Nutritional Content Of A Medium-size Corn On The Cob

You probably view corn on the cob as a vegetable, but it's actually a grain. To make matters more confusing, grain is a popular term used for plants that are dry fruits. The distinction between fruit and vegetable has to do with how a plant reproduces, and corn reproduces like a fruit. However, most people serve and eat fresh corn on the cob as a vegetable. Regardless of its designation, corn offers numerous nutritional benefits.

Basics

A medium-size ear of corn on the cob weighs 102 g and measures between 6 3/4 and 7 1/2 inches in length, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Yielding roughly 800 corn kernels positioned in approximately 16 rows, a medium-size ear of corn on the cob has 88 calories, 3.3 g of protein, 1.4 g of fat, 19 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of dietary fiber.

Vitamins

You'll get about 10 percent of the USDA's dietary reference intake, or DRI, of vitamin C from eating one medium-size ear of corn. This amount of corn also provides more than 15 percent of the DRI of thiamin and niacin, nearly 9 percent of the DRI of vitamin B-6, and 7 percent of the DRI of folate. It also offers about 5 percent of the riboflavin DRI and 2 percent of the DRI of vitamin A.

Minerals

A medium-size ear of corn provides nearly 6 percent of the suggested daily adequate intake of potassium. You'll also get 16 percent of the DRI of phosphorous. This amount of corn provides 9 percent of the DRI of iron for adult men and 7 percent of the DRI of iron for adult women, plus 14 percent of the DRI of magnesium for women and 11 percent of the DRI of magnesium for women. It also has 7 percent of the DRI of zinc for women, and 5 percent of the DRI of zinc for men.

Glycemic Index and Load

According to Harvard Health Publications, corn on the cob has a glycemic index, or GI, that ranges between 49 and 57, and a glycemic load, or GL, of 17. Foods with high GIs and GLs are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and possibly cancer and gallbladder disease, as reported by the Linus Pauling Institute. A low-fat, low-calorie and moderate GI/GL food, corn on the cob fits well into a healthy eating plan for most people.