Sweet Corn

A little about sweet corn...

The first recorded sweet corn was grown by Native American tribes.

in 1776, the European cultivation of sweet corn occurred when the Iroquois tribes grew the first recorded sweet corn for European settlers, it was called "Papoon."

Popularity quickly spread through southern and central regions of the United States.

By the 19th century, sweet corn was becoming widely available.

Hybridization in the 20th century allowed for higher quality, disease resistance, and uniform maturity.

There are currently hundreds of different sweet corn varieties with more in development.

Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes that convert sugar to starch within the kernels.

Sweet corn is part of the grass family, Poaceae. This also includes rye, barley, wheat, oats, rice, sugarcane, and more.

Outside of North America, Australia, and New Zealand, corn is called maize by other countries.

"Maize" comes from the Indian word meaning "sacred mother," or "giver of life."

There are six main types of corn; dent corn, sweet corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn. and flour corn.

Dent corn is also known as field corn, is starchy, low in sugar. Dent corn is mostly used in livestock feed, tortilla chips, industrial products, whiskey, and grits/cornmeal.

Flint corn is said to be tough, durable, comes in a variety of colors and is able to be dried. Flint corn is mostly used for popcorn, decorations, and polenta.

Sweet corn is sweet, juicy, eaten fresh, and contains several subcategories. Sweet corn is used for a wide range of recipes.

The pollen is produced by the male tassels at the top of the plant that fertilize the female flowers known as cobs.

An ear of corn is said to always have an even number of rows.

The number of tassels collates with the number of kernels per cob. Each kernel has its own tassel!

On average, an ear of corn has 800 kernels in 16 rows!

Corn is incorporated in more than 4,000 grocery store items!! These items include: crayons, paper, toothpaste, peanut butter, soft drinks, cereal, shampoo, chewing gum and marshmallows!

The United States is the leading producer of corn in the world. China, Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine, and India follow the United States in corn production.

Japan spent the most on importing corn in 2019. Most of their corn use is for animal feed.

Iowa is the top corn producer in the states, closely followed by Illinois.

World records for sweet corn:

Highest corn yield, producing 623.84 bushels per acre in Virginia in 2023!

Tallest sweet corn plant soared to 48 ft 2 in (14.69m)! in 2021 by Jason Karl of the United States!

Record for most ears consumed is 57 ears in 12 minutes in Florida by Gideon Oji in 2019!

Health Benefits

Rich source of protein and fiber.

Low in calories.

Excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants.

Rich in magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, thiamin, niacin, vitamin C, and folate.

Helps control diabetes and hypertension, increases energy, improves vision and skin, increases hair strand strength, improves bone strength, prevents anemia.

Improve digestion, maintain healthy blood, boosts immune system, reduces cholesterol absorption in the body.

Reduces risk of various cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer.

The silks of the corn are also VERY BENEFICIAL in treating urinary tract infections, aids as a diuretic, helps lower blood pressure, aids in regulating blood sugar levels, keep kidney stones away, may facilitate blood clotting, help heal inflammatory ailments, help with cholesterol levels, is an excellent source of vitamin C, and may help with weight management!

It's not summertime without sweet corn!