Bella Adams
Corn is a tasty and healthy food product that occupies one of the main places among cereals. Due to its versatility, this plant is popular in the food industry in any form, because the dishes prepared from it are incredibly tasty, filling the body with energy, vitamins, and minerals. What benefits and harms can corn bring to the body’s health, is raw and boiled corn good for you, and what vitamins and nutrients does it contain? Let’s talk about it!
Corn is one of the oldest cultivated plants. The history of corn (also known as maize) dates back to Mexico.
During excavations in Mexico City, pollen and ears of corn were found, which are 55 thousand years old. It is believed that it was there, 12-15 thousand years ago, that it was first cultivated. The corn cobs of those days were many times smaller than the modern ones. The length of the fruit was about 4 centimeters.
Scientists have never found the wild ancestors of corn. This grain is not able to grow on its own.
Therefore, despite the known facts of corn’s history, its very origin is still shrouded in mystery.
Corn is an annual cereal that is distributed almost all over the world. It has a thick, tall stalk with cobs, which form the grains. A ripe ear of corn should be yellow in color with dense kernels.
Composition of corn
Unlike many other bowls of cereal, corn contains a sufficient amount of protein, so this product is very well-suited as a meat substitute for people who follow a vegetarian lifestyle.
At the same time, the caloric content of corn (338.4 kcal/100 g) and its balanced chemical composition allow you to maintain all metabolic processes in excellent shape.
Nutritional value of corn: carbohydrates – 67.5 g; fiber – 2.1 g; proteins – 10.8 g; fats – 4.9 g.
The most valuable vitamin in corn is vitamin B4, which is present in excess in this grain.
It is this important component that helps to normalize cholesterol levels, protect cell membranes, stimulate metabolic processes in the body, and maintain a normal weight.
Corn also contains other vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, E, H, and PP.
Corn cobs contain important minerals – phosphorus, and calcium – active substances that are vital for humans, especially at an early age or during intense exercise.
Other minerals in corn: Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron, Zinc, Iodine, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, and Fluorine.
Useful properties of corn
Corn contains many B vitamins that are beneficial for nerve cells and help treat various diseases of the nervous system, including epilepsy and polio.
Corn is useful to eat during depression and stressful situations, as it helps the nervous system cope with them.
Eating corn products has a cleansing effect on the human body, as the substances contained in corn help to remove heavy and toxic substances.
Due to its high antioxidant content, corn slows down the aging process.
It also helps prevent cancer.
Corn kernels are also beneficial for women. They reduce pain during menstruation and ease the course of menopause. In addition, corn has a positive effect on a woman’s fertility.
During pregnancy, you should also eat corn, which will help relieve swelling, reduce nausea and give the expectant mother strength.
Corn helps to rejuvenate the skin by slowing down the aging process of cells. It makes it firm, tender, and elastic.
The fatty acids contained in corn improve the regulation of cholesterol levels, they form compounds with it that dissolve and are no longer deposited anywhere in the body.
This cereal relieves joint pain in arthritis.
Phytin, as well as glutamic acid, which corn contains, improves well-being in case of fatigue, exhaustion, nausea and vomiting, and anemia, and reduces the effects of heavy food and alcohol intake.
Corn kernels slow down the processes of fermentation and decomposition in the intestinal tract. This property will be useful for enterocolitis and will also help people on a diet. Corn also reduces appetite, which can help with weight loss.
This cereal is also useful for men – it helps fight impotence.
The tincture of corn stigmas or their extract improves bile production and improves its properties.
Preparations made from stigmas increase blood clotting, so they help with hypothrombinemia and similar diseases and increase the number of platelets.
With regular consumption of corn, the following healing properties are manifested: sugar levels stabilize; dangerous cholesterol levels decrease; heart and liver function improves; blood clotting improves; puffiness is relieved; memory and brain function improve; immunity is strengthened; the body rejuvenates.
Corn is incredibly useful for athletes, as the healing substances in its composition are an excellent material for the formation of muscle fibers. These substances are an excellent substitute for chemical additives and drugs, as they do not harm the body. Vitamin E, which is also present in large quantities in this product, improves oxygen absorption by muscle tissue, which is important during training and physical activity. In addition to actively participating in the formation of muscle mass, grains provide an excellent energy boost, as well as support and strengthen the bone system due to phosphorus and calcium, preventing it from deforming during strength loads.
Regular consumption of corn helps to get rid of such unpleasant diseases as hepatitis, cholecystitis, nephritis, epilepsy, gout, and kidney disease, as well as prevent the development of cancer and slow the spread of cancer.
Benefits and harms of boiled corn
Most often, corn is eaten in boiled form, but during heat treatment, many nutrients are destroyed, so the result is a less healthy dish. The boiled product retains its proteins, kernel hulls, and B vitamins in their entirety, which has a positive effect on metabolism, rejuvenation, and relief from nervous disorders, stress, and depression.
Benefits of corn oil
Corn oil is an effective herbal remedy for fighting atherosclerosis. In order to remove excess cholesterol from the body, it is enough to take 3 tablespoons of it a day.
The oil obtained from corn seeds helps to reduce the risk of developing dermatological diseases. Corn oil is used in the treatment of gallbladder diseases. Two small sips of oil a day help to improve the tone of this organ, increase the contractile activity of its walls, and normalize the functioning of the sphincter of Oddi.
Corn germ oil is used as an adjuvant for internal use in the treatment of diabetes.
Corn oil contains a whole range of compounds that improve the condition of skin, hair, and nails.
Corn and diet
Corn kernels have properties that promote weight loss, which is why nutritionists recommend this product to their overweight patients. First of all, getting rid of extra pounds is influenced by the fact that corn, when it enters the body, removes the symptoms of constipation, cleanses toxins and toxins, and normalizes the gastrointestinal tract.
Corn as a product quickly saturates the body, reduces hunger, prevents excess fat from being absorbed, and the diuretic effect achieved through the use of this product helps to get rid of excess fluid and cellulite.
Thus, adding corn to a healthy diet will help you lose weight without harming your health.
Corn in cooking
Corn cobs are eaten raw, boiled with salt, baked, or grilled. The kernels are dried and then made into popcorn or processed into corn grits, which are used to make hearty porridge.
Children love cornsticks and flakes made from this product. Corn kernels are added to first courses, salads, snacks, stews, and complex side dishes.
Also, the grain goes well with dairy products, eggs, meat, cheese, honey, fish, fruits, and vegetables, so these products can be safely added to the diet to improve the taste and health properties of this cereal.
Corn is incredibly healthy, but when eating it, it is important not to exceed the norm of one cob per day.
Corn in cosmetology
Corn is not only a useful food and medicinal product. It is also actively used in the creation of cosmetic products, as it is rich in minerals and vitamins of groups E and K, which are necessary for skin, hair, and nails.
The oil extracted from corn germ is very good for restoring dry and damaged skin, it eliminates peeling, promotes cell renewal and rejuvenation, restores skin elasticity and protective barrier, and eliminates wrinkles.
Corn starch, on the contrary, is a part of care products for oily and combination skin, acts as an absorbent, but also nourishes and protects the skin, and it is considered the basis of skin care in cosmetology. Due to its hypoallergenic properties, it is a part of baby powders, which not only dry but also protect the delicate skin of the child.
How to choose and store corn
Corn can be harvested by yourself or bought in a store or market. Before buying, you should pay attention to the appearance. The leaves on the cob should not be dry or separated from the fruit, otherwise, it indicates that it has been outdoors for a long time, which means it is harmful to health due to staleness and the growth of germs.
In order for the cob to retain its beneficial properties for a long time, it is important to understand how to store this product properly. Before you put corn in the refrigerator, you need to husk it and remove the “hair”. The peeled cob should be placed in salted water and left in this form for 20 minutes. Then you can drain the water, and then separate the kernels from the cob and place them in a tight container. In this form, corn is stored for three weeks.
So, as a valuable product rich in vitamins and nutrients, corn can be a useful addition to the daily diet, especially for children and those who want to follow a healthy diet. Therefore, follow all the recommendations you have received today and be healthy!
