Corn : Lower cholesterol, Boost energy levels
Corn contains a type of dietary fiber called soluble fiber. Whenyou eat corn, this fiber binds with bile, a cholesterol-laden digestive fluid produced by the liver. Since soluble fiber is not readily absorbed by the body, it passes out of the body, taking cholesterol with it.
We all heard a lot about how oat and wheat bran can lowercholesterol. Corn bran is in the same league. In a study at Illinois StateUniversity in Normal, researchers put 290 men with high cholesterol on low-fat diets. After two weeks on the diet, some of the men were each given 20 grams ( almost ½ tablespoon) of corn bran a day, while others received similar amount of wheat bran. During the six-week study, those on the corn bran plan had a drop in cholesterol of more than 5 % and about 13% drop in triglycerides, blood fats that in large amounts can contribute to heart disease. Those who were given wheat bran showed no change beyond the initial drop caused by being on a low-fat diet.
The beauty of corn is that it provides a lot of energy while delivering a small amount of calories. Corn is an excellent source of thiamin, a B vitamin that's essential for converting food to energy. An ear of corn provides 0.2milligram of thiamin, 13 % of Daily Value.
And since fresh sweetcorn consists primarily of simple and complex carbohydrates, it's a superb energy source. It fulfills our energy needs without providing us with substantial amount of fat. What little fats there are in corn are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated kinds, which are far healthier than the saturated fats.
Not all corn is created equal. Whereas yellow corn has more than 2 grams of fiber per serving, white corn more than doubles that, with a bit more than 4 grams per ear. When you buy corn, look for ears that have full, plump kernels and purchase it at the optimum stage of maturity. Under those conditions, the level of nutrients is higher.
