Corn

History

Corn was first discovered by Columbus in Cuba in 1492. The most cultivated plant in ancient America, corn comes in varied forms as dent corn, flint corn, flour corn, popcorn, sweet corn, waxy corn, and pod corn.

The corn growing areas in earlier times extended from southern North Dakota and both sides of the lower St. Lawrence Valley southward to northern Argentina and Chile.

Purpose/Use

In commercially prepared foods corn is used as a thickener and a sweetener. Locally, corn is also eaten raw after roasting it over low flame. Corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup are less expensive alternatives that are often used in American-made processed and mass-produced foods, candies, soft drinks and fruit drinks.

Chapatis, an Indian preparation essentially are also made from corn flour.

Features & Benefits

Corn is a rich source of vitamin B1, B5, C, E, folic acid, magnesium and phosphorus. Though low in proteins, it is considered a rich source of carbohydrates, fiber and fatty acids. It is also a rich source of folate that helps generating new cells.

In case you use cooked sweet corn, it has significant antioxidant activity. One stands reducing the chance of heart disease and cancer, in case one uses cooked sweet corn regularly.