![\"Ripe](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-180198107.jpg\")
Corn is a domesticated crop that originated<\/a> from teosinte, a wild grass genetically similar to corn, around 10,000 years ago in what is now Mexico. Indigenous peoples in both Central and North America have long practiced a form of companion planting<\/a> using corn, beans, and squash, which many call \u201cThe Three Sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n Both the Olmec and Mayan cultures extensively cultivated corn through ancient agricultural techniques and relied on it for their survival. It even played a role in their spirituality. In the Mayan creation story<\/a>, humans were created from masa or corn dough.<\/p>\n Corn is also often called maize<\/a>. While both words refer to the same plant, Zea mays L.<\/i>, their usage depends on whether you\u2019re in the US or Europe and how the corn is being used. In Europe, the word \u201ccorn\u201d has traditionally been used to refer to any form of grain. Nowadays, in many parts of the world, corn usually refers to the plant when it\u2019s used for food (corn kernels, corn on the cob, etc.), while maize may refer to crop fields and nonfood uses of the plant (such as ethanol and corn plastics).<\/strong><\/p>\n And now we come to one of the biggest corn questions of them all: Is corn a grain, a vegetable, or a fruit?<\/p>\n Apparently, that\u2019s a bit of a gray area. Corn on the cob is typically considered a vegetable. But when it comes to the individual kernels, those are whole grains. Kernels are also seeds (you can plant them to grow<\/a> popcorn!), and technically, that could even make corn a fruit! So, in truth, corn is a grain, a vegetable, a seed, and a fruit all in one! No wonder it\u2019s so versatile!<\/p>\n This is the yellow corn variety you\u2019re most likely to find on the cob or off the cob \u2014 fresh, canned, or frozen. Sweet corn is known for its taste because of its high sugar content. It\u2019s also different from other corn varieties because it\u2019s picked<\/a> for human consumption before it\u2019s fully mature. This ensures that the kernels stay soft and sweet rather turning hard and starchy. As a result, it also means fresh sweet corn doesn\u2019t keep as well as other types of corn.<\/p>\n Interestingly, sweet corn only makes up <\/b>1%<\/b><\/a> of the corn grown in the United States<\/b>. (More on the other 99% below!)<\/p>\n Often seen in the autumn, Indian corn is a beautiful variety with multicolored kernels. The unique colorings come<\/a> from the cross-pollination of single-color corn species. Indian corn is also called flint corn (on account of its hard kernels) and is one of the oldest<\/a> varieties of corn, which Native Americans taught early European immigrant explorers to grow.<\/p>\n Indian corn has hard kernel shells that shrink when cooked, making it less susceptible to spoiling than other varieties. Popcorn is actually a type of Indian corn with hard and slightly translucent kernels that explode from the inside out when heated.<\/strong><\/p>\n Although it\u2019s often used as table decor during the fall holidays, Indian corn is edible. It works best in dishes like polenta (boiled cornmeal) and hominy (corn cooked by nixtamalization<\/a>) because it doesn\u2019t taste sweet. Higher in starch than other varieties, Indian corn contains varying degrees of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, though these appear to be reduced<\/a> when the corn is boiled.<\/p>\n The dark color of blue corn comes from anthocyanins, which are pigments high in antioxidants. Anthocyanins can fight free radicals in the body and stave off disease. The anthocyanins in blue corn have specifically been studied<\/a> for their anticancer properties and demonstrated an antiproliferative effect on certain cancer cell lines.<\/p>\n Blue<\/a> corn is also slightly higher in protein, carbohydrates, and minerals than yellow<\/a> or white sweet corn.<\/strong> Because of their hard texture, blue corn varieties are not usually found in their whole food form. Instead, they\u2019re often ground up and used to make processed foods like tortillas, tortilla chips, and blue corn flour or cornmeal.<\/p>\n This corn variety is also called dent corn because of a distinct dent that forms when the kernels dry. Field corn is the most common commercially grown crop in the US, accounting for about 88.2<\/a> of the 88.5 million total acres<\/a> of corn grown.<\/strong> Most field corn grown in the US is also genetically engineered (aka bioengineered) \u2014 about 92%<\/a>. It is primarily used to feed livestock or create ingredients for processed foods such as cornstarch, corn oil, corn cereal, and high-fructose corn syrup. It\u2019s also used for nonedible creations such as corn plastics<\/a> and biofuels like ethanol<\/a>. About 45%<\/a> of total field corn is used for ethanol production, while another 40% is used for animal feed.<\/p>\n You might find baby corn in Chinese food, at a salad bar, or pickled in tiny jars at the grocery store. Many people assume that baby corn comes from a smaller species of corn. Surprise! Baby corn is just regular sweet or field corn picked<\/a> very prematurely.<\/strong><\/p>\n Corn\u2019s nutritional value varies depending on its color and variety. Overall, the majority of edible corn is indeed nutritious.<\/p>\n Sweet corn nutritional facts:<\/p>\n According to the USDA<\/a>, one medium-sized sweet corn ear has approximately 88 calories, 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates (including 2 g fiber and 6 g sugar), 2 mg calcium, and 275 mg potassium. Corn also contains folate, vitamin A, and choline.<\/p>\n As mentioned previously, when talking about the different types of corn, depending on the kernel colors, many corn varieties also contain a number of important antioxidants. The majority of phytochemicals in corn can be found in the bran and germ<\/a>.<\/strong> That\u2019s why whole corn and whole grain corn products are more nutritious than more refined foods, which may only be made from the endosperm<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to health-promoting antioxidants, edible corn offers some other health benefits, too:<\/p>\n Corn is high<\/a> in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoid compounds naturally found in the macula of your eyes. Lutein and zeaxanthin<\/a> in foods have been studied for their impact on preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A study in JAMA <\/i>found<\/a> that of 365 adult men and women, those who consumed the highest amounts of these compounds had a 43% reduced risk of AMD compared to those who ate the lowest amounts. A more recent study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences <\/i>also showed that sweet corn extract had anti-inflammatory activity<\/a><\/strong> capable of preventing AMD.<\/p>\n The high fiber content of corn is probably good for your gut. Fiber<\/a> is essential for digestive health. It\u2019s been shown to reduce the risk of digestive diseases like colorectal cancer and diverticulitis.<\/p>\n People with diverticulitis have traditionally been told<\/a> to avoid eating popcorn. But a 2008 study published in JAMA <\/i>followed over 47,000 men between the ages of 40 and 75 with no history of diverticulitis for 18 years. Researchers found<\/a> that men who ate popcorn at least two times per week had a significantly lower risk of developing diverticulitis than men who ate no popcorn.<\/strong> As a result of this and other studies, official recommendations for diverticulitis<\/a> have been updated.<\/p>\n Corn has anticancer activity due to the presence of bioactive peptides<\/a>, which are small protein fragments that can influence biological processes in the body. They work by promoting apoptosis, which is the programmed death of cancer cells, and by inhibiting the growth and spread of tumors. Corn-derived nanoparticles have also been studied<\/a> as a possible adjuvant to cancer therapy.<\/strong> The particles have been found to shrink tumors without damaging organs, unlike chemotherapy which can be harsh on organs.<\/p>\n Additionally, corn (especially darker varieties like blue and Indian corn<\/a>) has strong antioxidant properties that can help protect cells from oxidative stress. By reducing oxidative damage in the body and supporting the immune system, the peptides and antioxidants in corn can play a significant role in cancer prevention.<\/p>\n Sweet corn, in particular, is an excellent source of hydration and is composed of about 76% water<\/a> when fresh. It also provides essential electrolytes<\/a> such as potassium and magnesium. Potassium<\/a> helps regulate fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions, while magnesium<\/a> is crucial for muscle and nerve function, blood sugar control, and bone health, among other things. These electrolytes are essential for maintaining proper hydration levels and overall health, especially in hot climates where dehydration risks are higher.<\/p>\n Eating corn for hydration is particularly beneficial in lower-income regions where access to clean water and balanced nutrition may be limited. Glucose polymers from corn and other starchy grains have been used to create oral rehydration solutions<\/a> for cholera and other diarrheal illnesses in developing nations.<\/strong><\/p>\n Popcorn is a whole grain with many of the same nutrients as sweet corn or field corn, including a significant amount of fiber<\/a> and polyphenols<\/a>. Although there are many delicious ways to prepare this popular snack, the mode of preparation is key. That\u2019s where an originally healthy snack can transform into an unhealthy one.<\/p>\n For instance, many microwave popcorn bags contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to thyroid<\/a> problems and ADHD<\/a>. Many packaged popcorn brands also contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils<\/a>, which can contain trans fats that are harmful<\/a> to your heart health. And what about if it has fake butter on it, like what\u2019s used on movie theater popcorn? \u201cButtery flavor,\u201d as it\u2019s called, often contains a host of nasty ingredients. One of the worst is a chemical called diacetyl, which has been linked<\/a> to a condition called \u201cpopcorn lung<\/a>\u201d \u2014 a type of constrictive bronchiolitis. Yikes.<\/p>\n If you like the taste of popcorn, it\u2019s best to enjoy it air-popped.<\/strong> That way, you can avoid the oils and chemicals used in processing most commercially available popcorn. And instead of mounds of melted butter and salt, try popcorn with healthier toppings. Sprinkle some nutritional yeast, lemon juice, herbal seasoning, hot sauce, curry powder, garlic powder, onion powder, a dash of sea salt, and\/or other herbs and spices on top. Some people even like it with cinnamon. The possibilities are endless!<\/p>\n A corn allergy is considered rare<\/a> but can cause a range of symptoms, from mild to severe. Individuals with corn allergies may experience hives, itching, swelling, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, or even anaphylaxis after consuming corn or corn-derived products.<\/p>\n Corn is not one of the \u201cBig 9<\/a>\u201d allergens, but a severe allergy can still be extremely prohibitive since corn derivatives are in almost everything you can think of<\/a>.<\/strong> Corn is also found in many processed foods, making it challenging to avoid in food from the grocery store.<\/p>\n Individuals who suspect they have a corn allergy should read food labels carefully and consult with an allergist for proper diagnosis and management. Corn allergies and sensitivities are usually diagnosed through an elimination diet or allergy testing by a health care professional.<\/p>\n As mentioned previously, corn is a common ingredient in many processed foods. From high-fructose corn syrup to cornstarch to the additive maltodextrin, corn derivatives are often used as sweeteners, thickeners, and fillers in various products.<\/p>\n Using corn in processed foods is economical for the US food industry because it\u2019s a commodity crop<\/a>, meaning the government subsidizes it, which in effect drives down the price.<\/strong><\/p>\n But corn-derived ingredients in processed foods are often unhealthy because they may have been largely or completely stripped of the fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants originally in the corn. What\u2019s worse, high-fructose corn syrup is made from corn starch<\/a> and is linked to an increased risk of obesity, cancer<\/a>, type 2 diabetes<\/a>, and metabolic syndrome<\/a>. These ingredients may be high in calories but are low in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, leading to poor dietary quality. They\u2019re also often combined with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and a variety of chemicals. And as if that wasn\u2019t bad enough, the convenience and palatability of processed foods make them easy to overconsume, exacerbating the health risks.<\/p>\n Most corn, especially field corn, is grown in enormous monocultures<\/a> with little to no rotation of crops. Partly as a result of this, corn is highly susceptible to pests. So it\u2019s often sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, most of which the thick corn husk prevents from infiltrating the edible corn itself. But that doesn\u2019t stop these chemicals from being incredibly harmful<\/a> to the environment and to species that come in contact with these poisons, like bees.<\/p>\n Genetic modification, or bioengineering<\/a> (BE), is another strategy employed by agribusiness in its war against the pests that pose a particular threat to monocultures. As of 2023, at least 90% of corn <\/b>grown<\/b><\/a> in the United States was genetically modified.<\/b><\/p>\n One goal of BE corn is to make it resistant to herbicides<\/a> (like Bayer\u2019s RoundUp<\/a>). What\u2019s more, most genetically modified corn can produce a protein that\u2019s naturally made by Bacillus thuringiensis<\/i> (Bt) bacteria, which kills pests like the southwestern corn borer that can threaten corn crops. When the corn borer eats this kind of BE corn, the bug\u2019s intestines explode, causing rapid death.<\/p>\n Historically, Bt was sometimes sprayed on the outside of plants, as a pesticide \u2014 and it could even be washed off. But with BE crops, it\u2019s built in and found in literally every cell of the plant \u2014 with the result that humans are now eating it in unprecedented quantities<\/a>.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s more bad news. Bt corn worked to repel pests for a while, but now the pests appear to be building a resistance<\/a> to the corn\u2019s toxin. How do farmers protect the crops when that starts to happen? By spraying with more pesticides, of course.<\/p>\n The good news is that there is no BE popcorn<\/a> (although it may still be treated with pesticides). And the <\/b>majority<\/b><\/a> of sweet corn (the kind people eat the most frequently) is not genetically modified<\/b>. Sweet corn is on the Environmental Working Group\u2019s Clean Fifteen<\/a> list of crops that contain the least pesticide residues. However, Bayer<\/a> isn\u2019t standing idly by when there\u2019s money to be made. Now, between 10 and 25% of sweet corn<\/a> sold in stores may be bioengineered.<\/p>\n If you want to avoid BE corn, there are a couple of actions<\/a> you can take. First, you can ask your local farmers if they\u2019re planting genetically modified seeds. This is, of course, easiest to do if you\u2019re buying directly from them at a local farmers market<\/a> or through a CSA<\/a>. You can also look for USDA Organic corn or Non-GMO Project certified corn. Neither of these certifications allows for the use of GMO (BE) crops. (For more on the difference between organic and non-GMO \/ non-BE, click here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Over half<\/a> of the grain grown in the US, and a strong majority of the corn, is fed to livestock, not humans.<\/strong> It takes about 2.5 pounds of corn<\/a> to produce one pound of feedlot beef, or around 2,800 pounds of corn per animal<\/a>. This isn\u2019t exactly the peak of efficiency. In fact, modern meat production is something of a protein factory in reverse.<\/p>\n And feed corn (almost all of which is field corn) uses an immense amount of natural resources. In fact, it uses more water<\/a> for irrigation than most other feedlot grains and requires more fertilizer<\/a> than any other crop (due to total acreage). Fertilizers are rich in nitrogen and phosphate, which are linked<\/a> to the development of ocean dead zones as agricultural runoff reaches our waterways. Corn production is responsible<\/a> for approximately 40% of the nitrogen pollution in agricultural runoff.<\/p>\n In the United States, corn also uses more <\/b>land<\/b><\/a> than any other crop \u2014 about 92 million acres<\/b>. Meanwhile, there are nearly one billion<\/a> people hungry or starving around the world. If we stopped cycling so much corn and other crops through livestock and cars, we\u2019d free up vast amounts of land and water, which could be used to grow food directly for humans.<\/p>\n The counterintuitive reality is that a typical factory-farmed steak contains significantly more corn and soy than a dinner of corn on the cob and tofu.<\/b><\/p>\n If you have a corn allergy, as some people do, then, of course, it goes without saying (but should be said anyway): Don\u2019t eat corn. But is corn good for you? For most people, unprocessed, non-BE corn is a nutritious food that can be a healthy addition to your diet. You can experiment with different ways to enjoy corn, knowing you\u2019re enjoying a long-standing and nourishing staple food that\u2019s tasty and has some intriguing health benefits.<\/p>\n Featured Image: iStock.com\/AllNikArt<\/i><\/p>\n Corn is one of the most widely eaten foods in the world. It\u2019s also incredibly versatile. You\u2019ll find corn in baked goods and bread, popped as a snack, grilled on the cob, fed to cows, used to fuel cars, and as the base ingredient for a huge range of processed foods and additives. But is corn good for you? And how do you choose the healthiest corn to eat?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":16899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,2638,2639,2642],"tags":[370,2273,208,81,2024,1674,141,358],"class_list":["post-16896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-blog","category-food","category-health","category-social-impact","tag-agriculture","tag-eye-health","tag-factory-farming","tag-gmos","tag-grains","tag-gut-health","tag-pesticides","tag-vegetables","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTypes of Corn and Corn Varieties<\/h2>\n
1. Sweet Corn<\/h3>\n
2. Indian Corn (or Flint Corn)<\/h3>\n
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3. Blue, Purple, or Black Corn<\/h3>\n
4. Field Corn<\/h3>\n
![\"Field](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-613254134.jpg\")
5. Baby Corn<\/h3>\n
Corn Nutrition<\/h2>\n
![\"Boiled](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-1267077782.jpg\")
The Health Benefits of Corn<\/h2>\n
1. Corn may help keep your eyes healthy.<\/h3>\n
2. Corn may be good for your gut.<\/h3>\n
![\"young](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-864494148.jpg\")
3. Corn may have anticancer properties.<\/h3>\n
4. Corn is a hydrating food and provides essential electrolytes.<\/h3>\n
![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-880205342.jpg\")
What About Popcorn?<\/h2>\n
![\"Top](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-974969254.jpg\")
Health Downsides to Corn<\/h2>\n
Corn Allergy<\/h3>\n
Corn in Processed Foods<\/h3>\n
![\"Unhealthy](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-1722539534.jpg\")
Environmental Concerns about Corn<\/h2>\n
![\"Corn](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-1029413620.jpg\")
Pesticides and Bioengineering (BE)<\/h3>\n
Corn as Feed Rather Than Food<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/iStock-506011160.jpg\")
Kernels of Truth: Should You Eat Corn?<\/h2>\n
Tell us in the comments:<\/h4>\n
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Read Next:<\/h4>\n
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