Who loves sweet corn?
Well, who doesn’t? And if you need more reasons to love sweet corn beyond its taste, then wait no more. Let us acquaint you with how great sweet corn really is, all on its own!
Sweet corn also known as sugar corn, is a hybridized variety of maize (Zea mays L.) first cultivated in North and South America.[1] That’s why some people call it American Corn too. It is popular for its unique sweet taste, pleasant flavour and snackability. Most people prefer to add a pinch of salt and dash of butter to their servings of cooked sweet corn, in order to turn it into a delicacy.
However, shouldn’t you eat your vegetables raw? Well, not if cooking your vegetables is adding more nutrition to your food bowl. Such is the case with sweet corn. Cooked sweet corn is healthier than raw sweet corn.[2]
In the last few years, Sweet Corn has been promoted to the status of new age diet food and is being used in soups and salads, as pizza toppings, and for making sugar syrups, corn starch, etc.
There is a wrong notion among people that anything tasty isn’t healthy. Let’s learn a bit more about the nutritional value that a cup of cooked sweet corn can offer:
Nutritional Value of Sweet Corn [3]
In a 100 g serving of cooked sweet corn, you will find these things:
| Calories | 86 KCal |
| Protein | 3.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g |
| Dietary Fibres | 2.7 g |
| Sugar | 6.3 g |
| Fat | 1.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 9 mg |
| Potassium | 270 mg |
| Vit A | 187 IU (4% DV) |
| Vit C | 6.3 mg (11% DV) |
| Calcium | 2 mg (0% DV) |
| Iron | 0.5 mg (3% DV) |
| Magnesium | 21 mg (5% DV) |
DV = Daily Value (%), based on a 2,000-calorie diet. This information provides a detailed overview of the nutritional composition of 100 grams of cooked sweet corn.
Ayurvedic perspective of Sweet Corn
Ayurveda considers Sweet Corn as a pacifying food for the Pitta and Kapha doshas. In ancient literature, ‘Bhojana Kutuhala,’ we get a mention of Sweet Corn. In the classical text, it is called ‘Umbi’ and ‘Rumbi.’ The attributes of Sweet Corn, according to Ayurveda, are as follows:
1) Madhura rasa (sweet taste)
2) Ruksha and Laghu Gunas (Dry and Light qualities)
3) Comes with Ushna Virya (heating potency)
4) Eliminates Tamas (negative mindset) and fosters rajas and sattva (positive mindset)
12 health benefits of eating Sweet Corn
1. Protects Your Heart
Improved heart health is one of the benefits of eating corn. Niacin, a B-Vitamin constituent in Sweet Corn, can reduce LDL or Bad Cholesterol levels and, thus, may improve your cardiovascular health. [1]
2. Maintains Eye Health
Carotenoids, such as lutein, xanthophyllus, and zeaxanthin in sweet corn, have come to the limelight due to their close association with eye health. [1] These nutrients can nourish the macular region of your eyes.
3. Improves Your Memory
One of the health benefits of corn is that it can improve and maintain your memory even if you have aged. Therefore, eating Sweet Corn may support healthy cognitive (brain) function. [1]
4. Strengthens Your Immune System
Superior-quality phyto-nutrition profile of Sweet corn empowers it to improve the functioning of your immune system. Sweet Corn contains antioxidants and essential vitamins (Vitamin C) that help enhance your immunity and lead a healthy life. As Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, the best way to cook your sweet corn is by steaming it. That way we can prevent the loss of Vitamin C to a great extent. [2]
5. Fights Anemia
Presence of Iron, Folic acid and Vitamin B12 in Sweet Corn allows for the production of healthy red blood cells and prevents anemia caused by nutritional deficiencies. [1]
6. Delays Aging
The high concentration of antioxidants in Sweet Corn can delay aging and help you maintain a youthful look for many years. [1]
7. Guards You Against Diabetes Mellitus
Sweet Corn has a low glycemic index and is absorbed very slowly into the bloodstream. This helps to stabilize your blood sugar levels and check sudden sugar spikes. [1]
8. Keeps Neurodegenerative Diseases At Bay
High amounts of Ferulic acid in Sweet Corn can create a defense system in your body against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease. [1]
9. Is anti-carcinogenic
One of the notable Sweet Corn health benefits is that it can protect you against various types of cancers. [1] Carotenes in Sweet Corn can reduce oxidative stress in your body, thereby preventing abnormal cell division, which causes cancer.
10. Fights Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
One of the Sweet Corn benefits is that it can improve the status of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by subduing the endoplasmic reticulum stress. [4] This, however, holds true only in the case of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
11. Relieves Constipation
High amounts of dietary fiber [1] in Sweet Corn can add bulk to your waste and push it down the digestive tract for easy, strain-free defecation.
12. Nutritional Support During Pregnancy
A high Folic acid content [1] in Sweet Corn makes it a beneficial food for pregnancy, as folic acid can protect the baby in its mother’s womb against congenital disabilities.
How to Consume Sweet Corns
Sweet corn is used diversely in many cuisines. You can find it on pizza toppings, in soups, in assorted vegetables, in many delicious starters and main course servings as well. Not just that but it can also be eaten raw. Its kernels are used to prepare popcorn.
We can cook sweet corn using following methods:
1.Boiling or Steaming on Stovetop
2.Grilling on charcoal
3.Microwaving/Frying corn kernels in oil
Here, we bring you a few sweet corn recipes that can be prepared easily.
Some Sweet Corn Recipes That You Can Try at Home
1. Boiled Sweet Corn
- Remove husk and threads from the corn.
- Put the water to boil in a pressure cooker.
- Put the corn cobs in the water and close the lid of the cooker.
- Get one whistle while on a medium flame.
- Wait for 7-8 mins, remove the lid, drain the water from the corn.
Post this, our sweet corn is ready to be garnished and served or used in different recipes.
2. Sweet Corn Chaat
- Take half a cup of boiled corn.
- Add salt as per your taste.
- Add some lemon juice to it.
- Top it with some chilli powder.
- Mix it well and serve.
You sweet corn chaat is ready!
3. Bhutta / Grilled Corn
- Take a sweet corn cob with the cocoon and the silk.
- Soak it in the water with its cocoon wrapped around it.
- Put it on the burning charcoal.
- Keep turning it and grilling it on all the sides.
- After it is grilled on all sides uniformly, let it cool a little.
- Open it up, remove the cocoon.
- Take a half lemon, put some salt on it and rub it all over the corn cob.
Your grilled corn is ready!
FAQs
1. What is the Ayurvedic perspective of Sweet Corn?
Ayurveda considers it a pacifying food for the Pitta and Kapha doshas. In ancient literature, ‘Bhojana Kutuhala,’ we get a mention of Sweet Corn. In the classical text, it is called ‘Umbi’ and ‘Rumbi.’ The attributes of Sweet Corn, according to Ayurveda, are as follows:
1) Madhura rasa (sweet taste)
2) Ruksha and Laghu Gunas (Dry and Light qualities)
3) Comes with Ushna Virya (heating potency)
4) Eliminates Tamas (negative mindset) and fosters rajas and sattva (positive mindset)
2. How to cook Sweet Corn without losing Vitamin C?
As Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, the best way to cook your sweet corn is by steaming it. That way we can prevent the loss of Vitamin C to a great extent.
3. Can we eat Sweet Corn daily?
Yes, but too much of anything can destroy its nutritional aspects in moderation.
Conclusion
Sweet corn isn’t just a treat for the taste buds; it’s a nutritional powerhouse offering a multitude of health pros! Bursting with vitamins A, B3, C, and E, plus essential minerals, sweet corn is more than just a delightful addition to your meals—it’s a health essential. Worried about energy crashes?
Sweet corn is here to provide a sustainable energy boost without sugar spikes. Concerned about chronic diseases? Its antioxidants fight off cancer and heart diseases for you. Not to forget, it aids digestion, supports weight management, and strengthens bones and muscles, making it an excellent post-workout snack.
To top it all off, it has skin-loving antioxidants and iron content, perfect for combating anemia. Bonus: it’s gluten-free, catering to various dietary needs. So, whether steamed, boiled, or spiced up, sweet corn isn’t just a culinary delight; it’s your ticket to a healthier, happier version of you. Embrace the goodness, savor the flavor, and let sweet corn elevate your well-being!
Disclaimer
This article is written from a health and wellness perspective and is not medical advice. Kindly seek the help of a certified medical practitioner before initiating any treatment.
References
- Sweet Corn – A Future Healthy Human Nutrition Food
- Processed fruits and vegetables have been long considered to have lower nutritional value than the fresh produce due to the loss of vitamin C during processing.
- Every 100 g of corn provides 365 calories and every 100 g of sweet corn provides 86 calories.
- Corn peptides ameliorate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress via the AMPKα/Sirt1 pathway in vivo and in vitro
