Plant atlas Short
Baby Corn: The Same Ear as Sweet Corn, Picked Early
Baby Corn / Sweet Corn · ข้าวโพดอ่อน · Zea mays
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. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Gaeng Liang — แกงเลียง (gaeng-liang)
Gaeng Pa — แกงป่า (gaeng-pa)
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)
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
#LongevityBiome #ThaiHerbs #BabyCorn
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