Nutraceutic aspects of pigmented maize: Digestibility of carbohydrates and anthocyanins

Pigmented maize is traditionally used as food in various countries, particularly in Latin America. In Mexico its use is in nixtamalized products such as tortillas, snacks, toasted tortillas and tamales, among others. The main component of the maize grain is starch, which provides functional and nutritional properties to the products that are elaborated with this cereal. The anthocyanins give the characteristic color to these types of maize and have beneficial properties for human health. Anthocyanins are associated with disease prevention, such as cancer, due to its antioxidant properties, as they seize free radicals in the bloodstream that are associated with the development of these disorders. The interactions between bioactive compounds and carbohydrates are important because they could limit or boost bio-accessibility and reduce the digestibility of starch. The study of the interactions between carbohydrates and anthocyanins in pigmented maize is underdeveloped, but evidence indicates the nutraceutical function of both compounds, and as such it is necessary to carry out further research in this sense.