Dina Saeed/Shutterstock
Corn (maize) is known as a golden staple crop. More than just delicious it also holds beneficial medicinal properties. Eating corn can help protect the eyes and may minimize the risk of some cancers, while its roots, leaves, and whiskers (silks) can be used to treat various diseases.
Corn is available as both genetically modified (GM) and non-genetically modified. Here we focus on organic corn, which is not genetically modified.
Eat Corn to Supplement Macular Pigment, Protect Eyes From Blue Light
Corn is rich in zeaxanthin and lutein—antioxidants that can resist the blue rays produced by electronic products such as computers and mobile phones, protect the eyes, and prevent retinal macular degeneration.
Zeaxanthin and lutein are important components that form the macula on the retina. A meta-analysis of more than 40,000 participants found that increasing dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin significantly reduced the risk of developing cataracts in older participants and reduced the chance of blindness.
As Dietary Fiber Supplement to Prevent Gastric Cancer
The dietary fiber in corn can also promote intestinal peristalsis, absorb, and discharge harmful substances in the body, and reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer.
A 2020 study published in Nutrition Journal showed that whole grain intake was inversely associated with the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers. Comparing participants with the highest intake of whole grains with those with the lowest intake, the researchers found that those who ate the most whole grains had a cancer risk reduction of 11, 36, and 47 percent in colorectal, gastric, and esophageal cancer, respectively.
Different Types of Corn
The most common types of corn are white, fruit, sweet, and waxy corn.
There are two types of sweet corn—yellow and white. Sweet corn has small, tender, and delicious grains and a flimsy sheath. It can be added to soups and other dishes, grilled, lightly boiled, or even eaten raw right off the cob.
Fruit corn is a new variety that has only appeared in recent years. It is sweet, juicy, and very popular. It can be eaten raw or cooked. It takes about 5 minutes to cook, but be careful—it loses its sweetness if cooked too long.
Waxy corn comes in three different colors: white, purple-black, and intermingled purple, white. It has a cloudy, opaque, and waxy. It gives a soft and elastic feeling on biting and chewing. Purple corn is rich in anthocyanins—natural antioxidants that help maintain body health.
Recipe 1: Radish and Corn Pork Rib Soup
Share this 4-person recipe made with an electric rice cooker.
Ingredients:
- 300 grams (10.6 ounces) of short pork ribs
- 1 white radish
- 2 ears of corn, shucked
- 1 carrot
- 1500 ml (3.2 pints) of water
Preparation:
- Blanch the pork ribs to remove the blood
- Cut the corn (including the cob), white radish, and carrot into slices
- Add the pork ribs, carrot, radish, and corn into the inner pot
- Pour 1500 ml (3.2 pints) of water into the inner pot and a cup and a half of water in the outer pot
- After the electric rice cooker cycle ends, season to taste
Recipe 2: Stir-Fried Baby Corn With Two Color Bell Peppers
Baby corn is unripe young corn. It is low in calories, and suitable for roasting, boiling, or frying. Baby corn has good fiber content, and is low in calories. This dish is colorful, rich in flavor, and balanced in nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 8 baby corns, cut into oblique sections
- one half each of a yellow, and red bell pepper, seeded and shredded
- 6 sweet peas, ends removed
- 200 grams (7 ounces) fresh shrimp, shelled
- 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
- 2 sliced garlic
Seasoning:
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Preparation:
- Blanch the baby corn and sweet peas in boiling water for 30 seconds, take them out, and set aside.
- Blanch shrimp in hot water for 10 seconds and take them out for later use.
Preparation:
- On medium heat, add two tsp of cooking oil to the frying pan.
- Add garlic, and sauté until fragrant.
- Add shredded carrots, mushroom slices, and sauté for a short while.
- Add corn shoots, sweet peas, shredded bell peppers, and shrimp for a quick stir fry.
- Add seasonings, stir fry once more, and serve.
Corn Silk Tea Improves Kidney Disease, Diuresis, Swelling, and Blood Sugar
You might think twice before throwing the corn silk away—it’s a valuable natural medicinal substance good for diuretic, hypoglycemic treatment. Clinically, some doctors advise patients to drink cornsilk tea to improve poor urination and help control blood sugar. Corn silk can also improve kidney disease, invigorate the stomach, aid in digestion, promote water absorption, and reduce swelling.
You can find corn silk at Chinese pharmacies and herbal stores, or ask at your local store or farm stand to have it reserved for you.
Preparation of corn silk tea:
- 2.6 ounces clean, dry, cornsilk
- 2.7 ounces tangerine peel
- 1-ounce barley
Add the ingredients to 2 pints (1000 ml) of water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
Corn Silk and Root to Treat Painful, Frequent Urination
If you are prone to frequent urination, in addition to drinking corn silk tea, there is also a secret little recipe available: tea with corn roots and corn silk. Corn root has also diuretic properties. You can buy corn root from an herbal store, or directly from a farmer.
To prepare:
- 30 grams (1.1 ounces) each of corn silk and corn root
- Boil with water to make a tea/soup
- Remove the dregs and drink
Optional: Add a little sugar
Corn Roots and Leaves for Urinary Tract Stones
If you have a urinary tract infection, you may experience difficulty urinating and even have sandy crystals and stones expelled from the urethra, which is very painful. For relief, try using corn roots and leaves for treatment.
This remedy originated from the “Compendium of Materia Medica” written by Li Shizhen, a great medical scientist in the Ming Dynasty.To prepare, wash and chop corn roots and leaves, decoct them into soup/tea, and drink it frequently. This can help excess urine and stones to be expelled and ease the pain.
Popcorn Readily Available in Ancient Days
Popcorn is the most popular snack in movie theaters—but did you know our ancestors ate the fluffy white morsels too? Li Shizhen recorded in his “Compendium of Materia Medica” that corn can be fried and eaten. It is quoted as “Stir-fried and out comes the white flowers” which means that when the corn is fried with fire, it will burst into the white flowers we call popcorn today.
Note: Eat corn in moderation as it is not a vegetable, but a grain. Eating one to one and a half pieces of corn is equivalent in carbohydrates to eating a bowl of white rice. So, consider reducing the amount of other high-carbohydrate foods when corn is in season. Read more