62 AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019 best health besthealthmag.ca
BEST BITES
cream, but while some peo-
ple swear that one is sweeter
than another, experts agree that
colour doesn’t actually play a role.
Your best bet for the most f lavourful corn is
to choose a cob that’s grown locally and in season
and, more than anything, prepare it properly –
that is, don’t husk it before it’s time to cook it. I get
that you want to check for bugs and rotten kernels
when you’re choosing your dozen in the store, but
the husk keeps the kernels juicy and prevents their
natural sugars from transitioning to starch. Your
best bet is to look for husks that are tight, green
and fresh-looking, with brown moist silks poking
out the top. Any little holes in the husks are signs
that there may be worms inside.
While it’s a true late-summer treat, whether it’s
boiled or grilled with a little butter and a pinch of
salt, corn can become the star ingredient in so
ma ny mea ls. Read on for t wo of our favourite corn
recipes.FROM OIL AND FUEL TO
sweeteners and flour, corn is a
pretty versatile vegetable. And,
though it’s developed a bad reputation
for its use in fried, processed snacks, in its
whole, unadulterated form, it’s one of the most
delicious and nutritious offerings in late summer.
A typical ear of corn is naturally sweet but sur-
prisingly low in calories, clocking in at less than
100 calories, with about three grams of satiating
fibre and protein. And, though berries tend to get
the seasonal superfood award for antioxidant
power, the micronutrient composition of sweet
corn is nothing to sneer at. In fact, corn is loaded
with the phytochemical power of lutein and zea-
xanthin, two antioxidants that have been shown to
help reduce the risk of macular degeneration (the
leading cause of irreversible blindness in adults).
Sweet corn is often available on the cob in white,
yellow and bicolour varieties like peaches and