Know2eat

Sweet corn

Zea mays var. saccharata

What sweet corn has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
4 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About sweet corn

Maize harvested while the kernels are immature and still sweet, eaten as a vegetable rather than as a grain. The USDA reference here is the white variety, which carries far less carotenoid than yellow corn.

Also known as Corn on the cob, Maize, Sweetcorn, Elote

Eye HealthGut & Digestive Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Macular health

Eye Health
Limited evidence

Yellow corn is one of the few foods where zeaxanthin exceeds lutein, and higher intake of both is associated with denser macular pigment. The trial evidence used supplements, and the white corn described by this record contributes almost nothing to that intake.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Bowel regularity

Gut & Digestive Health
Insufficient evidence

Sweet corn provides a mix of insoluble fibre and, once cooked and cooled, some resistant starch. Dietary fibre generally has decent trial support for stool frequency, but sweet corn itself has not been tested.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Sweet corn

Ask about Sweet corn

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories86 kcal4%
Protein3.22 g6%
Total fat1.18 g2%
Carbohydrate19 g7%
Fibre2.7 g10%
Total sugars3.22 g—
Water76 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.182 g1%
Monounsaturated fat0.347 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.559 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.542 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C6.8 mg8%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.07 mg0%
Vitamin K0.3 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.2 mg17%
Riboflavin (B2)0.06 mg5%
Niacin (B3)1.7 mg11%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.76 mg15%
Vitamin B60.055 mg3%
Folate46 µg12%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium2 mg0%
Iron0.52 mg3%
Magnesium37 mg9%
Phosphorus89 mg7%
Potassium270 mg6%
Sodium15 mg1%
Zinc0.45 mg4%
Copper0.054 mg6%
Manganese0.161 mg7%
Selenium0.6 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene1 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin34 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.62 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Corn, sweet, white, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168538).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • with fatIncreases carotenoid absorption

    Lutein and zeaxanthin in yellow corn are absorbed considerably better when eaten with fat, which the traditional butter happens to supply.

  • boiledReduces vitamin C and folate

    Both are water-soluble and leach into the cooking water. Steaming or grilling retains more than boiling does.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    White corn is not a carotenoid source

    The eye-health reputation of sweet corn rests entirely on the lutein and zeaxanthin of yellow varieties. White corn, which this record describes, has almost none of either. The colour is the information.

  • Too much

    Fructans and irritable bowel syndrome

    Sweet corn contains fermentable fructans and is limited during a low-FODMAP elimination phase. A whole cob is a common trigger of wind and bloating; half a cob often is not.

  • Worth knowing

    Kernels appearing whole in stool

    The outer hull of a corn kernel is cellulose, which humans cannot digest, so it passes through visibly. The starch and nutrients inside were digested normally. This is not a sign of a digestive problem.

  • Worth knowing

    Niacin in maize-dominant diets

    The niacin in maize is chemically bound and poorly absorbed unless the grain is treated with alkali, as in nixtamalisation for tortillas. Historic pellagra epidemics followed maize-dominant diets adopted without that step. This is a fact about maize as a staple grain, not about eating corn on the cob.