The Digestibility of Corn
Lisa Grentz, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
It is common after eating a meal containing corn to notice pieces of corn passing through the body undigested. Don’t be alarmed! It may look like whole corn kernels are being excreted in the stool, but really it is just the outer shell. This is because the outer shell of corn kernels contains cellulose, which is a compound our bodies are not able to break down. Once this shell is removed, our bodies are capable of digesting the nutrients inside the kernel.
In general, it will take about 24-36 hours for the corn to pass through your digestive system. This will be especially prominent after eating a lot of corn – like a bowl of corn chowder!
Corn Chowder
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups celery, diced
4 cups (about 8 ears) fresh corn kernels or 2 (10-ounce) packages of frozen corn kernels
4 cups vegetable broth
½ tsp. fine sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
12 ounces milk of choice
Instructions
In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil; add garlic and onion and sauté until onion is translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, corn, and broth; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir-in salt, pepper, thyme, and milk. Remove from heat and serve.