Teenage son: Hey, I'm going  out to play.

It's nice.

Mom: Oh wait, you’ve got to eat something  first.

I'm making you something really special.

Teenage son: That smells good.

What is it?

Mom: Blue corn mush.

My grandmother used to  make it for me when I was about your age.

Teenage son: Wait, what is that?

Mom: Juniper ash.

Teenage son: You put ash in my breakfast?

Mom: Of course Teenage son: What… that's weird Lee Francis IV: Hey, hey, hey… I got this.

Teenage son: Who are you?

Lee Francis IV: I am your host  to the world of Indigenous science.

Today I'm going to tell you  that Indigenous people have passed down   traditional recipes throughout the ages.

And,  I'm also going to tell you why ash and blue corn mush work perfectly well  together, here on Indigi-Genius.

Oh, can I get some of that, please?

Lovely.

♪ ♪ Lee Francis IV: When it comes to corn, Indigenous people have long  known the benefits.

Corn is essentially an evolved grass that is easy to grow and cultivate.

The  corn seeds, or kernels, are calorie dense and   can provide much needed energy and nutrients  for the body to function throughout the day.

As opposed to other grains such as  wheat or barley, corn provides more   bang for the buck.

By the time colonists  arrived in the Americas, Indigenous people had   cultivated numerous varieties of corn and many  methods of preparing the food for consumption.

Drying and grinding were some of the ways  that the preparation methods could release   much of the nutritional benefits of the corn  itself.

As for blue corn, studies in Morelos,   Mexico demonstrated that the blue color comes  from anthocyanins, the same health plus compounds   found in berries and red wine.

Further research  showed that blue corn had a lower concentration   of resistant, or indigestible starch, than white  corn and also a lower glycemic index value.

But,   what exactly is going on with the ash?

First, it  should be noted that one gram of ash contains as   much calcium as a glass of milk.

Calcium is  a necessary building block of strong bones   and good health.

Adding calcium to the diet is  essential for long-term health and survival.

Next, ash has high alkalinity.

When it comes  in contact with the cell walls of the corn it   begins to break them down.

The cellular structure  of corn works as a protector for the corn seed.

Cooking can soften the corn to make it  more nutritious for human consumption,   but by adding an alkaline agent, such as  baking soda, calcium hydroxide or tree ash, it   initiates a process called nyxtamalization.

This  process breaks down the outer shell of the corn,   enhancing flavor and increasing the amount  of absorbable calcium niacin and vitamin B3.

The word nixtamal is Azteca in origin and refers  to the process of adding calcium hydroxide   to soaked corn.

The calcium hydroxide would  usually come from scraping limestone.

When there   was no limestone dust to use, Indigenous peoples  realized that tree ash could serve just as well.

Last, as a breakfast meal, the blue corn mush  provides the nutrients and calories needed for   a long day's work of… cultivating more corn.

You can think of it like baking soda.

When   added to a recipe in an equal amount with baking  powder, an acidic substance, you create bubbles   and a rising agent.

Without the bubbles, you get a  result that is flat and dry.

Communities the world   over have understood the importance of preparation  and adding nutritional value to their foods,   especially in the early morning  hours, when calories and nutrition   are important to fuel the body for a hard day's  work.

Porridge, oatmeal, grits, mush - these have   been staples for societies throughout time.

And,  it's not just blue corn mush.

Indigenous people   have been aware of the benefits of traditional  grains and cultivation for several millennia.

But   corn, though, has been such an important  staple, with so many health benefits, that   it became a cultural centerpiece and continues  to be for peoples throughout the Americas.

Dances, songs, stories and cuisine revolve  around this most important commodity.

Growing up, atole, as many families call blue  corn mush, was a wintertime treat.

I remember my   grandmother teaching us grandkids how to prepare  the meal.

The breakfast would be dense and often   she would throw in walnuts and dried fruit as a  way to add more flavor and more nutrition.

The   sweet and soulful smell would always bring me back  to her kitchen on those cold winter mornings.

Realizing that this knowledge comes from a  deep, cultural and scientific understanding   is powerful and gives insight into the brilliance  of Native foodways.

That insight and comfort   are on display each and every  day…here on Indigi-Genius.