Boiled corn, roasted corn, and other corn dishes are deeply loved by people. Nowadays, a variety of corn varieties have appeared on the market: waxy corn, sweet corn, field corn... So, what are the nutritional differences among these distinct varieties, and how should one choose them?
Zhu Zhiwei, from the Rice and Rice Products Quality Supervision and Inspection Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, told reporters that these types of corn do not have particularly significant differences, only slight variations in nutritional components. For example, compared to regular corn, waxy corn has a higher protein content, over 10%, and is rich in various vitamins such as Vitamin A and Vitamin B1. The molecular weight of the starch in waxy corn is more than ten times smaller than that of regular corn, making it easier for the human body to absorb and digest. Data shows that the digestibility of waxy corn is 20% higher than that of regular corn. Therefore, people with poor digestive function can eat more waxy corn.
However, although waxy corn is nutritious, it is not suitable for everyone, such as diabetic patients. For diabetics, corn is one of the ideal foods. This is because corn contains low levels of crude fiber and soluble sugars. For instance, the sugar content in field corn is 2.3% lower than that of regular rice, while its crude fiber content is nine times that of rice. Therefore, diabetics can eat some field corn appropriately. "But waxy corn and sweet corn are best avoided," Sun Mengli, deputy director of the Nutrition Department at Peking University First Hospital, warned.
Sweet corn is rich in water-soluble polysaccharides, with a sugar content of up to 8%. Super-sweet corn has an even higher sugar content, and most of it is sucrose and glucose, which can easily cause blood sugar levels to rise.
"Waxy corn is not suitable for diabetics because of its high amylopectin content," Sun Mengli explained. The higher the amylopectin content, the more easily it is converted into glucose. Once consumed by a patient, their blood sugar level will rise more quickly.
Apart from diabetics, people can generally eat more of these types of corn, especially patients in the recovery period after an illness. This is because corn can enhance the human body's immunity and help patients recover their strength after an illness. Fu Jinru, director of the Tianjin Nutrition Association, offers two dietary therapy methods: one is to grind the corn into a porridge, which can stimulate the appetite and calm the mind, and has a health-preserving effect on patients with hypertension and coronary heart disease. The second is to boil 3 liang (150 grams) of corn silk into water, which can be used to prevent and treat urinary tract stones. (By You Lei from Life Times) For women to prevent disease and combat aging, eating corn is the most effective.
Recently, a study by the German Nutrition and Health Association showed that among all staple foods, corn has the highest nutritional value and health benefits. It can prevent heart disease and cancer.
In this year-long study, experts compared various nutritional and health indicators of staple foods such as corn, rice, and wheat. The results found that the vitamin content in corn is extremely high, 5-10 times that of rice and wheat.
At the same time, the large amount of nutritional and health-promoting substances in corn also surprised the experts. In addition to carbohydrates, protein, fat, and carotene, corn also contains nutrients such as riboflavin and vitamins. These substances are very beneficial for preventing diseases like heart disease and cancer.
The study also showed that the nutritional value of special corn is higher than that of regular corn. For example, the protein, vegetable oil, and vitamin content of sweet corn is 1-2 times higher than that of regular corn; the content of the "life element" selenium is 8-10 times higher; and among its 17 amino acids, 13 are higher than those in regular corn. In addition, the water, active substances, vitamins, and other nutrients in fresh corn are much higher than in mature corn, because the nutrient content of corn decreases rapidly during storage. Contains 7 "anti-aging agents"
Professor Lachmann, a renowned German nutritionist who led the study, pointed out that among the more than 50 proven most effective nutritional and health-promoting substances today, corn contains 7 of them—calcium, glutathione, vitamins, magnesium, selenium, vitamin E, and fatty acids.
According to measurements, every 100 grams of corn can provide nearly 300 milligrams of calcium, almost as much as in dairy products. Abundant calcium can help lower blood pressure. If 1 gram of calcium is consumed daily, blood pressure can be reduced by 9% after 6 weeks. Furthermore, the carotene in corn, once absorbed by the human body, is converted into vitamin A, which has anti-cancer effects; plant fiber can accelerate the excretion of carcinogens and other toxins; natural vitamin E promotes cell division, delays aging, lowers serum cholesterol, prevents skin diseases, and can also reduce arteriosclerosis and brain function decline. Researchers pointed out that the lutein and zeaxanthin in corn can combat eye aging. In addition, eating more corn can also inhibit the side effects of anti-cancer drugs on the human body, stimulate brain cells, and enhance a person's mental and memory abilities.