Danger of using Maida flour....... :

1. introduction
Maida is a finely milled and refined and bleached (either naturally due to atmospheric
oxygen or using other chemical bleaches) wheat flour, closely resembling cake flour, and
used extensively in making Pakistani/Indian fast food, Indian bakery products such as
pastries and bread,[1] varieties of sweets and sometimes in making traditional
Afghani/Pakistani/Indian breads such as paratha and naan.[2] It is made from the
endosperm (the starchy white part) of the grain, while the fibrous bran is removed inthe
mill.
Originally yellowish, maida is popular in a white color, bleached with
Azodicarbonamide, chlorine gas,benzoyl peroxide, or other bleaches. The use of benzoyl
peroxide in food is banned in China as alternative processing methods are available[3]
and in the European Union[3] (including the UK[4]).
Maida contains trace amounts of alloxan, which is an undesirable side product of the
chemical changes that give it softness and white color. Large amounts of alloxan is
known to destroy beta cells in the pancreas of rodents and other species, causing
diabetes mellitus,[5] although humans are not similarly affected. Some studies have
shown that alloxan is not toxic to the human beta-cell, even in very high doses, probably
because of differing glucose uptake mechanisms in humans and rodents.[6][7]
Maida is also used in Central Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine. Maida is used as an
adhesive for wall posters in India.
Maida is finely milled flour and is usually refined using a fine mesh of 600 mesh per
inch. In south India where there are no wheat farms wheat is moved in trucks and rakes
and then milled. It is a common misunderstanding that tapioca is converted into maida,
rava, atta and bran.
The article starts with a bit of history on how our eating habits started around the world
and it mentions about rice and wheat as the main grains that were eaten by man. And it
was a time when there was no proceeded food and a place full of healthy human beings.
As the food culture around the world had its changes , new food habits developed and
along with it came the deadly invention called Maida....
What is Alloxan ?
It is a chemical used in Biochemistry laboraties to introduce Diabetes for animals
like guinea pigs and rats to test the effectiveness of insulin on them. Here I found an
interesting article which details the ill-effects of alloxan on your body..So if it can
introduce diabetes to these animals it can surely make you diabetic one day...Think over
before you indulge in foods prepared from white flour like noodles , white bread , pasta ,
paratta , cakes, cookies etc.

2. Bakery Items and the usage of Maida
Can you find any bakery / store bought item where Maida is not used ? Unless specified ,
they all use Maida for almost every item prepared, as it is the cheapest flour available
and at the same time make the bakery / store bought food more attractive
and appetizing.
Along with maida there will be other things like Artificial colors, Mineral oils, Taste
Makers, Preservatives , Sugar, Saccarine , Ajinomotto etc which makes an even more
dangerous combination.
The article in detail explains the side effets of each of these which I am not repeating
here as I am limiting to Maida for the time being.
Will Maida be digested in human body ?
Fibre content of food is what helps in digestion which is completely lost in maida with
the removal of bran and germ of wheat. Digestion without fibre makes our digestive
system weak and sluggish and it can even damage our digestive tract. Moreover you
may be knowing the usage of Maida as a glue for many purposes. [Here is a link on how
to make it.] It can easily stick to your digestive tract and further create a list of problems
which still need to be comprehended.
So, What to give our children instead ?
The answer is as simple as that...Try to make your kids introduced to home made food
including home made snacks and make them aware about the ill effects of store bought
food. And for that all you need is some time to dedicate for cooking...That is the only
way...With home made goodies, you know what goes in there and it is always under your
control....Once kids get addicted to the bakery / store bought foods it is really difficult to
get rid of the habit...So start as easly as possible for their own sake....With this note the
article ends leaving me to think about it.
BENZOIC PEROXIDE:
Maida flour has become part and parcel of bakery industry. All the delicious stuffs,
bread everything is made up of Maida flour. Maida flour is prepared from wheat by
removing the proteins, roughage or dietary fiber substances. The wheat which is
separated from proteins and roughage is bleached using benzoic peroxide and it will be
softened by mixing a chemical called aloxanes, making maida flour to contain many
chemical components.
Maida flour was banned in many countries but because of political lobby and other
things ban was taken back and maida is available in every country serving people with
delicious bakery items. At least few of you might remember in earlier days maida mixed
with hot water being used as gum to stick wall posters. May be this is the reason to name
Maida as all purpose flour!

3. Recent research has also shown that using Maida increases the chances of human beings
becoming diabetic. The chemical aloxanes used in maida can destroy the beta cells of
pancreas which produce insulin to lower sugar levels in human beings. Not only maida
all the flour which is available in market will have aloxanes mixing which gives softness
to the flour and taste to the tongue. You may also observe that the flour you get by wheat
or rice or any pulses will not be as soft as that of maida.
Problem is not only with maida, in bakery industry along with maida chemical
preservatives, essence, taste makers and artificial colors will be added to make bakery
items tasty. These chemicals also have adverse effects and cause many problems in
human beings ranging from constipation to all higher diseases. Avoid substances which
contain maida as the major content. A balanced diet with knowledge of food what we eat
can make us live longer happily and healthy.
BANNED MAIDA:
Maida flour was banned in many countries but because of political lobby and other
things ban was taken back and maida is available in every country serving people with
delicious bakery items. At least few of you might remember in earlier days maida mixed
with hot water being used as gum to stick wall posters. May be this is the reason to name
Maida as all purpose flour!
In olden days maida is used as glue for posters:
Simple Glue using maida: Ingredients :
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup water
1.Gather your ingredients:
2.Mix maida and water in a bowl.

4. If you need more glue, simply double the recipe. If you need less glue, start with the
amount of flour you will use, then add water a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the
right consistency.
3.mix well:
Blend until your glue is smooth and a little runny, but not watery. It should not be too
thick or too drippy.
4.Use it soon after creating it:
It can be used to stick paper together for a variety of craft projects, such as making greeting
cards and other small projects.
Danger of using Maida flour :
Maida flour has become part and parcel of bakery industry.

5. All the delicious stuffs, bread everything is made up of Maida flour.
Maida flour is prepared from wheat by removing the proteins, roughage or dietary fiber
substances.
The wheat which is separated from proteins and roughage is bleached using benzoic
peroxide and it will be softened by mixing a chemical called aloxanes, making maida
flour to contain many chemical components.
PAROTTAS LOADED WITH DANGER:
‘Bleaching products used for processing maida are toxic to
pancreas which secretes insulin’
Parotta is a popular evening meal it itself at many a home. Be it adults or children,
everybody loves gorging on parottas.
Every family has a favourite paraotta stall among the many in their neighbour hood. The
large number of parotta stalls and the demand for ‘parotta masters’ in the city points to
the prominence of parotta in the diet of Madurai residents.
However, there is a word of caution for parotta lovers. Leading cardiologists in Madurai
say it may be a mouth-watering dish but at the same time it also damages heart. The
heart of the matter lies in the ‘maida’ which is said to be a wreak havoc on a healthy
heart.
At a time when cardiac arrest and other heart diseases and diabetes are threatening the
productive young population, these experts point to some hard truths about the fluffy
and soft food stuff which arouses the taste buds but hinders the health condition of
eaters
“Parotta contains the purest form of carbohydrates and the maida flour with which it is
prepared is an enemy to your heart. Eating it amounts to depositing fats and cholesterol
straight into your body,” says R. Raghunathan, Head, Department of Cardiothoracic
Surgery, Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), here.
The colour of maida flour may look fair and fine when compared to wheat flour, but the
process involved in its preparation shows how dangerous it is for vital organs such as
heart and pancreas.
Madhavan, senior interventional cardiologist at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, who is also
a Fellow of heart specialists certified by the Geneva-based World Heart Federation, says
a chemical called alloxan, which gives the softness to maida flour could lead to diabetes
and thereby cause heart problems in the long run.

6. “Majority of the people prefer parotta for its taste. But, remember that alloxan is
dangerous to pancreas which regulates glucose/sugar in our body. It is advisable not to
get bowled over by the taste alone. One must bear in mind the chemicals present in
maida flour,” he cautions.
Bleaching products used for processing maida are toxic to pancreas which secretes
insulin. The bleaching agents present in maida are used to produce diabetes in rodents
and animals when tested in the laboratories.
Dr.Madhavan says it is high time Madurai’s obsession with parotta came to an end in
view of increasing instances of child obesity, hypertension, early diabetes and heart
attacks. “I think we can do a ‘Maida study in Madurai’ to come out with findings. Those
who are regular parotta eaters and those who keep away from them can be studied,” he
said
Chief of Department of Cardiology at the GRH, R.A.Janarthanan, too joins in the
campaign against parotta in view of its threat to heart.

7. “Lifestyle changes and mental stress are taking a heavy toll on our youngsters as many
aged between 30 and 40 years are becoming heart patients. In such a case, the food we
eat matters a lot and parotta is not good,” he says.
Absence of fibre content in maida is seen as a major negative factor in parotta. It gets
aggravated because of the ‘saalna’ and side-dishes. Parotta has the capacity to shoot up
your body sugar level, he says.
“One gram of carbohydrate gives nine calories of energy. Imagine the impact of a
parotta which is full of only carbohydrates and especially when you do not do physical
exercise. Parotta may be cheap but it will be costly for your heart,” cautions
Dr.Raghunathan.
The parotta-diabetes heart link can be gauged from the current trends.
Even though there is no documentary evidence to say that maida is the actual villain,
Dr.Madhavan says changing food habits will indeed damage the heart.
“Out of 10 master health check-ups I do, three persons are newly detected diabetes
cases. When I tell them they have sugar, they are shocked to hear the news. So, right
food at the right time is the right way,” he says.
N.Ganesan, cardiologist, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, says cardiac
fitness is of utmost importance.
“Heart metabolic activity is vital. Every middle-aged man should walk 10,000 steps a
day. I don’t mean climbing of steps, but a normal walking of 10,000 steps in a day,” he
suggests.
According to him, preventive measures should begin at a young age. “Fifty per cent of
heart problems crop up in those aged below 50 years, and 25 per cent of cases are
reported before 40 years of age. So, you can understand the gravity of the situation,”
says Dr.Ganesan.
Dr.Janarthanan advises people to choose healthy food such as idli, puttu and chapathi
and lots of with fruits and vegetables.
ATTA V/S MAIDA-WHICH IS BETTER…….?
There is another war seen when people passionately talk about Maida v/s Atta. Both are
made from the same (or similar) wheat.

8. Every time someone told me that atta is more healthy and maida is “bad for health” I
always found this health-based argument difficult to digest. I used to wonder, if most of
the population in most of the “so-called” first world countries eats bread – a significant
percentage eats white bread – there must have been some research done on this. We
can’t simply brand something “unhealthy”. And then, I have seen those same people
who are so picky about a brown bread instead of a white bread, do not seem to have any
problems eating lots of “Pav Bhaaji” or “Vada Paav”. This Paav is also made of maida,
isn’t it ? Same holds true with a Pizza – I haven’t heard of a “brown pizza” yet ! Though
there are a couple of wheat variants – primarily the pizza base is made of maida !
One of naturopaths even told me that Maida was one of the 5 white poisons ! (the other
4 being – sugar, salt, buffalo’s milk and I don’t remember the last one !)
I do understand that just the fact that many people eat something, does not make it a
healthy choice. But if it was indeed not good for health, then one would find some ill
effects of the food across the population. There are no such common ailments caused by
white bread.
So, before coming to a conclusion on maida – whether made from wheat or any other
cereal – I thought of finding out more about what this maida is !
Typically, all cereals have grains which are covered by husk. The husk removed first and
we have the plain grain. It has three layers :
1. The outer protective brown coat is called the Bran. It constitutes about 12% of the
weight of the whole grain and consists of cellulose & minerals.
2. The next layer is a very thin one – it is called Aleurone and is firmly attached to the
bran
3. The core – 85% of the weight of the grain – is the Endosperm. It contains protein and
starch. The germ or the embryo is rich in proteins fats, vitamin E and vitamin B1 or
thiamine.
After grinding the grains, the coarser parts are removed and the white flour remains.
During milling, the germ is also removed because otherwise the fat turns the flour
rancid and its shelf life is reduced. Don’t ask me how – I found this technical stuff on the
Internet out there. I would appreciate if someone could verify if this is indeed the case !
Now, the amount of flour remaining after removal of coarser parts is called the
percentage extraction. For example, 95 percent extraction means that 95 percent of the
grain has been extracted as flour while 5 percent has been removed as bran and thrown

9. away. 65% extraction would mean that only 65% of the grain has been extracted as flour
and 35% has been thrown away !! So, a “lower” percentage extraction means that there
is lesser bran. Lower the percentage extraction, the flour is whiter. And conversely,
higher extraction flour will have more bran content.
Now, if you look at the white bread sold in many of the developed countries, the pack
shows a lot of additional minerals and vitamins that are added – so, you end up with a
white bread made out of super fine maida, but at the same time, it is enriched with the
necessary vitamins & minerals. So, if we are doing a comparison based only on
nutritious value, then an enriched White bread should be considered equivalent to any
brown bread.
I am told that a lot of Brown breads in India are made by adding caramel to maida !
Again, I don’t have any authentic source for verifying this information.
One of my Ayurvedic doctor friends told me the real reason why maida creates problems
: according to him, maida being finer (as opposed to the coarse atta), there is a difficulty
in pushing it out of our system. Maida, being more fine and sticky puts more strain on
our intestines or whatever internal organs and hence, it may be harmful in the long run.
I am not sure about this argument as I am not sure of the chemical changes that come
into effect after the food goes through the process of digestion !
So…here I leave the topic wide open for debate. Can anyone out there help me
understand (with a logical reason ! And not just because “someone said so ten thousand
years ago” !!) why maida is considered bad ?
why maida is considered bad ?
since maida is an refined product of whole wheat grain,it does in contain any
dietaryfibers in it. so maida will not digest easily and it will produces constipation.so it is
not at all good to health.instead of maida you can use wheat grains or mixed powder of
ragi,corn,bajra and wheat,which contain fibers ,iron ,vitamin a& e.
Yummy Parotta Is Not Healthy For Your Tummy:

10. Maida banded countries:
 Europe union
 China
 Uk
How safe is Parotta – the staple food of malayalees:
Parotta is undeniably one of the most popular food items of Malayalees. Most of them
often start the day with a heavy breakfast comprising of parotta, and might even settle
for more during lunch hours and end the day with a generous helping of these crispy
and stretchable delicacies that seem to have swept the gourmets of Kerala off the feet.
It is ironical that Malayaless who take credit of having the best literacy and health care
credentials are devouring loads of unhealthy food materials like parotta and other
bakery items which are made of maida, the useless byproduct that is obtained after the
extraction of wheat. This soft powdery material that has no nutrients or bran content
were solely used only for starching clothes use and sticking wall posters until a few years
back!
The bleaching agents that are used for whitening maida include harmful chemicals like
hydrogen peroxide and alloxen that can cause diabetics. It is shocking to note that
alloxen is used in laboratory animals like mice to induce diabetics during the testing of
anti diabetic medications. In addition, Alloxen is found to be responsible for many life
threatening diseases like kidney ailments, heart and liver problems, retinopathey and
others. The alarming rise in the number of deaths in Kerala caused by sudden and
massive heart attacks and cancer is thought to be related to the consumption of maida
that has a large concentration of the chemical Alloxen.
The change in lifestyles and the unhealthy habit of over indulgence on bakery and hotel
food have made Keralites vulnerable to many health problems like obesity and diabetes ,
which have assumed epidemic proportions in our society. Most of the bakery items are

11. made of maida that will also have artificial flavors, coloring agents and preservatives,
which make them really bad for health especially for children.
The tastefully packed and smartly marketed snack items including potato chips that can
last for decades, the frozen pizzas that are highly resistant to decomposition and the
sausages and meats that are passed down many holiday seasons, the bakeries and fast
food joints like McDonald’s and KFC has doped us with the unhealthy eating habits that
are so alien to our culture and way of life. While we are only happy to shell out a fortune
to take a grab of our favorite snacks and grubs, heavily laden with artificial taste
enhancers, are we badly compromising our health issues? The latest studies conducted
by various agencies promoting the natural food styles have proven that switching to
such dietary habits will spell a doom to the much hyped health care statistics of Kerala.
We are fast emerging as an obese and unhealthy society, all because of the addiction of
the fast food culture that never existed a few decades back. This overwhelming issue is
indeed a food for thought for the social activists, the health care professionals and above
all the literate society of Kerala, which should not bite the bait of the marketing tactics of
the vested interests by compromising on the tried and tested food habits of Kerala,
which is emulated even by foreigners who strive for good health!
Parotta, another Malayali favourite:
The fast-selling dish ‘parotta’ has evolved as the sine qua non of the average Keralite’s
menu. Fall dusk, the fast food joints dotting the road side that sell ‘parotta’, are beehives
of activity, akin to the shawarma shops. Mounds of flour are kneaded, rolled into balls,
swished into the air, folded and rolled on open table-tops, giving two hoots about the
question of hygiene.
The health aspects of parotta, which is in great demand both in restaurants and street
food joints, are hardly questioned by the literate, health-conscious Malayali.“It is cheap,
tasty, filling and irresistible,” said the boys in street food outlets, content to nibbling on.
Some share a distaste for this bread.
“I eat all kinds of food. However, the thought of consuming maida that is also put to use
as poster-glue, repels me,” said Chandran.
District Food Safety Officer Ajith K said that the parotta samples obtained from the
various outlets in the city recently met the food safety standards. “The maida used was
found to be branded and not outdated. So was the oil that was used in the preparation of
the parotta. On the whole, parottas are hard to digest,” he said.
However, many outlets selling stale parottas have been booked this year. “We have filed
2,014 stale-food related cases before the court this year. Stale parottas were also found.
It has not yet come to the notice of the authorities whether bull’s fat is being used as an
ingredient,” he said.
Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association secretary Jose Mohan said that the hotels use
only quality ingredients in making the parottas. “Only small restaurants and street food
outlets make them in the open,” he said.

12. On the aspects of hygiene, the cooking style and method of storage, Jose said that plans
are on the anvil to give licences to the street vendors after creating awareness on the
said aspects. Most of the stalls have been improved, wash basins set up and plates are
being washed with hot water.
“Distributing better facilities for the cost-effective ‘thattukadas’ is under consideration,”
he said.
The doctors however believe that the parotta is not health friendly.
“It is rich in fat and of late there have been many adverse reports on the health effects of
maida which is refined and difficult to digest. It is neither friendly for children or
adults,” said Dr Junaid Rehman, superintendent at the Ernakulam General Hospital.
Kovai private college(11.9.2013):
Department of hotel management,catering science and nss students conducted a
awereness program in the name of health hazards of parotta made of maida.
By taking these type of food causes:
MAIDA CONTAINS THE POISON ALLOXAN WHICH CAN DAMAGE THE
PANCREASE, IT IS BETTER TO AVOID MAIDA. JUST LIKE CIGARETTE CAN CAUSE

13. LUNG CANCER AND MANY OTHER HEALTH HAZARDS, MAIDA MAY BE ONE OF
THE LEADING CAUSES OF DIABETES,THE EMERGING DISEASE OF MODERN
LIFE STYLE.
Medical research found:
Scientists have known of the alloxan-diabetes connection for years; in fact, researchers
who are studying diabetes commonly use the chemical to induce the disorder in lab
animals. In the research sense, giving alloxan to an animal is similar to injecting that
animal with a deadly virus, as both alloxan and the virus are being used specifically to
cause illness. Every day, consumers ingest foods made with alloxan-contaminated flour.
Would they just as willingly consume foods tainted with a deadly virus? Unless they had
a death wish, they probably would not. Unfortunately, most consumers are unaware of
alloxan and its potentially fatal link to diabetes because these facts are not well
publicized by the food industry.
However, even though the toxic effect of alloxan is common scientific knowledge in the
research community, the FDA still allows companies to use it when processing foods we
ingest.
The FDA and the white flour industry could counter-argue that, if alloxan were to cause
diabetes, a higher proportion of Americans would be diabetic. After all, more consumers
consume white flour on a regular basis than are actually diabetic. This point is valid, but
it does not disprove the alloxan-diabetes connection. While alloxan is one cause of
adult-onset type 2 diabetes, it is of course not the only cause. Current theory suggests an
hereditary beta-cell predisposition to injury coupled with some defect in tissue
regeneration capacity may be a key cause. For alloxan to cause injury to an individual's
beta cells, the individual must have the genetic susceptibility to injury. This is similar to
the connection between high-cholesterol foods and heart disease and cigarette smoking
and lung cancer. Eating high-cholesterol foods causes heart disease, especially in people
who have family histories of heart disease. Similarly cigarette causes lung cancer in
genetically susceptible individuals. The link between alloxan and diabetes is as clear and
solid as the link between cholesterol and heart disease and cigarette smoking and lung
cancer.

14. It all comes down to asking if putting yourself at risk for diabetic coma, blindness, limb
amputation and death is worth eating white bread. If you're willing to risk your quality
of life and your life itself, then go ahead and eat all the foods made with white flour you
want. However, if you want to stop poisoning yourself with alloxan, a known toxic
chemical, then make a few simple dietary changes. Eat groceries made with whole-grain
wheat flour, not processed white flour.
Dr. Chemnad Laciath Abdul Rahiman is a physician in govt, hospiat in Kuwait.