Why was dried corn boiled in limewater before it was ground into dough?

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Map of Mesoamerica showing the geographic distribution of various Indigenous peoples, with regions labeled for groups such as the Maya, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, Mazahua, Huastec, Tarasco, and others across present-day Mexico and parts of Central America. Boundaries indicate the approximate areas inhabited by each group. — Mesoamerican Indian Distribution of Meso-American Indians.

In Mesoamerican cultures, dried corn was boiled in limewater primarily to soften the hull of the kernel. This traditional preparation process, known as nixtamalization, results in a product called nixtamal, which is then ground into a dough known as masa.12

Once prepared, this dough was used to create tortillas, flat cakes, or a gruel. This method was a fundamental aspect of the diet for the average Mesoamerican, providing a consistent way to process corn as a staple crop.31