You will NEVER guess what I learned today. Corn can be nutritious!! Well, depending on the form, the source, the processing (like most foods). Good news first. Corn has been a food staple for over 8000 years. It is the fruit of the plant Zea mays, thus its moniker maize. There are over 100 varieties of corn. The colors are from the phytonutrients, like yellow carotenoids and blue anthrocyanins. They have potent antioxidant effects, and may protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Even dried Indian corn retains much of its antioxidant capacity. Corn is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which support healthy gut bacteria and nourish the gut lining. Corn also contains protein, manganese, and B vitamins.Corn is delicious straight up, and also quite versatile, used as the basis for many (gluten-free) foods like cereals, tortillas, pasta, cornmeal, polenta, chips, and popcorn. Now the caution: 70% of the 90 million acres of corn grown in the USA is genetically-modified, which may have detrimental effects on our health. Even if you do not actively consume corn, GMO high fructose corn syrup (the driver of obesity and type-2 diabetes) and GMO corn syrup solids are in many conventional foods, and GMO corn is a guarantee in the feed of non-pasture or grass-fed livestock. As is pesticide and other chemical residue. So choose organic to reap the health benefits of corn. Food for thought!
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 03:05:31 +0000
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