What is cornmeal?

Cornmeal is a whole or degerminated corn grain coarsely ground. Once the corn was ground, it can be used in corn bread, cooked cereal, cookies, tamales, tortillas, griddlecakes, and waffles.

Grits is the generic term applied to a gruel made from coarsely ground corn. In the United States the word usually means ground hominy, corn that has been treated by soaking in a solution of lye in order to soften in and make the amino acids more readily absorbed by the body.

Cornmeal muffin

Traditionally, dried whole kernels were ground to prepare cornmeal. This cold-processed cornmeal contains more oil and beta-carotene than in the ‘new process’.

In this latter procedure, both the hull and germ of the kernel are removed before milling. New-process cornmeal keeps better because it contain less fat.

Cornmeal made into porridge or polenta, is a better choice; although most brands of cornmeal have been degermed to prevent them from deteriorating, some types of cornmeal retain the fiber-rich bran.
What is cornmeal?