Types of Corn - Sweet Corn, Benefits of Corn, Corn Flour

Posted on June 6, 2009 in Latest News

Corn, also called maize and scientifically known as Zea mays is native to America. When European (Spanish and Portuguese) travelers came in America, they were taught by the natives the way to grow corn. Though corn is grown in every parts of the world today, more than half of corn production in the world is contributed by the United States. Corn is highly nutritious being rich in pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin C and folate. It is also high in fiber, lutein, malic acid, palmatic acid, etc.

Types of Corn
Depending on the characteristics of seeds, corns are of various kinds. Some of these are:
Dent corn, popcorn, flour corn, flint corn, sweet corn, waxy corn and pod corn.

Benefits of Corn
Listed below are some of the benefits of corn:

Corn for Heart Health: It is suggested that being high in folate, corn helps in reducing homocysteine level. This could check direct damage caused to the blood vessels, thereby reducing the risk of peripheral vascular disease, stroke or heart attack. Further folate can also prevent birth defects.

Corn for Lung Health: Experts suggest that the presence of beta-cryptoxanthin (antioxidant) can neutralize free radical damage caused to the lung cells. This may check the risk of lung cancer.

Corn for Brain Health: Being rich in thiamin (vitamin B1), corn can help in the synthesis of acetylcholine (neurotransmitter vital for memory). This might boost cognitive or brain cell function, thereby leading to improved memory and treating of Alzheimer’s disease.

Corn for Production of Energy: Corn is a natural source of thiamin as well as pantothenic acid. The acid helps in the metabolism of lipid, protein and carbohydrates, thereby helping in production of energy.

Being an allergen, corn can also cause severe allergic reaction. Corn allergy can cause headache, watery eyes, breathlessness, abdominal pain, runny nose, wheezing, hives and itchiness, etc.

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Types of Corn and Benefits

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