubers.
Starch (in particular cornstarch) is used in cooking for thickening foods such as sauce. In industry, it is used in the manufacturing of adhesives, paper, textiles and as a mold in the manufacture of sweets such as wine gums and jelly beans. It is a white powder, and depending on the source, may be tasteless and odourless.
Starch contains a mixture of two molecules: amylose and amylopectin. Usually these are found in a ratio of 30:70 or 20:80, with amylopectin found in larger amounts than amylose.
Starch is often found in the fruit, seeds, rhizomes or tubers of plants. The four major resources for starch production and consumption in the USA are corn, potatoes, rice, and wheat. Pasta is an important dietary source of starch which is commonly prepared from wheat, rice or beans. Bread is another important source of starch and is commonly prepared from wheat.
As an additive for food processing, arrowroot and tapioca are commonly used as well. Commonly used starches around the world are: arracacha, buckwheat, banana, barley, cassava, kudzu, oca, sago, sorghum, sweet potato, taro and yams. Edible beans, such as favas, lentils and peas, are also rich in starch.
When a starch is pre-cooked, it can then be used to thicken cold foods. This is referred to as a pregelatinized starch. Otherwise starch requires heat to thicken, or "gelatinize." The actual temperature depends on the type of starch.
A modified food starch undergoes one or more chemical modifications that allow it to function properly under high heat and/or shear frequently encountered during food processing. Food starches are typically used as thickeners and stabilizers in foods such as puddings, custards, soups, sauces, gravies, pie fillings, and salad dressings, but have many other uses.
Resistant starch is starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine of healthy individuals.
Hope this helps!
stiffen with starch; "starch clothes"
It is a natural substance composed of chains of glucose units, made by plants it also provides a major energy source for animals.
amylose and amylopectin are the two main components of starch.
Starch is one of 3 carbohydrates - the other two are sugar and fiber.
On the nutrition label, the term "total carbohydrate" includes all three types of carbohydrates. This is the number you should pay attention to if you are carbohydrate counting.
Foods high in starch include:
starchy vegetables like peas, corn, lima beans, and potatoes
dried beans, lentils, and peas such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas, and split peas
Also grains like oats, barley, ricea and wheat. The majority of grain products in the US are made from wheat flour. These include pasta, bread, and crackers but the variety is expanding to include other grains as well