varieties with variegated kernels.
Sweet corn, a popular vegetable in the
United States when immature, stores
more sugar than starch, and therefore has
translucent kernels and loose, wrinkled
skins (starch grains reflect light and
plump out the kernels in the other types).
Most corn-producing countries also eat
immature corn, but use the other general-
purpose corn types. The native
Americans who first developed it
apparently enjoyed sweet corn for its full
flavor when parched.Food Words: Corn and MaizeThe grain that Americans call “corn” was
originally known in English as “maize” or
“Indian corn.” “Maize” comes from the
Taino name used in the West Indies, and is
the source of the Spanish, Italian, and
French names. The word corn is a generic
term that comes from the same root as