These yellow ears with a sweet taste are familiar to everyone since childhood. Some people think that corn belongs to legumes, while others consider it to be a vegetable. This culture deserves special attention and it is about it that will be discussed.

What is corn?

In fact, by the definition of nerds, this is a cereal crop, although unlike other relatives, its stem is not empty. In terms of taste, this cereal is more like a starchy vegetable, and in canned form even like a fruit or a berry.

No other grain plant can boast such widespread use in cooking, and in industry, in agriculture, in cosmetology. No wonder in the days of Khrushchov she was called the “queen of the fields”.

Did you know? The beneficial properties of corn are preserved even after cooking and during conservation.

By its composition, corn is a unique product, because per 100 g it contains:

• Vitamin C - 6.2 mg;
• Vitamin B9 - 20 mcg;
• vitamin B5 - 0.75 mcg;
• Vitamin B4 - 29.1 mg;
• Vitamin PP - 1.66 mg;
• sodium - 253 mg;
• potassium - 252 mg;
• phosphorus - 92 mg;
• iron - 0.55 mg.

And this is not a complete list of vitamins, micro and macro elements. It is also rich in amino acids: lysine, methionine, threonine, leucine, alanine, tyrosine and others. The number of calories ranges from 90 to 325 kcal per 100 g, depending on the variety. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates per 100 g is - 10,3/4,9/67,5.

Characteristic and Origin

For the first time the “Queen of the Fields” began to grow the Indian tribes of May and the Aztecs more than 7 thousand years ago, and it was she who helped them survive. They even had a corn god, Kukulkan, who was considered the patron saint of these civilizations. This cereal was then called "maize" and the name is preserved in our days, although it is used less often.

This plant is grassy and tall (sometimes up to 3 m), with a thick stem and a well-developed fibrous root system. The leaves are hard and large, up to 1 m long. The culture is annual.

By the type of flowering monoecious with male and female flowers. The male ones are at the top of the stem and collected in panicles, while the female ones are in the axils of the leaves, where cobs are formed as a result of pollination. On one ear there are several hundred grains tightly adjacent to each other.

Did you know? We are accustomed to the yellow grains of this cereal, but they are still brown, purple and red.

There are a lot of types of corn, but seven are the main ones:

Useful properties of culture

The benefits of this cereal are due to a wide range of nutrients and vitamins. It is included in many diets. It normalizes the digestive tract, rejuvenates the body, activates the work of muscles.

Despite the fact that its grains are sweet, corn can be eaten by diabetics, people with obesity. It has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, improves metabolism, cleanses toxins and normalizes cholesterol levels. Corn oil is widely used in cosmetology, which is included in the composition of masks.

Application features

This culture is virtually waste-free, since all its parts, except the roots, can be used. The grains are used in cooking, the stalk is crushed and fed to cattle, and stoves are heated in the villages with dry ears.

In cooking

The most favorite treat of most connoisseurs of corn is boiled ears, sprinkled with salt. It is also popular canned and in the form of popcorn with various flavors.

Salads are seasoned with corn oil, pancakes and puddings are baked from flour. Delicious and healthy cereals are cooked from cereals, both sweet and with meat or vegetables. Starch is made from corn kernels.

In medicine

This cereal found its application in medicine. A decoction of corn stigmas has long been known as a choleretic agent. Corn is a part of many drugs for the treatment of liver, diabetes, pancreatitis, obesity, urolithiasis.

Important! Corn will have to be excluded from the diet for varicose veins and platelets, as this product can increase blood coagulation.

Features of selection and storage

To enjoy a delicious treat, you need to know how to choose the right young and juicy ear.

Here are a few rules:

• you need to buy in August, as it is in this month that the period of cereal ripening begins;
• the color of the grain should be milky or light yellow;
• if you click on the grains, then a whitish liquid is released;
• the ear should not be surrounded by dry leaves.

Corn can be stored in various ways: dry, freeze, canned. When dried, it is best to keep it in the attic or in any other dry and warm place. The grain does not tolerate moisture increase. It must also be regularly ventilated.

Raw cobs can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, but after three days they lose their taste. The grain processed in this way is stored longer: whole ears are kept in water with ice for about 20 minutes with the addition of 1 tsp. lemon juice and salt per liter of water. Then the grains are separated, dried and stored in sealed bags for up to 3 weeks. You can also cook corn, cool and freeze directly whole.

The basic rules of growing

Cultivating this plant is not at all difficult. It is not demanding on care and climatic conditions.

Here are the basic rules for growing it:

• landing is carried out only in a sunny area;
• the ground should be well fertilized, but light and without stagnation of water;
• precursors of corn may be tomatoes, cucumbers, melons;
• before planting, the soil must be well loosened;
• soil temperature should be at least + 12 ° C;
• the depth of penetration of seeds is approximately 7-10 cm;
• the distance between plants is about 40 cm, and between the rows - 60.

Corn is a simple and cheap cereal crop, and how much benefit can be gained from it, not to mention gastronomic pleasure. And growing it is not at all difficult. So find on your site a suitable place for it and please yourself in the summer with delicious, fragrant ears.