Healthy eating tips: Corn adds nutrients and flavour to meals

(NC)—Eating healthier doesn't have to be a chore. Healthy eating decisions can be as easy as adding a simple ingredient to your favorite recipes.

For example, according to Montreal-based nutritionist Kim Arrey, cornmeal and corn flour can add flavour, texture and nutrients to breads and other great tasting meals, while providing health benefits. “Corn is a good source of Vitamin C and fibre. It also contains many different phytonutrients, including lutein and zeaxanthin which help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in senior citizens.”

Even better, thanks to advances in science, farmers now have access to new varieties of corn that allow them to control weeds without tilling the soil, which helps the environment.

Plant breeders have also developed Bt corn, which provides built-in protection against insect pests like the corn borer. This lowers the level of potential toxins, improving food safety for humans and animals.

Try this tasty corn recipe:

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high

1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-28 oz can (796 ml) diced tomatoes

1½ cups (375 ml) chunky salsa

1-12 oz can (341 ml) corn niblets, drained

1-19 oz can (540 ml) black beans, rinsed and drained

¼ cup (50 ml) fresh cilantro, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1½ cups (375 ml) tomato sauce

Dash salt and pepper

1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin

In a medium frying pan, cook ground beef with onions and garlic over medium-high heat until beef is browned. Drain excess juice.

Put beef into slow cooker. Add rest of ingredients and stir until mixed.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

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Source: Pulse Canada

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