Corn is a tall cereal plant consisting of strong jointed stems supporting large ears containing kernels. Out of the different types of corn grown, sweet corn is one of the most popular varieties for human consumption.

An important food plant that is native to America, corn is thought to have originated in either Mexico or Central America. It has been a staple food in native civilizations since primitive times with some of the earliest traces of meal made from corn dating back about 7,000 years.

Corn has played and still continues to play a vital role in native American cultures. It has been greatly honored for its ability to provide not only sustenance as food but shelter, fuel, decoration and more. Because of the vital role that corn played in the livelihood of many native cultures, it has been one of the important icons represented in the mythological traditions of the Mayan, Aztec and Incan Indian civilizations.

Traditional dishes made with corn often included a small amount of lime - not the fruit, but calcium oxide, the mineral complex that can be made by burning limestone. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that is composed of calcium carbonate and occurs naturally across the United States. This lime added to a corn meal was generally obtained from the fire ash because a small amount of lime is produced simply from the burning of wood into ash. The reason for this process was simple: people seemed healthier when the pot ash was added. Now we know why. The niacin (vitamin B3) in corn is not readily available for absorption into the body, and lime helps free this B vitamin, making it available for absorption.

When Christopher Columbus and other explorers came to the New World, they found corn growing throughout the Americas, from Chile to Canada. It was consumed both as a vegetable and as a grain in the form of cornmeal seasoned and eaten as an accompaniment to vegetables, fish or meat. The corn that was prized was not just limited to the yellow and white kernel varieties that we know, but many other more popular varieties that featured kernels of red, blue, pink and black and were not only solid, but spotted or striped.

Corn was brought back to Europe by Spanish and Portuguese explorers who later introduced it throughout the world. However, many of the European explorers coming over to North America ignored Native American traditions - including the pot ash tradition - and later fell victim to the vitmain B3 deficiency disease called pellagra. Today, the largest commercial producers of corn include the United States, China, Brazil, Mexico and the Russian Federation.

Sweet corn is a good source of vitamin A, magnesium, and potassium, and is often considered to be a vegetable, rather than a grain. This confusion is probably due to the fact that it is eaten fresh like a vegetable. When harvested at the proper ripeness, the kernels of sweet corn are tender and have a sweet, juicy taste.

The three types of sweet corn that are readily available are white corn (white kernels), yellow corn (yellow kernels), and a hybrid of both white and yellow, often referred to as peaches and cream or butter and sugar corn. Sweet corn can be processed into syrup, sugars used as sweeteners in soft drinks, starch, and cereals.

Yellow Sweet Corn - The largest portion of the different varieties of sweet corn are yellow sweet corn. All the kernels on the cob are yellow in color. The size of the cob and the corn's taste will vary between different varieties. Most commercially grown sweet corn is yellow.

White Corn - White sweet corn varies from the others in that it has all white kernels. It has the same sweet and juicy flavor as the yellow corn and the peaches and cream corn. It is used in the same manner as yellow corn. White sweet corn is not generally grown for commercial use. It is more often found at local farmer's markets.

Peaches and Cream Corn - Peaches and Cream Corn, also referred to as butter and sugar, differ from the other varieties in that it contains both white and yellow corn kernels. White and yellow kernel sweet corn is not generally grown for commercial use. It is more often found at local farmer's markets.

Sweet corn is at its best during the late summer months to early fall. An exception to that is in Florida where sweet corn is harvested from fall to spring. To receive the best flavor from sweet corn, it should be eaten as soon as possible after it is picked because the sugars will begin to convert to starches as soon as it has been picked.

During the summer months when it is available fresh, it is most often cooked and eaten on the cob. Sweet corn is also cut off the cob and eaten as a vegetable side dish or added as an ingredient in other dishes, such as soups, stews, casseroles, and salads. The corn can be cut from the cob, raw or cooked, and then preserved by canning or freezing for future use.

Nutritional Information

Corn, Yellow, Boiled 1.00 cup 177.12 calories Nutrient Amount DV (%) Nutrient Density Healthy Food Rating vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.36 mg 24.0 2.4 good folate 76.10 mcg 19.0 1.9 good dietary fiber 4.60 g 18.4 1.9 good vitamin C 10.16 mg 16.9 1.7 good phosphorus 168.92 mg 16.9 1.7 good manganese 0.32 mg 16.0 1.6 good vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 1.44 mg 14.4 1.5 good