Health Benefits of Corn Health benefits of corn include controlling diabetes, prevention of heart ailmen ts, lowering hypertension

and prevention of neural-tube defects at birth. Corn o r maize is one of the most popular cereals in the world and forms the staple foo d in many countries including USA, Africa etc. It not only provides the necessar y calories for daily metabolism, but is a rich source of vitamins A, B, E and ma ny minerals. Its high fibre content ensures that it plays a role in prevention o f digestive ailments like constipation and haemorrhoids as well as colorectal ca ncer. The antioxidants present in corn also act as anti-cancer agents and preven t Alzheimer s. Health benefits of corn are offered by presence of quality nutrients in it. Also , being rich in phytochemicals, it provides protection against numerous chronic diseases. Following are some of the health benefits of corn: Rich Source of Calories: Corn is a rich source of calories and forms a part of t he staple diet among many populations. The calorific content of corn is 342 calo ries per 100grams, among the highest in cereals. Prevention of Haemorrhoids and Colorectal Cancer: The fibre content of one cup o f corn amounts 18.4% of the daily recommended amount. This aids in alleviating d igestive problems such as constipation and haemorrhoids, as well as lowering the risk of colon cancer. Rich Source of Vitamins: Corn is rich in vitamin B constituents, especially Thia min and Niacin. Thiamin is essential for maintaining nerve health and cognitive function. Niacin deficiency leads to Pellagra; a disease characterised by diarrh oea, dementia and dermatitis and is commonly observed in malnourished individual s. Corn is also a good source of Pantothenic acid which is a vitamin necessary f or carbohydrate as well as protein and lipid metabolism in the body. Deficiency of folic acid in pregnant women leads to birth of underweight infants and may al so result in neural tube defects at birth. Corn provides a large chunk of the da ily folate requirement. Yellow corn is a rich source of beta-carotene which form s vitamin A in the body, essential for maintenance of good vision and skin. The kernels of corn are rich in vitamin E, a natural antioxidant essential for growt h. Provides Necessary Minerals: Corn contains abundant phosphorus apart from magnes ium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper. It also contains trace minerals like sele nium. Phosphorus is essential for maintenance of normal growth, bone health and normal kidney functioning. Magnesium is necessary for maintaining normal heart r ate and for bone strength. Antioxidant Properties of Corn: According to studies carried out at Cornell Univ ersity, corn is a rich source of antioxidants which fight the cancer causing fre e radicals. In fact, cooking increases the antioxidants in sweet corn. Corn is a rich source of a phenolic compound ferulic acid, an anti-cancer agent which has been shown to be effective in fighting tumours in breast cancer and liver cance r. Anthocyanins, found in purple corn also act as scavengers of cancer-causing f ree radicals. Cardio-Protective Attributes: According to researchers, corn oil has been shown to anti-atherogenic effect on the cholesterol levels, thus preventing the risk o f cardiovascular diseases. Prevents Anaemia: The vitamin B12 and folic acid present in corn prevent anaemia caused by the deficiency of these vitamins. Lowering LDL Cholesterol: According to Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, cons umption of corn husk oil lowers plasma LDL cholesterol by reducing cholesterol a bsorption by the body. Protection against Diabetes and Hypertension: Consumption of corn kernels assist s the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and is effec tive against hypertension due to the presence of phenolic phytochemicals in whol e corn.

Cosmetic Benefits: Corn starch is used in the manufacture of many cosmetics and may also be applied topically to soothe skin rashes and irritations. Corn produc ts can be used to replace carcinogenic petroleum products which form major compo nents of cosmetic preparations. Corn is a rich source of many essential nutrients and fibre. A meal rich in corn can go a long way in protecting against many diseases and ailments. This article was contributed by Seema Adnani. Back to Health Benefits of Food