Saturday, June 11th is Corn on the Cob day. Corn has a fascinating history dating back more than 7000 years ago when it was called Teosinte, a wild grass like crop. Native Americans, in what would now be considered southern Mexico, cultivated Teosinte until it more closely resembled what we eat for corn today, only much smaller. Although many treat it as a vegetable, corn is really a grain.
Early settlers of the Americas were introduced to corn by the Native Americans who called it “mahiz” which translates to “that which sustains us”. Of course this is where we get the word Maize. As more and more settler’s moved in, it became clear that they would need this “mahiz” if they were going to survive. The Indians showed the settlers how to grow, fertilize, harvest, and prepare corn for consumption.
Corn on the cob is a sweet corn, that is, corn with a higher sugar content than other varieties of corn due to a naturally occurring mutation. Sweet corn is picked in its “green” state, when the kernels are still filled with a milky sweet substance. It is best to eat corn on the cob as soon as possible after being picked, since the longer it is stored, the less sweet it will become as the sugars turn into starch.
Corn sometimes gets a bad name in the nutritional world, but there are several health benefits to corn that make it worth considering as a healthy choice to serve at your dinner table. Corn is good source of B vitamins, Vitamin C, phosphorus, manganese and folate. It is also produces a soluble fiber that helps remove cholesterol from the liver. Some studies indicate that corn might be good for your heart.
Unfortunately for Corn on the Cob day, you won’t be able to go buy or pick it fresh like you can in the Portland area in the fall, but you can at least go buy some at your local grocery store. Come fall, remember to visit your city’s farmer’s market or a local farm such as “The Barn” to buy some fresh corn on the cob.
So go ahead and buy some corn for your family this weekend and celebrate Corn on the Cob day. You can keep it extra healthy by just eating it plain given that it is already rather sweet. Or you can stick with the old-fashioned way of glazing it with butter and salt. Yum.
Please see the accompanying video about how some locals enjoy their corn on the cob and feel free to share with readers how you like to prepare and eat your corn on the cob or how you celebrated Corn on the Cob Day.
Happy Corn on the Cob Day. Don’t forget the dental floss.
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