Tell me about Corn here

[manofthecoldland]

After 18 months of living here continuously instead of following my yearly migration pattern back to the Northlands, I have an hankering for some corn. I usually include it as a regular dietary foodstuff while not living here.  I like eating rice while here as well as small potatoes and local grown gulay. 

Over the years, we once in a great while would buy some of the vendor sweet corn on the cob, and I might have the wife start doing that regularly, or maybe just buy some at the market for home preparation. I haven't told her that yet,  but I did have her  buy me a can of sweet corn at the mall grocery the other day, which I will eat today. 

Canned sweet corn and frozen sweet corn are quite inexpensive in the USA. Don't know how much ear corn is in winter when available there since I seldom bother with it.  I did eat a lot of it in the corn belt as a child when summer corn roasts where very popular at the time for neighborhood parties. 

I think they just boil the ears here before vending it, but I don't know if they soak it in salt water for a long time like they did when I was a kid. Maybe they do. 

Anyone here to share their thoughts, opinions and experiences with eared corn in the Philippines ?

[Mike J]

The corn on the cob sold here SUCKS!  At every vendor, or food stall, that I have seen the corn is a very bright and brilliant yellow.  That means all the natural sugars have turned to starch and the kernels have the consistency of leather and taste like crap.  If you want good sweet corn you will probably want to grow it yourself.  Just my opinion of course as people must be buying and eating the stuff. 

[Tommy T.]

At Mike's suggestion, we started growing some sweet corn...

So far, the results are mixed. First, we planted them outside the fence to soften the appearance of the fence and use the vacant space. People around here are raising a lot of goats in the past several months (the number increases by the day as goat is becoming more popular, according to L), and they quickly devoured most of what I planted just when the leaves were apparently sweetest and they were about two feet tall. I transplanted the remained 10 or so but they did not like the move, so we ended up with 10 stunted corn stalks... (They also ate most of the 20 sunflowers I planted!).

I planted more inside the property but did not mark them well enough, I guess, and L and some workers trampled many of them...

But we have, now, maybe 10 strong-looking stalks that were planted about 2 weeks apart. Actually, today I hope to plant some more if the soil dries out a bit more. I had almost given up, but I am sometimes a determined sort of guy and challenges motivate me. At least the seeds are not expensive and they are available everywhere. We will sacrifice one ear for new seeds when the time comes. L has lots of experience from farming with the family as a kid, so I have a pro as a coach.

I agree with Mike that purchased corn is usually a bit old and requires TLC to prepare. L cooks it forever in plain water. I cook it in water with a tablespoon or so of sugar and the same amount of milk powder or maybe a 1/4 cup of liquid milk. Sometimes we have been surprised with store-bought corn that was sweet and tender on its own.

[Snowy79]

On a road trip to the South of Palawan I bought some corn from the roadside vendors. The corn grew in the fields behind them and they just threw the corn in a large pot of boiling water.  I think I paid about 20 peso each and it was sweet and delicious.  By far the best corn I've had. 

[manofthecoldland]

Well...   I just finished our late breakfast, and the wife served up the sweet corn in the can I had her buy the other day.

I sat down. She had bought a bucket of fried chicken at Chow King amidst her late afternoon shopping yesterday, and it was too much for dinner, so I told her to serve the remainder with this can of corn for our late breakfast. She insisted on adding a fried egg sandwich, which was fine with me.

With one good eye and one poor, I thought I was looking at my chicken, a sandwich and a bowl of french fries at first. It finally came into good focus and I realized it was a bowl of... baby corn !  Needless to say..... I was expecting whole kernel corn like I buy for a pittance when I buy canned generic vegetables for myself. The PI is always surprising when you least expect it.

When finished, I looked at the empty can.  Well, the picture was true to form.  "Young Corn - Whole", with the miniatures depicted clearly.  

I guess that since we often get these  baby corn cobs served with chop suey vegetable platters at the restos, she figured that was what I had asked for.

My err.  So I took the time to explain to her how I had been looking forward to 'kernel' corn..... and had to inform her of the new word we were adding to her English vocabulary..... it seemed to me. Not that she was unfamiliar with the form.

"You can't always  get what you want, but you will find that if you try......you get what you need."  Ha-ha, the joke was on me.

[GeoffH]

52 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

On a road trip to the South of Palawan I bought some corn from the roadside vendors. The corn grew in the fields behind them and they just threw the corn in a large pot of boiling water.  I think I paid about 20 peso each and it was sweet and delicious.  By far the best corn I've had. 

The family do regular road trips to Manolo Fortich from CDO and there are corn fields and vendors by the road side.  I love it... fresh corn that's fresh cooked, delicious!

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, GeoffH said:

The family do regular road trips to Manolo Fortich from CDO and there are corn fields and vendors by the road side.  I love it... fresh corn that's fresh cooked, delicious!

That is something I really enjoyed in both NZ and 'Stralia when driving about both nations - the country "honour system" roadside "markets" where super fresh local produce was displayed for sale and people picked what they wanted and left the cash in the box. The veggies were outstanding and it was really good to observe the trust involved in the transactions.

I see some of that here, outside of the city, where people have their little sari sari stores with some veggies displayed outside with prices posted and an "honour" box, or whatever you want to call the payment box.

[Tommy T.]

Hahaha... Soon we may post out own honour box for veggies since our garden is growing very prolifically now....

Not for corn, though...

Edited April 27, 2021 by Tommy T.

[manofthecoldland]

After watching quite a few videos and reading about the history of corn, it seems that 'nixtamalization' (boiling and soaking corn kernels in any of a variety of lime water preparations, eg. wood ash, baking soda, natural lime varities... alkalines, and then rinsing) is needed before it becomes fully nutritious and releases the B3 to avoid diseases like pellagra that eventually plagues people who are corn dependent.

In the birthplace of maize, all did this, but when the crop was taken out of the western hemisphere, this preparation step was unknown and unused, resulting in many Europeans of centuries past contracting pellagra.

Field corn (dent corn), and I assume sweet corn as well needs to be treated. I assume (not sure yet) commercial canned corn is treated,  but I don't know if and to what extent the corn grown and sold here is. 

Any knowledgeable people out there?

[Tommy T.]

Here is a link regarding pellagra:

https://www.healthline.com/health/pellagra

What is pellagra?

Pellagra is a disease caused by low levels of niacin, also known as vitamin B-3. It’s marked by dementia, diarrhea, and dermatitis, also known as “the three Ds”. If left untreated, pellagra can be fatal.

While it’s much less common than it used to be, thanks to advancements in food production, it’s still a problem in many developing countries. It can also affect people whose bodies don’t properly absorb niacin.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of pellagra are dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea. This is because niacin deficiency is most noticeable in body parts with high rates of cell turnover, such as your skin or gastrointestinal tract.

Dermatitis related to pellagra usually causes a rash on the face, lips, feet, or hands. In some people, dermatitis forms around the neck, a symptom known as Casal necklace.

Additional dermatitis symptoms include:

red, flaky skin

areas of discoloration, ranging from red to brown

thick, crusty, scaly, or cracked skin

itchy, burning patches of skin

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In some cases, the neurological signs of pellagra appear early on, but they’re often hard to identify. As the disease progresses, possible dementia symptoms include:

apathy

depression

confusion, irritability, or mood changes

headaches

restlessness or anxiety

disorientation or delusions

Other possible pellagra symptoms include:

sores on the lips, tongue, or gums

decreased appetite

trouble eating and drinking

nausea and vomiting

What causes it?

There are two types of pellagra, known as primary pellagra and secondary pellagra.

Primary pellagra is caused by diets low in niacin or tryptophan. Tryptophan can be converted to niacin in the body, so not getting enough can cause niacin deficiency.

Primary pellagra is most common in developing countries that depend on corn as a staple food. Corn contains niacytin, a form of niacin that humans can’t digest and absorb unless prepared properly.

Secondary pellagra occurs when your body can’t absorb niacin. Things that can prevent your body from absorbing niacin include:

alcoholism

eating disorders

certain medications, including anti-convulsants and immunosuppressive drugs

gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

cirrhosis of the liver

carcinoid tumors

Hartnup disease

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How is it diagnosed?

Pellagra can be difficult to diagnose because it causes a range of symptoms. There’s also no specific test for diagnosing niacin deficiency.

Instead, your doctor will start by checking for any gastrointestinal problems, rashes, or changes in your mental state. They may also test your urine.

In many cases, diagnosing pellagra involves seeing if your symptoms respond to niacin supplements.

How is it treated?

Primary pellagra is treated with dietary changes and a niacin or nicotinamide supplement. It may also need to be given intravenously. Nicotinamide is another form of vitamin B-3. With early treatment, many people make a full recovery and start feeling better within a few days of starting treatment. Skin improvement may take several months. However, if left untreated, primary pellagra usually causes death after four or five years.

Treating secondary pellagra usually focuses on treating the underlying cause. However, some cases of secondary pellagra also respond well to taking niacin or nicotinamide either orally or intravenously.

While recovering from either primary or secondary pellagra, it’s important to keep any rashes moisturized and protected with sunscreen.

Living with pellagra

Pellagra is a serious condition that’s caused by low levels of niacin, due to either malnutrition or an absorption problem. If left untreated, it can cause death. While primary pellagra responds well to niacin supplementation, secondary pellagra can be harder to treat, depending on the underlying cause.

Last medically reviewed on December 22, 2017

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Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M.D. — Written by Megan Dix, RN, BSN — Updated on September 18, 2018

NUTRITION

Evidence Based

8 Signs and Symptoms of Protein Deficiency

Few nutrients are as important as protein.

Protein is the building block of your muscles, skin, enzymes and hormones, and it plays an essential role in all body tissues.

Most foods contain some protein. As a result, true protein deficiency is rare in developed countries. However, some people may still be at risk.

Deficiency leads to various health problems, while low protein intake may also be a concern, as it can cause subtle changes in your body over time.

This article lists 8 symptoms of low protein intake or deficiency.

What Is Protein Deficiency?

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Protein deficiency is when your intake is unable to meet your body’s requirements.

An estimated one billion people worldwide suffer from inadequate protein intake (1Trusted Source).

The problem is especially severe in Central Africa and South Asia, where up to 30% of children get too little protein from their diet (2Trusted Source).

Certain people in developed countries are also at risk. This includes people who follow an imbalanced diet, as well as institutionalized older people and hospitalized patients (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

While true protein deficiency is uncommon in the Western world, some people get very low amounts from their diet.

Too little protein may cause changes in body composition that develop over a long period of time, such as muscle wasting.

The most severe form of protein deficiency is known as kwashiorkor. It most often occurs in children in developing countries where famine and imbalanced diets are common.

Protein deficiency can affect almost all aspects of body function. As a result, it is associated with many symptoms.

Some of these symptoms may start to occur even when protein deficiency is marginal. They are listed below, along with some typical symptoms of kwashiorkor.

SUMMARY:Protein deficiency is when people do not get adequate amounts of protein from their diet. Kwashiorkor, its most severe form, is most commonly seen in children in developing countries.

1. Edema

Edema, which is characterized by swollen and puffy skin, is a classic symptom of kwashiorkor.

Scientists believe it is caused by low amounts of human serum albumin, which is the most abundant protein in the liquid part of blood, or blood plasma (5Trusted Source).

One of albumin’s main functions is to maintain oncotic pressure — a force that draws fluid into the blood circulation. In this way, albumin prevents excessive amounts of fluid from accumulating in tissues or other body compartments.

Because of reduced human serum albumin levels, severe protein deficiency leads to lower oncotic pressure. As a result, fluid accumulates in tissues, causing swelling.

For the same reason, protein deficiency may lead to fluid buildup inside the abdominal cavity. A bloated belly is a characteristic sign of kwashiorkor.

Keep in mind that edema is a symptom of severe protein deficiency, which is unlikely to happen in developed countries.

 

Have a nice day and enjoy your corn...