Food and Nutrition: Corn

A rich source of calories and is a staple among dietary habits in many populations.

Corn (Maize)

The history of modern-day corn (Scientific name: Zea mays (Maize) begins at the dawn of human agriculture, about 10,000 years ago. A member of the grass family, it was first domesticated from a wild grain by Aztec and Mayan Indians in Mexico and Central America. The word “corn” has many different meanings depending on what country you are in. Corn in the United States is also called maize or Indian corn. Corn in England means wheat; in Scotland and Ireland, it refers to oats.

Benefits:

• Sweet corn is gluten-free cereal and may be used safely in celiac disease individuals much like rice, quinoa, etc.
• Contains good levels of some of the valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folates, riboflavin, and pyridoxine.
• A good source of phenolic flavonoid antioxidant, ferulic acid. Several research studies suggest that ferulic acid plays vital role in preventing cancers, ageing, and inflammation in humans.
• Sweet corn is loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote healthy vision.
• Contains healthy amounts of some important minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.
• Corn has a significant level of iron, an essential mineral needed to form new red blood cells; a deficiency in iron is one of the main causes of anemia.
• A rich source of antioxidants which fight cancer-causing free radicals. In fact, unlike many other foods, cooking actually increases the amount of usable antioxidants in sweet corn.
• Vitamin B12 and folic acid present in corn prevent anemia caused by a deficiency of these vitamins.
• Fibre in corn aids in alleviating digestive problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids, as well as lowering the risk of colon cancer due to corn being a whole-grain.