Corn
Corn (Zea mays) aka: sweetcorn, maize, Indian corn, is a long tube shaped vegetable with a green outer husk, thin tassels at the top, and little yellow seeds surrounding an inner core or cob.
Health benefits of Corn
- Increased Protection from Bacterial and Viral Infections
- Increased Immune Function
- Reduced Cancer Risk
- Reduced Risk of Colon Cancer
- Protection Against Heart Disease
- Regulation of Blood Sugar and Insulin Dependence
- Slowing the progression of AIDS
- Slowing Aging
- DNA Repair and Protection
- Protection Against Dementia
- Alleviation of Cardiovascular Disease
- Alleviation of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- Promoted Eye Health
- Alzheimer's Protection
- Osteoporosis Protection
- Stroke Prevention
- Reduced Risk of Type II Diabetes
- Reduced Frequency of Migraine Headaches
- Alleviation of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Antioxidant Protection
- Prevention of Epileptic Seizures
- Alleviation of the Common Cold
- Prevention of Alopecia (Spot Baldness)
- Alleviation of Inflammation
Some of these health benefits come from nutrients concentrated in this food, and may not be effects of the food itself.
How to choose Corn
Look for tassels which look fresh and show few signs of wilting. Most vendors will also let you peel back the husk of the corn, when you do this it is good to check that the cob is full of kernels (seeds) and none of them have started to wilt.
How to store Corn
Leave corn in the husk, or place them in a zip lock bag. Corn will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Climate and origin
The exact location of where corn originated is unknown but it is thought to have first been cultivated in Mexico around 7000 B.C. Extremely popular, today it is grown all over the world's temperate to tropical climates. (Zones 4-10 in the U.S.)
Taste
Corn has a very sweet pleasant taste with a crunchy texture, the tassels of the corn can also be eaten and also have a sweet taste and crunchy texture.
Substitutes with more vitamins
Miscellaneous information
In 2005 the world produced over 6.9 million metric tons of corn, with the U.S. leading production by growing 2.8 million metric tons. Production in the U.S. is so large that corn has pervaded a large array of foods, and even appears in paper products!
Nutrition facts
| Nutrition Facts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | |||
| 100 grams (100g) | |||
| Calories | 86 | ||
| % Daily Value * | |||
| Total Fat 1.4g | 2% | ||
| Saturated Fat 0.33g | 2% | ||
| Trans Fat 0g | |||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% | ||
| Sodium 15mg | 1% | ||
| Total Carbohydrate 18.7g | 7% | ||
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% | ||
| Total Sugars 6.3g | 13% | ||
| Includes --g Added Sugars | --% | ||
| Protein 3.3g | 7% | ||
| Vitamin C 6.8mg | 8% | ||
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% | ||
| Iron 0.52mg | 3% | ||
| Calcium 2mg | 0% | ||
| Potassium 270mg | 6% | ||
| Phosphorus 89mg | 7% | ||
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |||