By Taylor Sutton, MS, RDN, LD, United Supermarkets Dietitian
Did you know that corn in the summer tastes really sweet? Corn can sometimes get a bad reputation as a starchy vegetable, but it actually has some big nutritional value and can be a beneficial addition to your diet! Corn on the cob provides fiber, a little bit of plant based protein, copper, zinc, potassium and vitamin B6. Due to it’s high fiber content, it’s a great option to help keep you feeling fuller longer, may reduce LDL cholesterol and prevent diverticular disease. It also contains lutein and zeaxanthin that can benefit your eye health!
With so many benefits to corn it’s important to remember that one food ingredient is not going to fix or wreak havoc on your goals. It is one food that can be incorporated into your diet however often you see fit along with other foods to help diversify the intake. With that in mind, some things to think about would be if you don’t like fresh corn, there are other ways to get it in like corn on the cob, frozen corn, canned corn with no salt added, corn chips, corn tortillas, popcorn, corn flour and more!
So for a half of a cup of corn it’s about 77 calories, 3 grams of protein, 5mg of sodium, 15g of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of fiber. It is also gluten free, and low-fat. Fiber is a key player here and corn has both soluble and insoluble varieties. Corn’s insoluble fiber also acts as a prebiotic fiber feeding and supporting the gut bacteria.
With so much goodness we want to encourage you to include all the produce you can into your diet as it really returns on your health investment.
Grilled Corn and Steak Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce
- 1 head Iceberg Lettuce
- 1 lb Steak
- 2 ears Corn
- 2 Heirloom Tomatoes
- 4 Tbsp Chimi-verde Sauce of your choice (or fresh herbs like parsley, mint, cilantro and basil)
Directions
1. Grill Steak and corn until steak reaches internal temperature of 155.
2. Roughly chop 1/2 of the romaine and iceberg lettuces and place in bowl.
3. Dice tomatoes and place on lettuce.
4. After letting steak rest slice against the grain and put on top.
5. Dollop on Freak Flag Chimi-Verde Sauce and enjoy.
