Baby Corn: The Same Ear as Sweet Corn, Picked Early

Baby Corn / Sweet Corn — ข้าวโพดอ่อน (khao-phot-on) — Zea mays.

Baby corn and sweet corn are the same ear at different stages: baby corn is picked before the kernels fill out. The edible part is the young fruit, cob and all. A meta-analysis associated higher lutein and zeaxanthin intake with lower risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. Baby corn is one source of those pigments; the study measured dietary intake and disease risk. Baby corn provides fiber, vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Fiber adds bulk to meals, can help with fullness, and can slow carbohydrate absorption as part of a mixed diet. Gaeng Liang simmers baby corn in a peppery shrimp-paste broth and is served with hot jasmine rice. Gaeng Pa is a hot Thai jungle curry with fresh baby corn, eaten with steamed jasmine rice. Left to mature, the same ear becomes sweet corn, which you eat off the cob. Plant corn in a square block rather than one long row; wind pollination works better when the plants cluster together. A little fat or oil helps the body absorb lutein and zeaxanthin.

Gaeng Liang — แกงเลียง (gaeng-liang)
Gaeng Pa — แกงป่า (gaeng-pa)

Nutrition data: Prasanthi et al. 2017; DOI:10.1007/s13197-017-2547-2

Food and nutrients

Rich in: fiber, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin

Research context

Higher lutein and zeaxanthin intake is linked to lower risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration — Br J Nutr, 2012

Sources

Source: Ma L et al. (2012). Lutein & zeaxanthin intake and AMD risk: meta-analysis. Br J Nutr 107(3):350-9. DOI:10.1017/S0007114511004260 (PMID 21899805)

Narration transcript

Opening

That tiny cob is an ordinary ear of corn, picked before the kernels have a chance to swell. Baby corn — ข้าวโพดอ่อน, khao-poht-on. You eat the whole young ear, cob and all, tender enough to snap raw. Left on the stalk, that same ear would fill out into the sweet corn you strip off with your teeth.

Gaeng Liang (แกงเลียง)

Gaeng liang is a peppery Thai vegetable soup that simmers baby corn in a savory shrimp-paste broth, paired with hot jasmine rice.

Gaeng Pa (แกงป่า)

Gaeng pa is an aromatic, fiery Thai jungle curry loaded with fresh baby corn, traditionally eaten hot with a side of steamed jasmine rice.

Nutrition summary

Baby corn contains — manganese at 24% of the daily value, fiber at 13%, and copper at 11%.

Fiber

Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is used to build collagen and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin are plant carotenoids that gather in the retina, help filter blue light, and are studied for supporting eye health.

Closing

Here's the grower's trick: plant corn in a square block rather than a long single row, because the wind has to carry pollen from the tassels down to the silks, and clustered plants pollinate far better. For baby corn you pick even earlier, a day or two after the silks show. A little oil on the plate helps your body take in the yellow lutein in the cob. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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