Many people appreciate and love corn for its excellent taste and useful properties, but not everyone knows whether it can be eaten raw. From the article you will learn about the nutritional qualities of raw corn, the features of its storage, as well as how to properly prepare this product.
Is it possible to eat raw corn
Although the beans become softer when cooked, it is optional. This product is quite edible and raw.
Important! Raw corn should be consumed in moderation, not more than one ears per day, otherwise weight in the abdomen, bloating and flatulence can be provoked.
Benefit
Everyone knows that corn is tasty and nutritious, but not everyone knows how healthy it is.
- Meanwhile, corn has such a positive effect on the body:
- Protects blood vessels from the appearance of blood clots and removes harmful cholesterol from the body.
- Increases the tone of the walls of the gallbladder - as a result, they are intensively reduced, which is good for the metabolism.
- Helps to cleanse the intestines thanks to the fiber in the composition.
- It improves the nervous system, relieves irritability, increases stress resistance and helps to establish sleep.
- Strengthens the immune system. People who include this cereal in their diet are less likely to suffer from colds.
- Slows down aging and fights cancer cells thanks to the presence of antioxidants.
- Restores strength after prolonged mental or physical exertion.
- It has a positive effect on the female and male reproductive systems.
- Cleanses the body of alcohol.
- Eliminates discomfort during digestion and helps to establish the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Harm and contraindications
Despite the large number of positive properties of this cereal in its raw form, some people should refrain from including it in their diet.
- Contraindications for the use of this product are:
- Thrombophlebitis and poor blood coagulation.
- Obesity or overweight.
- Stomach ulcer.
- Allergy.
- Individual intolerance.
Calorie content and chemical composition
The composition of the raw grains of this cereal is rich in such beneficial substances:
- vitamins: A, B, C, D, E, K, PP, H;
- amino acids;
- flavonoids;
- Minerals: calcium, iodine, magnesium, potassium, iron, sodium, fluorine, phosphorus, zinc, boron and others.
The nutritional value of 100 grams of the product is:
- proteins - 3.3 g;
- fats - 1.4 g;
- carbohydrates - 18.2 g;
- water - 76.05 g;
- ash - 0.55 g.
Processing only increases the calorie content of the product. 100 grams of canned corn contains 119, and boiled - 123 calories.
Based on this, the benefits of using raw cereals to combat excess weight are greater than when processing it.
How to cook
To make this cereal tasty during cooking, you need to choose the right dishes. The pan should be deep, the water should cover the ears and not boil.
Important! Best buy medium-sized young corn, covered with a light green husk. It should not be dry, otherwise a significant part of the original sweetness will be lost.
Fresh corn must be placed in a pan, pour it with cold water and bring to a boil. Then you should reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, otherwise a significant part of its nutrients will be lost.
Some varieties are cooked for at least 40 minutes, so it is preferable to use fast-cooking varieties. Cooking time for mature kernels is at least 2 hours.
Water should be salted during cooking if the ears are to be placed in the refrigerator. If you intend to eat them immediately, you can sprinkle with salt each separately during the meal. But shortly before the end of cooking, you still need to slightly salt the water, otherwise the grains will be hard.
Raw Corn Storage Features
This cereal, even under proper storage conditions, remains sweet for a short time. After 2-3 days, he will already lose his sweetness, and after 7 days it will become hard and bland.
Did you know? The largest corn lovers are residents of Mexico. Each Mexican consumes an average of 90 kilograms of this product annually.
You can preserve a little freshness with a food film. Ears need to be cleaned, unwashed to wrap in a film and put in the refrigerator in the vegetable section.
With a large number of crops, as well as if you want to harvest it for future use, you can freeze the ears in the freezer. This will fully preserve the taste characteristics of the product.
To avoid the fact that the corn becomes "rubber", you need to process it in a certain way, by conducting the so-called hardening.
To do this, you must:
- Take two pans of large volume. In one you need to pour cold water and throw ice cubes there. The second pan must be filled with water and brought to a boil.
- Take the ears with special tongs and lower them into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes.
- Pull out the cob and place it for 2 minutes in a pot of cold water.
- Repeat the procedure 3-5 more times.
- Pull out the cob and put on a paper towel until the moisture has completely drained.
- Wrap each ear separately in cling film and put in the freezer.
Did you know? The world record for eating corn - 44 ears in 12 minutes - was set by American basketball player Kevin Garnett in 2012 in Florida.
When cooking the cobs after defrosting, wait until they thaw, and only then start the cooking process. If you start to cook them frozen, the grain of the grains will be too stiff.
In the absence of individual contraindications, raw corn is undoubtedly good for the body. By adding this product to the diet, you can not only enjoy its taste, but also get a positive effect on your health.
