Cornmeal is ground dried maize available in fine, medium, and coarse grinds. It provides carbohydrate energy alongside useful iron, B vitamins (including niacin, though much is bound and less bioavailable unless nixtamalised), and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin from yellow varieties. It is the basis of polenta, cornbread, and grits.
Whole grain or stone-ground cornmeal retains more fibre, fat, and nutrients than refined degerminated cornmeal — check the label. Cook polenta in a heavy pan, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Where Cornmeal (Maize) Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Glycemic Index & Load
Medium GI food — moderate effect on blood sugar. Pair with protein, fat, or fibre to lower the overall meal GI.
Glycemic Load (GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100) accounts for portion size. A high GL — keep portions modest.
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 170 mg | 9% | |
| Phosphorus | 120 mg | 17% | |
| Magnesium | 44.0 mg | 12% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 4.00 µg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 3.00 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 3.00 mg | 4% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 2.00 mg | 13% | |
| Iron | 1.30 mg | 9% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.00 mg | 6% | |
| Zinc | 1.00 mg | 10% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.260 mg | 24% | |
| Manganese | 0.200 mg | 10% | |
| Copper | 0.150 mg | 15% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.080 mg | 6% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Glutamic acid | 2.55 g | — | |
| Aspartic acid | 0.638 g | — | |
| Leucine | 0.587 g | — | |
| Proline | 0.468 g | — | |
| Valine | 0.434 g | — | |
| Arginine | 0.425 g | — | |
| Phenylalanine | 0.417 g | — | |
| Serine | 0.383 g | — | |
| Isoleucine | 0.340 g | — | |
| Alanine | 0.340 g | — | |
| Glycine | 0.298 g | — | |
| Tyrosine | 0.298 g | — | |
| Threonine | 0.281 g | — | |
| Lysine | 0.255 g | — | |
| Methionine | 0.221 g | — | |
| Histidine | 0.204 g | — | |
| Cysteine | 0.153 g | — | |
| Tryptophan | 0.102 g | — |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →