Benefits Of Corn | The Health Benefits Of Maize | Healthy Lifestyle

The Health Benefits Of Corn

Benefits Of Corn

Table Of Contents:

1. Vitamins In Maize
2. Minerals In Corn
3. Corn Fibers
4. Corn as Added Sugar
5. Tasty Corn Combos

Corn Benefits

Grill, boil, puff or grind into flour. You can go either way with corn. Who doesn't love a bowl of popcorn during the movie? Who doesn't like to barbecue and chew on a cob? Due to the high sugar content of corn, it is sometimes claimed that corn is not healthy, but is it so? 

Our guest blogger Marjolein lists the vitamins and minerals of corn for you. 

In addition, she explains what makes corn healthy and where the stigma unhealthy could come from. 

Of course, she concludes with some tasty and easy ways to add corn to your diet (not counting popcorn of course).

Vitamins In Maize

Benefits Of Corn

In maize especially, the vitamin B complex is amply represented. For example, corn contains a lot of vitamin B1, which is important for the functioning of your heart and nervous system. But it also contains vitamins B2 and B3, both necessary for healthy skin and a good energy supply. 

In addition, corn provides you with vitamin B5. This is also necessary for your energy supply, and important for the construction and breakdown of proteins and fats. 

Vitamin B6, for your metabolism and your immune system. And finally in the list of B vitamins, corn contains B11. 

This is necessary for the production of red and white blood cells. A deficiency of B11 can lead to anemia.

In addition to the representatives of the vitamin B complex, corn also contains vitamin A and vitamin C. 

Vitamin A is good for your eyes, skin and hair, among other things. 

Vitamin C, as most people know, is important for your immune system. It is an antioxidant that cleans up free radicals from your body, but it is also necessary for the absorption of iron from your diet (a little corn through your spinach is a super tasty and healthy plan!)

Minerals In Corn

Corn Minerals

Benefits Of Maize

Minerals such as magnesium can also be found in maize. Magnesium is necessary for healthy bones and muscles, but also for the transmission of stimuli. 

In addition, corn contains manganese, copper and zinc. These minerals are important for, among other things, your immune system and the construction and breakdown of proteins and fats. 

Finally, corn contains iron. Iron is necessary for the production of red blood cells ( like B11, a deficiency of iron can lead to anemia ). 

In addition to the above list, corn contains more vitamins and minerals, but they are only found in very small amounts in corn, so I'll spare you them.

Corn Fibers

Corn therefore contains a nice list of vitamins and minerals, but what makes corn really healthy is a good dose of starch. 

( Natural ) starchy products contain a lot of fiber. Fiber is important for a healthy digestion and makes you feel full, so you are less likely to overeat. 

Because fiber helps to break down your food evenly, it also keeps your blood sugar from swinging too drastically. 

This can help against, for example, high or low blood pressure after eating. 

Corn as Added Sugar

Corn Added Sugars

After figuring out  all these positive aspects of corn, I'm curious where that unhealthy stigma comes from. 

Of course I understand that you should not eat kilos of corn, that is not healthy. But that also applies to kilos of broccoli and other products that have received the “Healthy ” sticker.

Most of the maize produced is processed into animal feed and is not suitable for human consumption. 

Another large part of the  “maize production” is intended for the “sugar industry”. Fructose can be obtained from this type of corn ( look, that's already ringing some alarm bells! ) Because it is not expensive at all to get the fructose from corn, it is added to many products as a synthetic sweetener. 

You can often find a reference on the labels of, For Example, cakes, biscuits, sweets and ready-made meals. Could that be where the unhealthy stigma comes from?

Tasty Corn Combos

A regular fresh corn kernel is therefore very fine. I think it's mainly the “synthetic corn” fructose that causes the bad name. 

That is why I have listed a number of tasty ideas for you to add corn to your diet in a healthy and easy way.

For example, corn goes very well with pasta sauce or lasagna. Because it's a bit crunchy and doesn't have such an overpowering taste, it gives your meal a nice extra bite!  

Of course, corn goes well with almost any Mexican dish. For example, you can use “corn with beans”, avocado and salsa in a nutritious burrito. 

Mix a spoonful of corn through your guacamole, add some pepper, salt, onion and lime/lemon juice and voilà! Keep those nachos coming.

Finally, you could also use ( available in most supermarkets ) in your baking, just to try it out and see what you think.

Do you like this article ( “The Health Benefits Of Corn” )? Let me know in the comments, on Facebook or Instagram. I’m curious!