Corn grows in warm weather and usually matures in late summer. The stalks can grow between three feet and 20 feet tall, depending upon the cultivar. At one point, there were thousands of varieties of corn in production, but these numbers have since dwindled to less than one hundred hardy, predictable varieties with large fleshy kernels.

Corn grows in ears, tight clusters of kernels around a central core or cob that is covered in a leafy husk. Corn has been bred in such a way that it has difficulty reproducing without human assistance, thanks to this husk. It is believe that when Columbus "discovered" America, there was no corn on board the Nina, Pinta or Santa Maria. Also, before 1492, no one living in Europe ate corn cakes, corn bread or corn pudding. They even don't have knowledge about the existence of corn.

Up to this time, corn grew only in the Americas. Scientists believe corn was originally cultivated by Indians in the highlands of Mexico thousands of years ago. The Indians discovered that corn was good to eat and very nutritious.

Health benefits

Whenever you want to make a party, hot, fresh corn-on-the-cob is an almost essential part of any summertime party. It is also worthy part of any healthful menu. Our food ranking system qualified corn as a good source of many nutrients including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese.

Cardiovascular Health

Corn is rich in fiber thus; it is good for heart health. Foliate, which you may know about as a B-vitamin needed to prevent birth defects, also helps to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle.

Homocysteine can directly damage blood vessels, so elevated blood levels of this dangerous molecule are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20-40% of patients with heart disease.