It's not one of our national celebration days today but instead we are celebrating sweetcorn!🌽Read on to find out more...
“Sweetcorn is a variety of maize grown for human consumption with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to starch inside the endosperm of the corn kernel. Unlike field corn varieties grown for animal fodder, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. “ (Wikipedia)
Sweetcorn (also known as sugar corn or pole corn) is an incredibly versatile vegetable. You can:
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Pop it |
BBQ it |
Make it into a soup |
Make it a dip |
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Make it a salad |
Boil it |
Make it into flour |
Add it to rice |
Some people think it is high in sugar due to its name, but it is as nutritious as any whole grain cereal.
Commonly known as maize, it is a starchy food in kernels on a cob, wrapped in a husk. The typical colour is yellow, but red, orange, purple, blue, white and black varieties are available.
Health Benefits of Corn
🌽1. High in fibre: Corn is beneficial for our overall health including our digestive system. It reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Corn makes us feel full, so it helps us not to overeat.
🌽2. Improves heart health: Corn is rich in fibre which helps to reduce our blood pressure and cholesterol. This in turn helps to prevent heart disease.
🌽3. Source of antioxidants: Corn is rich in vitamin C. This is a strong antioxidant which protects cells from damage and may prevent heart disease and cancer.
🌽4. Prevents diverticulitis: Diverticulitis is a widespread health issue which impacts the digestive system. Due to the high fibre content, eating corn is beneficial for gut health
🌽5. Eye health: Corn contains carotenoids, antioxidants that benefit eye health as they reduce lens damage that leads to cataracts.
🌽6. Enhances memory: Eating corn helps promote healthy brain function. It contains high levels of vitamin B1 (thiamine) which promotes the production of acetylcholine in our bodies. This is a neurotransmitter which helps us to remember.
🌽7. High in folate: Corn is high in folic acid so is an excellent food for pregnant women to eat to promote healthy foetal growth.
🌽8. High in vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 group helps with depression and promotes brain health.
🌽9. High in vitamin B3: Corn is high in vitamin B3 (niacin) which aids healthy digestion, healthy skin and a strong nervous system.
🌽10. High in potassium: Corn is high in potassium which is an essential mineral to help with blood pressure regulation and promotes a healthy heart.
Did you know?
- The tallest sweet corn plant in the world measured 10.74m. That’s 3 storeys high.
- There is one strand of silk per grain of corn.
- There are approximately 800 kernels on each ear of corn.
- An ear of corn always has an even number of rows.
- Sweet corn leaves were once used as chewing gum by Native Americans.
- Field corn (maize) has been grown for over 8000 years! Sweet corn is new in comparison, having been grown for only 1000 years.
- Yellow corn is healthier than white due to the beta carotenes in the colour, which our bodies turn to vitamin A.
- In the 1800’s when coffee was expensive and scarce, Americans used parched corn as a coffee substitute and the ashes of burnt cobs as baking soda.
- Many industrial products use corn including paper, antibiotics, glue, shoe polish, cosmetics and fireworks.
Come and enjoy the different ways we will be serving sweetcorn in our lunch menu today🌽
JB CAMPUS
Chicken and corn lasagna with salad (W)
Beef rendang with mixed vegetables and sweetcorn rice (A)
Creamy sweetcorn soup with garlic bread (V)
EP CAMPUS
Honey-lime tilapia and corn with potato and steamed vegetables (W)
Corn fried rice with Kung Pao chicken and fried kailan (A)
Black bean, vegetable burritos with steamed potato and corn salsa (V)