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Introduction
The United States has the highest corn consumption in the world today. Although a bigger portion of corn is used for biofuels and animal feeds, research indicates that an average American consumes around 1500 pounds of corn annually (Pendarvis and Crawley 180). Due to its rapid growth and low production cost, the crop, which was initially used as a vegetable, has become a basic ingredient in almost all food products in the country. Corn is used in sodas, salad dressings, potato chips, hamburgers, breakfast cereals, French fries, and baked goods. As a result, the widespread use of corn in food products has sparked a considerable debate on its health impacts. On one side, the corn proponents argue that it has critical nutritional benefits, while the opponents insist that it adversely impacts consumers health. Corn is not detrimental to consumers health; rather, it has high nutritional values and protects against chronic diseases.
Arguments Supporting Corn Consumption
Corn has considerably high nutritional values, which are essential to consumers. It is an important source of carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, minerals, and dietary fibre. According to Johnson and Taylor, All corn types are rich in dietary fibre vitamins (A, B, E, and K), minerals (magnesium, potassium and phosphorous), phenolic acids and flavonoids, plant sterols and other phytochemicals (114). Some reports indicate that corn has more proteins than other vegetables making it a preferable choice for vegans and vegetarians or other consumers seeking to get proteins from non-animal sources (Prasanthi et al. 1083). Therefore, corn provides a healthy balanced diet and makes consumers fuller for an extended period. As a result, corn is a critical food source, particularly among the low-income earners, when consumed in moderation.
Corn consumption protects consumers against the risk of developing various ailments. Research indicates that eating corn or its derived products may lower the cases of chronic illnesses such as obesity, cardiopulmonary complications, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes (Johnson and Taylor 113). The health benefits have been linked to antioxidants which are present in corn. Antioxidants combat the impacts of free radicals in the body responsible for causing the development of chronic ailments and ageing. Research indicates that corn also contains carotenoids which are health-promoting elements (Johnson and Taylor 113). In addition, according to Demeter et al., minerals found in corn, such as potassium, magnesium, and zinc, Play an important role in metabolism, skin protection, and bone and tooth health (1). Similarly, corn contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which have anti-inflammatory impacts on the human body and safeguard against diseases like the Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD and cardiovascular complications (Demeter 1). This proves that corn is functional food that protects consumer health.
Corn is a nutraceutical food that helps in the management of chronic disorders. A study indicates that apart from safeguarding consumers against long-term illnesses, corn can also be included in the treatment process. For example, high-amylose resistant type 2 starches found in corn acts as a prebiotic, effective in treating obesity, particularly among postmenopausal women (Amanullah and Shah 33). In addition, according to Amanullah and Shah, Studies have shown that the consumption of resistant starch contained in corn improves insulin sensitivity in humans (38). Furthermore, the study also shows that anthocyanins found in purple corn have proved effective in balancing the abnormal angiogenesis linked to diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, antioxidants, phenolic, anthocyanins, and bioactive peptides in corn improve its therapeutic properties critical in managing prolonged diseases. Moreover, corn enhances an individuals digestive tract and protects it against digestive complications (Johnson and Taylor 113). This is because, since corn has dietary fibre, it significantly improves consumers digestion.
Arguments Against Corn Consumption
Corn contains high sugar levels making it detrimental to human health. Studies indicate that a substantial section of the United States population consumes corn as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a sweetener added to beverages. HFCS has been linked to diabetes, obesity, liver complications, and cardiovascular disorders. The levels of fructose in HFCS are exceedingly high compared to the glucose content. While glucose can easily be absorbed in the body, fructose is not effectively absorbed. A long-term buildup of fructose in the body causes weight gain resulting in obesity (Insel 168). Excessive intake of HFCS has also been linked with insulin resistance which causes type 2 diabetes. In addition, according to DeChristopher et al., Increased coronary heart disease risk may, in part, be due to the high fructose-to-glucose ratio in the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in soda and fruit drinks (2). Based on the study, the fructose to glucose levels in many beverages has exceeded the safe levels triggering fructose malabsorption which increases the propensity for heart diseases. Therefore, it is apparent that the fructose levels in HFCS pose adverse health effects.
Most corn crops are genetically modified (GM), posing adverse effects to consumers. Over the years, corn has become one of the most GM crops in the United in the effort to increase the yields and enhance resistance to pests and diseases. The consumption of modified corn has created concerns among nutritionists, with some linking such products to negative impacts on health. This is due to the belief that the consumption of modified foods may transfer toxicity, allergies, and antibiotic resistance to consumers (Delaney et al. 364). Therefore, some people are convinced that since corn is grown with chemicals, the pesticide residue may be ingested by people and animals. Even though the residue levels may be in small amounts, with time, such chemicals may build up and trigger adverse changes in the body resulting in various complications. Hence, GM corn may cause several health issues due to the transfer of toxicity from the crop to the consumers body.
Rebuttal
Corn contains natural sugars comparable to other starchy foods, which cannot affect a consumers health if moderated. There is a growing misconception that corn and HFCS are the same. However, corn is a grain made of starch, while the HFCS is a sugar that has been processed, leading to high fructose levels. Corn has considerably low amounts of fructose compared to HFCS. Similarly, according to Insel et al., There is no concrete evidence indicating that HFCS within a calorie-controlled diet will cause significant health problems (168). Based on this study, individuals who consume high levels of HFCS have an increased likelihood of gaining more weight than those whose intake is low. This proves that HFCS does not adversely impact consumers health if well moderated. Therefore, the claim that HFCS may cause obesity, diabetes, or heart diseases may be misguided because there is no direct link between the sugar and health complications.
There is no evidence that genetically modified crops are unfit for humans. Studies indicate that modified crops do not pose any threat to consumer health. Such crops also have similar nutritional values to non-modified ones. According to Delaney et al., The work conducted to date has identified no evidence of adverse health or nutritional effects from commercially available genetically engineered crops or the foods obtained from them (362). The study emphasizes that all GM crops undergo a rigorous process to determine their safety and any potential threat to human health before they are approved. Similarly, regarding the notion that corn has pesticide residue that can affect consumer health, research indicates that the kernel, the edible part of a con, contains significantly low residue levels. On the contrary, high levels of pesticide residue are found in the husk and silk parts of a corn plant (Yajima et al. 57). Therefore, even though corn is a modified crop, it does not threaten consumer health.
Conclusion
Corn is not detrimental to consumers health; instead, it has several nutritional and health benefits. Corn contains slightly higher starch than other foods, which may cause weight gain if not well moderated. However, it is very nutritious because it contains carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins and hence offers a balanced diet, particularly to economically disadvantaged consumers. Despite the concerns that corns high sugars pose adverse health impacts to individuals, research shows that apart from preventing chronic diseases, the food can also be used to treat such ailments. Additionally, the belief that modified crops have harmful effects on consumers is unsubstantiated. Therefore, it is a consumers choice whether they want to include corn in their diet. In this case, individuals who wish to lessen their carbohydrate intake should avoid corn. Nevertheless, since many products contain corn, consumers should always check the ingredient labels before making a purchase.
Works Cited
Amanullah, Khan, and Shah Fahad, eds. Corn: Production and Human Health in Changing Climate. IntechOpen, 2018.
DeChristopher, Luanne R. et al. High Fructose Corn Syrup, Excess-Free-Fructose, and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Among African Americans The Jackson Heart Study. BMC Nutrition, vol 6, no. 70, 2020, pp. 1-15.
Delaney, Bryan et al. Food and Feed Safety of Genetically Engineered Food Crops. Toxicological Sciences, vol 162, no. 2, 2017, pp. 361-371.
Demeter, Cintia et al. Analysis of the Content Values Of Sweet Maize (Zea Mays L. Convar Saccharata Koern) In Precision Farming. Agronomy, vol 11, no. 12, 2021, pp. 1-15.
Insel, Paul, et al. Nutrition. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2022.
Johnson, Jodee, and Taylor C. Wallace, eds. Whole Grains and Their Bioactives: Composition and Health. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.
Pendarvis, Murray P., and John L. Crawley. Exploring Biology in the Laboratory. Morton Publishing Company, 2018.
Prasanthi, P. S. et al. Compositional Variability of Nutrients and Phytochemicals in Corn After Processing. Journal of Food Science and Technology, vol 54, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1080-1090.
Yajima, Tomonari et al. Influence of Various Parts of Sweet Corn Ears on Pesticide Residue Levels. Journal of Pesticide Science, vol 42, no. 2, 2017, pp. 52-57.
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