Sangam Agro Foods

Ambegaon, Pune, Maharashtra

Sweet corn is a particular maize species which differ genetically from the field maize. Its kernels are tender, delicious and eaten as avegetablein many cuisines worldwide. In contrast to the traditional field corn, sweet corn crops are harvested while their corn-ears have just attained the milky stage. The cob either used immediately or frozen for later use since its sugar content turns quickly into starch.

Corn is native to the Central Americas which then introduced to the rest of the world through Spanish explorers. Sweetcorn differs genetically from the field maize by mutation at thesugary (su)locus.

The crop has achieved a major success as one of the important commercial cash crops in many tropical and semi-tropical countries, incuding the USA. Scientific name:Zea mays var. saccharata.

Corn grows to about 7-10 feet in height. It grows quickly under sunny, fertile, and well-drained soil supplanted with good moisture conditions. Each plant bears about 2-6, long husked "ears" filled with rows of tooth-like seeds arranged around a central woody core (cob). Optimum pollination is essential for full kernel development.

Several different sweet corn cultivars with variations in their sweetness, color, and maturation are grown keeping in mind of local and regional demands. Most farmers opt for crops that attribute superior eating and keeping quality and high yields. Examples include Standard (su), Sugary Extender (se), Supersweet (sh2), Synergistic (sy), and Augmented Supersweet. Depending on the cultivar type, the crop can be ready for harvesting in 65-90 days. Harvesting is done when the free end (silk end) of the ear is full, its silk has turned brown, and its kernels are firm but in the milky stage. Often, farmers check the kernels by pricking them with their thumbnail to ascertain harvest timing.

Baby corns are very young, miniature ears harvested when their kernels are still at the incipient stage. Its central core is sweet and tender enough to be eaten raw. Baby corns measure about 3-5 inches in length and weigh about 20-50 g each.

• At 86 calories per 100 g, sugar corn kernels are moderately high in calories in comparison to other vegetables. However, fresh sweet corn has much fewer calories than that of in the field corn and other cereal grains like wheat, rice, etc. Their calorie chiefly comes from simpler carbohydrates like glucose, sucrose than complex sugars like amylose and amylopectin, which is a case in the cereals.
• Sweet corn is a gluten-free cereal and may be used safely in celiac disease individuals much like rice, quinoa, etc.
• Sugar corn features high-quality phytonutrition profile comprising of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants in addition to minerals in modest proportions. It is one of the finest sources of dietary fibers, 100 g kernels carry 2 g or 5% of daily requirement of dietary fiber. Together with slow digesting complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber in the food helps regulate in a gradual increase in blood sugar levels. However, corn, in line with rice, potato, etc., is one of high glycemic index food items, limiting its authority as the chief food ingredient in diabetes patients.
• Yellow variety corn has significantly higher levels of phenolic flavonoid pigment antioxidants such as-carotenes, and lutein, xanthins and cryptoxanthinpigments along with vitamin-A. 100 g fresh kernels provide 187 IU or 6% of daily requirement of vitamin-A. Altogether; these compounds are required for maintaining healthy mucosa, skin, and vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids helps protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Corn is a good source of the phenolic flavonoid antioxidant, ferulic acid. Several research studies suggest that ferulic acid plays a vital role in preventing cancers, aging, and inflammation in humans.
• It also contains good levels of some of the valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folates, riboflavin, and pyridoxine. Many of these vitamins function as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism.
• Further, it contains healthy amounts of some essential minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.

Green peas are one of the most nutritious leguminous vegetables rich in health promoting phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

Fresh, tender peas are relatively low in calories in comparison to beans, and cowpeas. 100 g of green peas carry just 81 calories and no cholesterol. Nonetheless, they are good sources of protein, vitamins, and soluble as well as insoluble fiber.

Fresh pea pods are excellent sources of folic acid. 100 g provides 65 g or 16% of recommended daily levels of folates. Folates are one of the B-complex vitamins required for DNA synthesis inside the cell. Studies suggest that adequate folate-rich foods when given to expectant mothers would help prevent neural tube defects in their newborn babies.

Fresh green peas are healthy sources of ascorbic acid (vitamin-C). 100 g of fresh pods carry 40 mg or 67% of daily requirement of vitamin-C. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural water-soluble antioxidant. Vegetables rich in this vitamin would help the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

Peas contain phytosterols, especially -sitosterol. Studies suggest that vegetables like legumes, fruits, and cereals rich in plant sterols help lower cholesterol levels inside the human body.

Garden peas are also good in vitamin-K. 100 g of fresh seeds contain about 24.8 g or about 21% of daily requirement of vitamin K-1 (phylloquinone). Vitamin-K has been found to have a potential role in bone mass building function (mineralization) through the promotion of osteoblastic activity inside the bone cells. It also has an established role in the cure of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.

Fresh green peas also carry adequate amounts of antioxidants flavonoids such as carotenes, lutein, and zeaxanthin as well as vitamin-A (provide 765 IU or 25.5% of RDA per 100 g). Vitamin-A is an essential nutrient required for maintaining healthy membranes, skin, and eyesight. Additionally, consumption of natural fruits/vegetables rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

In addition to folates, peas are also good in many other essential B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine. Furthermore, they are a rich source of many minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese.