Nutritional Facts and Benefits of corn

Corn: Nutritional Facts and Benefits

Corn is widely consumed across the world in numerous forms – boiled, corn on the cob, popcorn, and so on. Corn is not only easy to cook with and incredibly delicious but is also packed with essential nutrition. It is a highly fibrous food item that is also rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and essential micronutrients like potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, C, and folate. It has now become popular all across the world and is used as a staple food item in numerous countries. The golden goodness of corn helps you manage diabetes, hemorrhoids, anemia, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and much more.

Nutritional Value of Corn

Every 150g of raw corn has approximately these nutritional values.

• Fat                                              02g
• Protein                                       05g
• Fiber                                          03g
• Sugars                                        09g
• Carbohydrates                           27g
• Calories                                     125
• Magnesium                               54 mg
• Calcium                                    03 mg
• Vitamin C                                 9.86 mg
• Vitamin A                                 271 IU
• Potassium                                 392 mg

Corn is also rich in many antioxidants, like Ferulic acid, Anthocyanins, Lutein, and Phytic acid. Though major sugar in corn is sucrose, it is low in glycemic index owing to high fiber content. The nutritional value varies among different corn-based foods like corn flour, tortillas, corn syrup, because of different types of processing techniques.

Health Benefits of Consuming Corn

1. Promotes eye health

Corn helps Improve eye health. due to the high quantity of vitamin A and antioxidants in corn, they are perfect for maintaining good eye health. They help enhance your vision and prevent macular degeneration, which eventually leads to medical problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, and complete blindness.


2. Reduces risk of diabetes

Corn helps reduce the risk of diabetes, The Anthocyanin component in corn is highly beneficial in maintaining insulin and glucose levels in your body. Moderate consumption of corn can help you reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes to a large extent by reducing insulin resistance and thus preventing blood sugar levels from going too high.

3. Helps maintain a healthy heart

corn helps maintain a healthy heart. Corn is rich in potassium and magnesium, which are well-known for maintaining blood pressure and a healthy heart. Potassium helps reduce blood pressure, while magnesium helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. Corn also has a lot of fiber, which is great for reducing bad cholesterol levels in your body.

4. Enables weight loss

Corn enables weight loss because Corn has high fiber content that makes it a good agent for weight loss. Owing to its insoluble fiber content, corn facilitates slow digestion. Corn also has high protein content, it provides high satiety value while preventing overeating. Moreover, with high amounts of antioxidants in corn, it helps in reducing inflammation and improving metabolism. This in turn of weight loss, helps in healthy weight loss.

5. Improves gut health

The high fiber content in corn promotes the growth of healthy bacteria, which, in turn, improves your gut health tremendously. Your bowel movements become increasingly regular, and it helps you feel light all day. These good bacteria are also crucial in reducing the risk or preventing colon cancer altogether.


6. Prevent skin damage

Corn is high in Vitamin C, which is an important element to prevent skin damage. High levels of Vitamin C help neutralize free radicals, thus preventing hyperpigmentation and fine lines. It helps fade facial acne scars to make your skin appear clearer. Vitamin C also helps in collagen synthesis that causes faster-wound healing, moist, and healthier skin.


7. Keeps energy levels high

Corn helps keep energy levels high, Since corn is high in carbohydrates (27g in every 150g of raw corn), they are an excellent food option to increase your energy levels. These carbohydrates are digested slowly, which allows you to keep getting energy for a longer period. You can now stay active and energized without feeling pangs of hunger regularly.


8. Reduces the risk of developing anemia

Nutrients like iron and vitamin C are essential for preventing anemia. Iron helps in the production of hemoglobin that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen more efficiently. Similarly, Vitamin C enhances iron absorption and red blood cell production. Corn is rich in both these components, which makes it beneficial in helping reduce the risk of anemia.


9. Helps during pregnancy

Corn helps during pregnancy Expecting mothers need high levels of iron and folic acid, both of which are richly present in corn. Folic acid is a crucial element required for neural cells, including brain tissues and the spinal cord. It is also important to prevent low birth weight, miscarriages, and premature labor. Folic acid protects the mother by reducing the risk of heart problems and high blood pressure during pregnancy. 

Now we discuss some Frequently Asked Questions on CORN.

Qus. Is corn considered good for weight loss?

Ans.  When eaten in moderation, corn helps in weight loss owing to the high content of fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants.

Qus. Can we eat corn everyday?

Ans. Absolutely. Due to nutritional benefits, its daily consumption will bestow many health benefits. Though intake should be limited to moderation because of high starch content.

Qus. Can a diabetic person eat corn?

Ans. Corn has a low glycemic index which can be taken by diabetics while taking care of serving size. However, this index varies among different corn-based foods and thus, options loaded with sugar like cornflakes, butter or caramel popcorn, etc, should be avoided.

Qus. Are canned sweet corn healthy?

Ans. There are studies that revealed that fiber and antioxidant content in canned corn are the same as fresh ones, although vitamin C is lost during the canning process.

Qus. When is the best time to eat corn?

Ans.  Corn can be eaten at any time of the day. It can be enjoyed with the main course or as a snack. You can include it with salads, flatbread, or in stir-fry veggies. However, make sure to avoid carb-laden options like caramelized popcorn, cream-based corn dishes, etc.