Cornstarch, also known as corn flour or maize starch, is a by-product of vegetable oil extraction. While you may be familiar with how to make Cornstarch or Cornstarch as one of the main ingredients in your favorite cornbread recipe, you likely don’t know it has a laundry list of uses.
Table of Contents
What is Cornstarch?
Cornstarch is a thickener that’s used to thicken sauces, gravies, and soups. It’s also known as arrowroot, corn flour, or maize starch. Cornstarch is derived from corn and can be found in many different types of products. The most common brands are Arrowhead Mills, Gold Medal Flour, King Arthur Flour, and others.
Cornstarch has a high water content, which makes it absorbent and effective at thickening liquid recipes. It’s also considered gluten-free because it doesn’t contain any wheat flour or wheat proteins. The main difference between corn starch and wheat flour is that the former contains no gluten proteins and is therefore safe for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance who need to avoid them in their diet. Cornstarch can be used interchangeably with wheat flour in almost any recipe that calls for either type of ingredient.
What is Cornstarch made of?
Cornstarch is a white powder made from the endosperm (or grain) of the corn plant. It’s used in a variety of foods and cooking applications, including cookies, cakes, and other desserts.
What Is Cornstarch Used For?
Cornstarch is used for a variety of reasons. It can be used in place of flour in many recipes, like muffins and pancakes, when you want to decrease the amount of flour that’s needed.
benefits of Cornstarch on skin
Cornstarch has a lot of benefits for your skin.
It is a great ingredient for moisturizing dry skin. It can also be used to treat psoriasis and eczema. Cornstarch is a good source of dietary fiber, which helps keep you feeling full and satisfied. Cornstarch can help soothe irritated skin, reduce inflammation, and improve the appearance of acne or scars caused by acne. It can also help reduce the appearance of stretch marks when applied before or after exercise.
Ways To Use Cornstarch
1. As a substitute for flour in baking
You can use Cornstarch to replace flour in a number of your favorite recipes.
Cornstarch is a great substitute for flour because it has the same amount of leavening power as normal flour, so it will make your baked dish rise just as high and light up as brightly. It also doesn’t have any gluten, which means it won’t make your baked dish tough and chewy as wheat-based flour does.
It’s also great for binding things together, like pie crusts, muffin cups, and pancakes. Cornstarch is much more absorbent than wheat flour, so you’ll find that it holds onto liquids better than other types of flour.
2. To thicken sauces and gravies.
Cornstarch is a great way to thicken sauces and gravies. It can be used in the same way as flour, but it’s a bit finer and has a tendency to clump up when you add it to your sauce.
To avoid this problem, make sure you’re using the right kind of Cornstarch. Corn starch has been treated with an anti-caking agent to prevent it from clumping up when mixed with other ingredients. The anti-caking agent makes it easier for Cornstarch to absorb moisture from other ingredients. This means that you don’t have to add as much water or liquid as you would if you were using flour alone.
3. To help make certain foods taste better.
Cornstarch is a great way to make certain foods like cookies and bread fluffier and taste better.
It’s a great way to help make your ice cream creamy and smooth, so long as you don’t overdo it. Cornstarch is also a great way to add some extra flavor to your meals without adding too many calories. For example, if you want some extra crunch in your pancakes, try sprinkling some cornstarch on top before serving them up!
4. As a thickener for soups and stews
Cornstarch is a thickener that you can use to thicken soups and stews. It’s not the only thickener you can use, but it’s the one that most people know about.
The thing about Cornstarch is that it has a tendency to cloud up when you cook with it. That means that if your soup or stew is too thin and watery, adding Cornstarch will make it too cloudy to enjoy. If your soup or stew is too thick, adding Cornstarch will help thin it out so that you can enjoy its taste without having it swim in a pool of gravy.
5. To help prevent clumping when you add sugar to tea or coffee.
You can use Cornstarch if you want to prevent clumping when you add sugar to tea or coffee. The reason is that Cornstarch is a binding agent, which means that it helps keep things together. This is why you see it in things like jello and pudding.
It’s important to note that Cornstarch doesn’t dissolve in water. Instead, it absorbs moisture from liquids and becomes gel-like when combined with water. This means Cornstarch works best when there are a lot of liquid presents—like when you’re making homemade syrup or topping off your favorite cup of coffee with whipped cream!
6. As an ingredient in some DIY facial masks.
Cornstarch is a great ingredient to use in facial masks. It has the ability to draw moisture from the environment and help your skin absorb it. It also helps with the absorption of other ingredients, like fragrances and essential oils.
Cornstarch can be used in place of flour or other dry ingredients in facial masks, such as mud packs. It’s not too fine or too coarse, so it works well with most types of other ingredients and doesn’t leave you with clumps of Cornstarch on your face.
what can be substituted for cornstarch?
If you’re trying to cut back on your cornstarch use, here are some substitutes!
- Flour: Just like corn flour, but without the added gluten (which means it won’t make your dish sticky). You can use this as a replacement for Cornstarch in any recipe that calls for it.
- Arrowroot powder: This is made from boiled arrowroot root and can be used as a substitute for both Cornstarch and flour in dishes like cake or cookies. It has a mild flavor, so it won’t taste as sweet as regular sugar or flour would.
- Potato starch: Similar to arrowroot powder, potato starch has a mild flavor and won’t add an unpleasant taste or texture to your dish unless you’re using too much of it! Use about one teaspoon per 2 cups of liquid for best results.
FAQ
Is it better to use Cornstarch or flour?
Cornstarch is made from corn. Flour is made from wheat. Cornstarch has a higher protein content than flour, which means it can be used to thicken sauces and puddings as well as stiffen them.
Cornstarch is also cheaper than flour, so it’s a good choice for when you’re working on a tight budget.
Is Cornstarch good for your body?
Cornstarch is a great way to get some extra fiber in your diet. It’s also a great way to add volume to your foods and make recipes more nutritious.
What is Cornstarch used for in baking?
Cornstarch is a thickener and binder. It helps lighten the texture of baked goods and makes them more tender, fluffy, and moist. Cornstarch also helps reduce the overall amount of fat in baked goods.
Cornstarch uses for hair
Cornstarch is a good option for people who are looking for something to add volume to their hair. A little cornstarch can be added to your regular shampoo and conditioner, or you can use it on its own.
Cornstarch can help add body to your hair by making it feel thicker and fuller. It is also an excellent option if you have thinning hair because it works as a volumizer and helps to add hair back on top of the scalp where it may have been lost due to thinning or balding. You can use Cornstarch as a styling aid by brushing it through your hair after washing it so that you can style it into place without having to use products that weigh down the locks or weigh them down with unnecessary chemicals.
Conclusion
Although Cornstarch has a variety of uses, it’s most commonly used as a cooking or baking ingredient or for its thickening properties in products like beauty and cleaning products. In order for Cornstarch to be effective in these applications, it must be mixed with water to create a slurry or paste before adding it to your favorite dishes, meals, or cleansers.
