Sweet corn (Zea mays convar. saccharata var. rugosa; also called sugar corn and pole corn) is a variety of maize with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to starch inside the endosperm of the corn kernel. Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten fresh, canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy.
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 360 kJ (86 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 19.02 g |
| - Sugars | 3.22 g |
| - Dietary fiber | 2.7 g |
| Fat | 1.18 g |
| Protein | 3.2 g |
| - Tryptophan | 0.023 g |
| - Threonine | 0.129 g |
| - Isoleucine | 0.129 g |
| - Leucine | 0.348 g |
| - Lysine | 0.137 g |
| - Methionine | 0.067 g |
| - Cystine | 0.026 g |
| - Phenylalanine | 0.150 g |
| - Tyrosine | 0.123 g |
| - Valine | 0.185 g |
| - Arginine | 0.131 g |
| - Histidine | 0.089 g |
| - Alanine | 0.295 g |
| - Aspartic acid | 0.244 g |
| - Glutamic acid | 0.636 g |
| - Glycine | 0.127 g |
| - Proline | 0.292 g |
| - Serine | 0.153 g |
| Water | 75.96 g |
| Vitamin A equiv. | 9 μg (1%) |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.200 mg (17%) |
| Niacin (vit. B3) | 1.700 mg (11%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 46 μg (12%) |
| Vitamin C | 6.8 mg (8%) |
| Iron | 0.52 mg (4%) |
| Magnesium | 37 mg (10%) |
| Potassium | 270 mg (6%) |
| One ear of medium size (6-¾ to 7-½ inches long) maize has 90 grams of seeds Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. |
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Read more about Sweet Corn: History, Anatomy, Consumption, Varieties
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—A. Edward Sullivan, U.S. screenwriter. Professor Quail (W.C. Fields)
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)