Corn flour, masa, unenriched, white
Whole food · Cereal Grains and Pasta
Photo: Wikipedia
Masa harina is a fine, soft corn flour made from nixtamalized corn kernels, giving it a distinctive earthy, slightly tangy aroma. When mixed with water, it forms a smooth, pliable dough with a mild, sweet corn flavor. Its high carbohydrate content makes it a primary energy source in traditional diets.
Calorie split: 9% protein · 82% carbs · 9% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love masa for its unparalleled ability to create soft, flavorful corn tortillas and tamales, forming the backbone of Mexican and Central American cuisine. Its unique, authentic corn taste and versatile dough-like consistency are irreplaceable in traditional cooking.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a high-carb, refined flour, it can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes if consumed alone in large portions. To counteract this, pair it with protein (beans, meat) and healthy fats (avocado, cheese) in your meal, and opt for whole-grain or blue corn varieties for a lower glycemic impact.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of dietary fiber for digestive health.
- Provides essential minerals like iron and phosphorus.
- Nixtamalization increases niacin (vitamin B3) availability.
- Naturally gluten-free, suitable for celiac diets.
- Forms the foundational dough for countless cultural staples.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The nixtamalization process, which involves soaking corn in an alkaline solution like lime water, was a revolutionary Mesoamerican invention that unlocked niacin and made the corn's nutrients bioavailable, preventing pellagra.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 9.8 g |
| Energy | 363 kcal |
| Energy | 1517 kj |
| Protein | 8.5 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 3.7 g |
| Ash | 1.5 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 76.6 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 6.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.6 g |
| Starch | 66.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 138 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.5 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 93.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 231 mg |
| Potassium, K | 262 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 5.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.8 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.21 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.38 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 10.5 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.22 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.10 mg |
| Niacin | 1.6 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.19 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.47 mg |
| Folate, total | 29.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 29.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 29.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 8.6 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 2.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 2.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 5.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 6.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.12 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.53 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.45 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.06 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.99 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.7 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.7 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.05 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.06 g |
| Threonine | 0.24 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.28 g |
| Leucine | 1.0 g |
| Lysine | 0.22 g |
| Methionine | 0.17 g |
| Cystine | 0.18 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.41 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.23 g |
| Valine | 0.38 g |
| Arginine | 0.38 g |
| Histidine | 0.26 g |
| Alanine | 0.64 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.55 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.6 g |
| Glycine | 0.31 g |
| Proline | 0.68 g |
| Serine | 0.42 g |
FAQ
What is the difference between masa harina and regular corn flour?
Masa harina is made from corn that has been nixtamalized (cooked in an alkaline solution), giving it a distinct flavor and dough-forming ability. Regular corn flour is simply dried, ground corn without this treatment.
Can I use masa harina to make cornbread?
Yes, but it will yield a denser, more tender, and distinctly flavored cornbread compared to using regular cornmeal or corn flour. It's often mixed with all-purpose flour for a lighter texture.
How do I store masa harina?
Keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. For long-term storage, refrigerate or freeze it to prevent the natural fats from going rancid and to maintain freshness.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.63 kcal/g · 9% calories from protein · 6.4 g fiber · 1.6 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.02 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.