Sweetcorn

The sweetcorn market

Christopher Colombus was probably the first European to set eyes on corn in the Americas and it was introduced to Europe by him when he returned from one of his journeys. First cultivated in the South of Spain, if the began to be sown in Portugal, the South-West of France, Italy and then Eastern Europe. This success is due to its easy cultivation and a much higher yield than wheat. Innovations have enabled it to be cultivated in other regions and have led to the development of early harvested varieties.

Maizes has three major market outlets :
- animal feed for two-thirds of production
- for human consumption
- the agro-food industries

As a food for humans, sweetcorn is eaten in the form of separated whole grains or served on the cob.

Fresh, as a conserve or frozen, sweetcorn is today the fifth most popular vegetable consumed in France.

Tips

Sweetcorn can be barecued, boiled in water, steamed, baked or microwaved.

Very popular with children, sweetcorn has many nutritional benefits. As fibre intake is generally below that recommended by nutrition experts, fibre-rich diets are recommended. Fresh sweetcorn with its high fibre content can contribute to providing this nutritional requirement. The calorie content of fresh sweetcorn is 2 to 3 times lower than that of some cereals and starchy foods.

AVERAGE NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER 100G *

Energy value 95 kcal - (395 kJ)

Proteins 3,2 g

Carbohydrates 18,3 g

of which sugars 2,3 g

Fat 0,8 g

of which saturated fatty acids 0,1 g

Fibre 3,8 g

Salt 0,005 g

* according to the Répertoire Général des Aliments - food composition and nutrition tables (2nd edition, 1995 version)