Corn has a firm place in our diet: for example, in many households the day begins in the morning with a portion of cornflakes. The grain can also be eaten boiled or fried as a side dish, as corn porridge instead of rice, or in the form of popcorn as a snack between meals. Unlike other grains, corn has the advantage of not containing gluten, making it suitable for people with celiac disease. But does that make corn equally healthy? Find out here how many calories corn has and what ingredients are in the yellow grain.
Corn: Valuable ingredients
Corn consists for the most part – namely about 72 percent – of water. In addition to water, the grain contains fat, protein and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are composed of glucose, fructose and sucrose, among others. Corn tastes sweetest immediately after harvest. This is because the longer it lies, the more sugar is converted into starch.
In addition, the grain has many other healthy ingredients to offer. It contains provitamin A, various B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E. It is also rich in minerals.
It is also rich in minerals. Particularly worth mentioning are:
- Iron
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Sodium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
In addition, corn also contains essential amino acids such as leucine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine and threonine.
Calories in corn
100 grams of corn – fresh off the cob – contains about 90 calories. The calorie content of corn kernels changes depending on how they are processed. For example, canned corn contains only about 80 calories, while dried corn has about 350 calories.
By comparison, 100 grams of barley contains 320 calories, 100 grams of oats 350 calories, 100 grams of rye 290 calories, 100 grams of wheat 310 calories and 100 grams of rice 350 calories.
Is corn healthy?
Due to its healthy ingredients and high nutritional value, corn can definitely be considered healthy. Particularly noteworthy is the high amount of dietary fiber. Dietary fibers are indigestible food components that swell up in the intestines and get the digestion going. Thus, digestive problems can be prevented by a regular, moderate consumption of dietary fiber.
The healthiest is fresh corn, prepared straight from the field, because it is full of vitamins and minerals. Away from the harvest season, however, the corn is usually only available in cans. If possible, reach for frozen corn; it contains more nutrients than canned. But even canned corn still contains a high percentage of minerals. However, the vitamin content can drop significantly.
Prepare corn
Fresh corn should be cooked before eating. This can be done by either cooking the whole cob or detaching the kernels beforehand. Alternatively, you can grill the corn cobs or fry them in a pan. In this case, however, it is best to rub the cobs with a little (herb) butter or oil beforehand.
Corn can not only be eaten directly, but also processed. For example, corn flour is made from certain varieties, which then serves as the basis for foods such as corn porridge (polenta), corn bread or tortillas.
An edible oil – corn oil – can also be obtained from the kernels of the corn kernels. This is best used only in cold cooking.
In addition to its importance as food and animal feed, the yellow grain also plays a central role in the production of biogas.
Popcorn – a healthy snack?
Corn can also be used to make a popular snack, popcorn, in addition to cornflakes, cornmeal and corn oil. Popcorn is produced from puffed corn, which pops when heated and turns into popcorn. In Germany, the snack is usually sweetened with sugar, but sometimes it is also salted.
Popcorn itself is not as unhealthy as you might think. Although 100 grams of the snack contain around 330 calories, popcorn, like corn, is rich in valuable fiber. However, fat and sugar are usually added to the puffed corn in the cinema or at the Christmas market. Then, of course, the snack is no longer as healthy and directly adds about 70 calories to the bill.
