Health Benefits of Corn Silk

We all love eating corn, who doesn’t! We roast it, boil it and even mix it with other foods. But what of that corn silk which most of us generally toss into the garbage bin, do you know it can benefit your body in more ways than one. Its intresting, isn’t it?

That is what we will be discussing about. The most common way to make use of corn silk is in the form of tea. Here is how to go about it, we will be learning three methods of making corn silk tea before learning of its benefits.

Technique 1
This is the common method. You will need ingredients like:
Dry or fresh corn silk
Water
Lemon juice
Put water in a kettle or a pot ( kettle preferrably )
When it starts boiling, drop the dried or fresh silk inside.
Let it boil for a while, until it turn into a brown hued caramel-like liquid.
Strain and serve the tea. You may have it both cold and warm.

The lemon Juice is to add flavour to the tea.
Leftover tea can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.

Technique 2
This method is more effective in obtaining the natural benefits of corn silk. The ingredients are:
Dried corn silk, chopped
Water
Honey.
No boiling this time, just pour some water in a glass jar.
Add the dried silk corn in the water.
Cover the glass jar with a lid and then keep the jar out in the sun for a day.
At the end of the day, take the jar inside and add honey to it and stir well.
Keep it in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

Technique 3
This method has to do with alcohol.
Make a tincture out of corn silk, by filling a small jar with chopped corn silk at about 1/4.
Fill the rest of it any high proof alcohol like gin.
Cover the jar and let the two ingredients get minced for 5 weeks in a cool, dark place. Make sure to shake it occasionally.
Strain then take about ¼ to ½ teaspoon a few times every day. You should reduce the dose for smaller children.
You can mix a spoonful of honey to make it taste better, especially if you are giving it to children.

Now for the benefits of corn silk
It has significant importance considering how most of us throw it away:

1. Bedwetting : This is an ailment that some children and adults face. Corn silk is a very effective home remedy for this. Experts do recommend drinking a tea cup of corn silk tea before bed to treat it.
2. Bladder infections : Corn silk act as an anti-inflammatory agent for urinary tract infections. It coats the urinary tract lining and stops further irritation. Corn silk tea consumption eases the inflamed bladder and the urinary tract. It makes you urinate, and thus reduces the risk of bacteria build-up in the urinary tract. It is also used to soothe the irritated prostate gland.
3. Kidney stones : Corn silk has been used to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones. Corn silk usage can increase urine flow and decrease the chances of sediment formation in kidneys, which eventually lead to kidney stone formation. However, its use will not treat kidney stones that are already there.
4. Diabetes : Taking corn silk tea helps those with diabetes increase insulin generation in their body.
5. High blood pressure : Most people suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure issues nowadays including young men and women. They can consume corn silk tea to reduce high blood pressure.
6. High cholesterol levels
7. Source of Vitamin C : Corn silk contains vitamin C, which is ideal for boosting immunity. It also plays a major role in regulating different functions in the human body.

Special Precaution on Corn Silk
Corn silk is safe for pregnant women when used in the amounts normally found in food. But larger amounts are unsafe, because corn silk might stimulate the uterus causing a miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety of taking corn silk if you are breast-feeding. It’s best to stick to food amounts of corn silk if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.