Masa

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/masa

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name of maize?Zea mays
2. What is the key nutritional enhancement?Increased bioavailability of niacin (Vitamin B3) and improved protein quality
3. What is masa and how is it made?Masa is a dough made from corn that is cooked in a lime solution called nixtamalization. This process makes the corn safer and more nutritious.
4. Why do people use masa to make tortillas and tamales?Masa is soft and stretchy, so it can be shaped into flat breads or wrapped in husks and cooked. It gives the foods a good flavor and texture.

Nixtamalization: A traditional Mesoamerican process of cooking maize in an alkaline solution, enhancing nutritional value and texture.
Masa Harina: A shelf-stable, dehydrated, and powdered form of nixtamalized maize dough, used for preparing various dishes.
Pellagra: A deficiency disease caused by a lack of niacin (Vitamin B3), historically prevented by nixtamalization.
Mesoamerica: A historical and cultural region encompassing parts of modern-day Mexico and Central America, where nixtamalized maize originated.