The pursuit of Starch

Of all human pursuits, none is more present, more permanent, more repeated, more focused or more unifying that the pursuit of starch.  While food has long been recognised as a basic need and in some cases a basic right, the real culprit in this loaded word is starch.  Starch is the fuel that runs our bodies and even nutritionists will tell you that in the absence of starch, all other forms of foods are converted into a starch equivalent and broken into energy.

I travel a lot to many cities in Africa and beyond and there is no sight more frequent that that of people walking around and popping some starch in their mouths.  Whether it is Mandazi, roast maize, potato crisps, cassava crisps or a piece of sugar cane, our united pursuit of starch is apparent wherever you go, wherever you turn.  This addiction comes out in its raw form when we sit round the table to take in our regular thrice day meals.  At each seating, pounds of rice, corn, bread, ugali, Millie pap, bread, breakfast cereals, chapatti, roti, chips, cassava, matoke, cake, naan,or pilau are gladly ingested by eager mouths.  We have a collective addiction to starch and everyone around you is sitting pretty because they have recently had their starch fix, and they have a clear plan to their next fix.  In fact, none of us can survive without this regular fix.  Even one year old babies quickly clue on to this addiction and learn how to ask for it and to ingest it before they learn anything else. This addiction comes out in its raw form when we sit round the table to take in our regular thrice day meals.  At each seating, pounds of rice, corn, bread, ugali, Millie pap, bread, breakfast cereals, chapatti, roti, chips, cassava, matoke, cake, naan,or pilau are gladly ingested by eager mouths.

Since time immemorial, wars have been fought and kingdoms have come down because of starch.  The famines recorded in biblical history and the food revolutions recorded across the world all underline the central role that starch plays in our lives.

The other interesting link with starch is the conversion to alcohol.  All societies in history, whether modern or traditional, have discovered in their own ways the interesting link between starch and alcohol.  As I grew up, my first experience with alcohol was observing adults crashing sugar can into sugar cane juice to brew traditional wine.  I later learnt that other communities di the same by fermenting maize flour while even other sophisticated ones would ferment barley to make beer.  Again, how all societies figured out their own links between starch and alcohol remains a mystery.

So, the next time you stand aside and watch the world go by, consider the various starch plans that your passers-by are on.  What is your starch plan today?