In the hot and humid summer, corn is a snack that can revive your lost appetite. It is a significant health food containing various beneficial ingredients. Corn has no waste from root to silk and is in season in the summer. There are multiple types, from sweet corn to glutinous corn, and countless ways to enjoy it. Let’s explore the various kinds of corn sold in the market and how to enjoy them.
Rich in dietary fiber
Corn contains a high amount of dietary fiber, one of the essential nutrients for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Thanks to this, preventing constipation and obesity is effective through the consumption of corn. One corn contains about 10g of soluble dietary fiber, equivalent to eating 5-6 fruits known for their high fiber content.
Food that digests slowly
Corn prevents overeating as it digests slowly and keeps you full for a long time. The unsaturated fatty acids in the corn kernels help flush out cholesterol in the blood, strengthening the blood vessels. The silk of the corn promotes diuretic action, which is suitable for smooth urination and edema removal.
Glutinous Corn vs. Sweet Corn
Corn is generally divided into chewy, glutinous, sweet, and savory. Sweet corn is further divided into regular corn with less than 10% sugar content and super sweet corn with more than 15% sugar content. Sweet corn has a strong, sweet taste, as most corn kernels have sugar starch. Glutinous corn can be used for snacks for its chewiness and to transform rice cakes.
Super Sweet Corn Craze Every Year
Super sweet corn is a snack that children mainly prefer for its crunchy texture and rich sweetness. It can be consumed raw, like fruit, and roasting it in a microwave or air fryer produces an even crunchier texture. To roast it in a microwave, leave one or two layers of husk and rotate it for about 3 minutes. To cook it in an air fryer, remove all the husks and rotate it at 180℃ for about 20-30 minutes to enjoy its crispiness.
Can it replace rice?
Many people replace a meal with corn in the hot summer since cooking or eating rice could be somewhat burdensome. Corn is low in fat and rich in vitamins and minerals, so it could assist in the diet. However, as corn doesn’t have essential amino acids, drink milk to supplement nutrients.
A high GI Index is a Disadvantage
One disadvantage of corn is its high GI (glycemic index), which can cause a sharp rise in blood sugar levels after consumption. Therefore, people with diabetes should limit the amount of corn consumption to less than one. It’s important to remember that frequently consuming high glycemic index foods can lead to insulin resistance over time, making blood sugar unmanageable.
How to Choose Good Corn
Good corn has a vivid green husk, tightly packed, and orderly kernels. It should have a slight elasticity, and the silk should be brown when pressed. On the other hand, avoid corn whose kernels have turned translucent, as it may have a hard texture.
Things that are good to eat with corn
Corn is often called an “incomplete protein food” as it lacks 2% of essential amino acids, lysine, and tryptophan. Therefore, you need to eat complete protein foods to supplement these. Corn with milk, eggs, meat, and other complete protein foods can appendage the amino acids dearth in corn. Bean soup noodles could also be a good match.
Good to eat as powder or tea
Due to corn’s inability to digest well, eating it as a powder or drinking it as tea is best. When corn is boiled or roasted, the digestion rate is about 30%, but when eaten as powder, it rises to 80%. Since excessive corn intake can overstimulate the intestines, it is recommended to consume it in moderation.
How can you store and eat corn for a long time?
If you have purchased a large amount of corn, storing it in the freezer is recommended. Given the characteristic of corn, where the sweetness and nutty flavor disappear as it is stored in the refrigerator, you can freeze all the kernels or peel off only the outer husk, wash it, remove the moisture, and freeze it. If you have room in your freezer, why not freeze a lot when it’s in season and enjoy it all year round?
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