Many of us love to eat hot, spicy sweet corn whenever we go to market. These days it is available in a wide variety of flavors like pepper, hot-spicy, chat masala, chinese etc. It is also used as an ingredient in various dishes like pizzas and even added in various vegetable curries. And this article aims at informing you of the nutritional benefits of sweet corn.
Sweet corn also called Indian corn, sugar corn, or pole corn is a variety of maize with a high sugar content. It is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes which controls the conversion of sugar to starch inside the endosperm of the corn kernel.
How it is Prepared?
Sweet corn is picked when it is in the immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet corn stores it poorly and must be eaten fresh, canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy.
Sweet corn seeds are widely used in many vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and salads. It is prepared by boiling or steaming the kernels without adding salt to them.
The Nutritional value of sweet corn:
Sweet corn is an excellent source of folate, vitamin B1, vitamin B5, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, dietary fiber, and manganese.
The nutritional value of sweet corn is as follows:
| Energy |
86 kcal |
| Protein |
3.2 g |
| Carbohydrates |
19.02 g |
| Sugars |
3.22 g |
| Fat |
1.18 g |
| Dietary Fiber |
2.7 g |
| Water Potassium |
75.96 g |
| Vitamin A |
9 μg |
| Thiamine (Vit. B1) |
0.200 mg (17%) |
| Niacin (Vit. B3) |
1.700 mg (11%) |
| Folate (Vit. B9) |
46 μg (12%) |
| Vitamin C |
6.8 mg (8%) |
| Iron |
0.52 mg (4%) |
| Magnesium |
37 mg (10%) |
Sweet corns are available both in fresh and canned forms. So, it is always advisable to check the labels before buying canned sweet corn because it contains corn syrup which acts as a preservative which is found to be harmful for health.
Health Benefits of Sweet Corn:
• Sweet corn is a good source of folate and therefore helpful in maintaining a good health for our heart.
• Another major health benefit from sweet corn consumption is the increase in memory levels.
• Sweet corn consumption is found to be very beneficial for smokers as it help in reducing the risk of lung cancer by 37 %.
• It also contains small traces of vitamins B and C, and other micronutrients such as manganese, phosphorus, folates, and dietary fiber.
• Beta carotene gives the sweet corn its rich orange, red color which avert signs of lung cancer and promotes lung health.
• Sweet corn also provides digestive benefits and lowers the risk of intestinal problems.
