Parts Most Frequently Used: Kernel

Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Bland, Neutral

Caution: Considered safe.

History/Folklore: Maize (or corn), means “that which sustains us.” It was domesticated by the peoples of southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Fossilized corn has been found in Mexico dating back to around 80,000 years ago. Corn was later spread through most of the Americas and brought back to Europe in the late 15th century where it then spread to the rest of the world.

Most of the corn grown in the United States is dent (yellow or white) corn. It was developed in 1846 and most of today’s corn hybrids are derived from it.

Indian corn is also commonly called “Flint Corn” because each kernel’s outer layer is very hard and likened to the stone known as flint. Indian (flint) corn has less soft starch than dent corn (yellow or white corn), nor does it have the dents in each kernel that give dent corn its name. Indian (flint) corn has been cultivated by Native Americans since before 1,000 BC, hence the common name, “Indian Corn.” It is not a hybrid corn.

Indian (flint) corn is easily recognizable for its multicolored kernels that can be red, blue, brown, orange, black, deep blue or purple, yellow and white all on single ear of corn. Each ear of dent corn (yellow or white corn) is either completely full of yellow or white kernels. Dent corn was bred much later than the multi-colored flint corn.

Indian (flint) corn is commonly used in the United States as a decoration for the annual Thanksgiving holiday that celebrates the survival of early settlers from starvation. Had it not been for the local Native American tribes who introduced them to local foods such as Indian (flint) corn, turkey and many other local foods, including pumpkins, these early settlers would not have survived.

Indian (flint) corn has very low water content making it more resistant to freezing than other vegetables. It was the only Vermont crop to survive the areas “Year Without a Summer” in 1816. A hearty corn, it is now being reintroduced to grocery markets as an alternative to dent (yellow or white) corn.

The use of fresh purple corn (and not just dried and ground corn that may not have used the nutritious whole corn kernel) is growing in popularity as an ingredient for corn chips and corn tortillas. A recent study shows that the use of purple corn extract, which is high in anthocyanins, effectively lowered the side effects of some of the drugs used to treat cancer.

Soluble corn fiber is a trending new corn supplement researched for its cardiovascular, anti-cancer and digestive potentials. Corns high fiber content has long made it valuable for promoting smooth digestion and supporting cardiovascular health. New research is on the cusp of better understanding how the digestion of whole corn may be converted into health-supportive substances. For example, corn impacts the bacterial composition in the lower intestinal tract aiding the absorption of calcium. These processes and digestive interactions are just being studied with more information and understanding about corns role in nutrition and healthy bodily functioning to soon be released.

Traditional Chinese Medicine uses Corn Silk (Yu Mi Xu) to stop bleeding, lower blood pressure and detoxify.

Corn oil contains significant amounts of vitamin E, Q10, and phytosterols that all help lower cholesterol levels.

Corn is grown as a food for animals and humans as well as to make popcorn, fructose (corn syrup), alcohol, plastics and ethanal fuel.