Corn: Intolerance & Allergy

Corn is a plant species of the sweet grass family. Globally, corn is one of the main food crops. The plant is also used as a fodder and energy crop.

This is what you should know about corn

Corn is a staple food in many parts of the world for good reason. It provides a balanced mix of carbohydrates, fats, minerals and proteins. Today’s cultivated corn is descended from the wild grass teosinte. Prehistoric remains of balsas teosinte have been found in Panama, Mexico and Peru. The first varieties of corn, which closely resemble today’s corn, are estimated to have been cultivated more than 9000 years ago. Several millennia later, cultivated corn also reached Europe. Christopher Columbus discovered the corn plant in the Caribbean and brought it to Spain. From 1525, corn was cultivated in fields in Spain. The first written reference is found in a herbal book by Leonhart Fuchs in 1543. In Germany, corn has been cultivated since the 16th century. At first, due to climatic conditions, the sweet grass was only cultivated in the Rhine region or in Baden. It was only after food shortages occurred in 1805 due to a failed potato harvest that corn varieties were bred that could also thrive in central and northern Germany. At that time, however, corn was still mainly used to feed livestock. Gradually, however, corn was used more and more to feed the population. It was used for soups, puddings, porridge or cakes. Corn is traditionally harvested in summer. Sowing is done between April and May as a single-grain seed. The sowing distance is about 15 centimeters, the row spacing is about 75 centimeters. The ripe cobs are harvested between mid-September and early October. The cultivated corn is an annual plant with herbaceous growth. The height of growth is between one and three meters. The culm is covered with leaf sheaths and pithy. The stem leaves are arranged in culms, with the ligules bruised. At the shoot apex are the panicled inflorescences. The ovary develops into the bulbous inflorescence. At harvest time, this contains the corn kernels. Depending on the variety, these can be red, yellow, white or purple. Around 15 percent of the world’s corn crop is used as food. The majority is fed to livestock. 20 percent is used elsewhere and further processed. Corn is the most important staple food for more than 900 million people. Many people in East and Southern Africa or in the Andean regions obtain most of their energy from corn. In Germany, only a small proportion is used for direct consumption. Parts of the grains are processed into corn starch, corn grits, glucose syrup, corn oil, popcorn or tortillas.

Importance for health

Corn is a staple food in many parts of the world for good reason. It provides a balanced mix of carbohydrates, fats, minerals and proteins. In particular, the B vitamin content is worth mentioning. In addition, the plant has a high starch content. This makes the corn particularly nutritious. Corn germ oil and corn starch are used as healing agents. The oil consists mainly of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains vitamin E and phytosterols. Corn germ oil is cholesterol-free, making it an excellent choice for a low-cholesterol diet. With its high content of healthy fats and vitamin E, oil from corn germ is considered a valuable and healthy cooking oil. Corn starch is used as an excipient in the manufacture of medicines.

Ingredients and nutritional values

Nutritional information

Amount per 100 gram

Calories 365

Fat content 4.7 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Sodium 35 mg

Potassium 287 mg

Carbohydrates 74 g

Protein 9 g

Magnesium 127 mg

For the most part, corn consists of water. However, in addition to water, it also contains fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates consist mainly of fructose, glucose and sucrose. Immediately after harvest, corn tastes very sweet due to this sugar content. The longer it is stored, the more sugar is converted to starch. Stored corn therefore tastes less sweet. Corn contains numerous vitamins. These include provitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and various vitamins from the B group. It also contains minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium.Corn also has various essential amino acids on board, such as leucine, phenylalanine, threonine and isoleucine. 100 grams of fresh corn kernels contain 330 calories. The calorie content of canned corn is around 80 calories per 100 grams. Dried corn has 370 calories.

Intolerances and allergies

Corn allergies are rather rare, but can certainly occur. The allergic symptoms then occur mainly after eating corn starch. Otherwise, corn is usually well tolerated. Since corn is gluten-free, corn flour is often used for baking by people with gluten intolerance. Corn is one of the few grains that does not contain gluten.

Shopping and kitchen tips

Fresh corn from the field is available at the weekly market at harvest time. The cobs are then still in the green corn leaves. The so-called corn beard is also still preserved in fresh corn. In the supermarket, corn cobs are usually available pre-cooked in a can or in vacuum packaging. Alternatively, the individual kernels detached from the cob can be resorted to in the can. There is not much to consider when storing canned corn. Canned corn will keep for several years. Of course, the best-before date on the package should be observed. Canned corn should be stored in a dark, cool place and not exposed to direct sunlight. Vacuum-packed and shrink-wrapped corn cobs also keep for a very long time. At best, they should be stored in the refrigerator. Fresh corn on the cob, however, should be consumed as soon as possible. If they are stored too long, the sugar they contain converts to starch. The cobs then no longer taste juicy and sweet, but acquire a mealy taste.

Preparation tips

Particularly tender sweet corn varieties can even be eaten raw. Usually, however, the kernels and cobs are eaten in cooked form. Sweet corn can be enjoyed pure as a cob. To do this, it simply needs to be cooked in boiling water for a few minutes. It can also be prepared on the grill after a short pre-cooking. The corn kernels can be easily detached from the cob with a knife. The freshly loosened kernels taste more aromatic than the canned kernels. The cobs taste especially good with a little butter and salt and pepper. Fresh herbs also harmonize well with the cobs. Some varieties of corn cannot be eaten directly due to their high starch content. They are then ground into cornmeal. Cornmeal can be used to make tortillas. Tortillas are filled with meat, cheese, vegetables and sauces, or served with chili con carne. Corn can also be used to make polenta. Polenta is a porridge cooked from corn grits. In Italy, Provence and Spain, polenta is a traditional dish. Polenta is served with melted butter, Parmesan cheese, pasta or with a brown sauce. It also serves as an accompaniment to ragouts and stews.