The thread growing from fresh [corn] ttps://www.medicinenet.com/corns/article.htm) on the cob is often discarded & never thought of again. But that thread, known as corn silk, can be of use. The silk is edible, with simple nutrients, and can provide a bountiful amount of [vitamins] https://www.medicinenet.com/vitamins_and_calcium_supplements/article.htm) C, K, potassium, and more.
Corn silk is wispy and gold, and most people usually just toss the tiny, delicate strands. But, they can be brewed into corn silk tea. It is believed that the Aztecs and Mayans originally used this tea. For over 6000 years, evidence shows this tea being used for medicinal purposes.
This article is facinating! I can’t copy the whole article but I did the first paragraph.
Find complete article at:(https://www.medicinenet.com/7_benefits_of_corn_silk_and_how_to_use_it/article.htm)
This subject came to my attention from a video on YouTube.
Blessed be
Garnet
I’ve never had corn silk tea, but reading this reminded me of a section in a women’s herbal medicine book I have on the shelf that also praises corn silk for its benefits. The book suggests corn silk as a possible substitute for cranberry in treating UTIs, but says that it may have a lot of other helpful uses too.
(Passage from The Essential Guide to Women’s Herbal Medicine by Cyndi Gilbert, ND)*
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Corn Silk
While most people compost the silky hairs that surround a corn of cob when they remove the husk before cooking or eating, herbalists save that silk to treat UTIs and other irritations to the urethra or ureters.
Traditionally, corn silk (Zea mays) is believed to soothe the urinary tract during a UTI. It is also seen as a urinary sedative or painkiller. It has long been added to formulas to help ease the passage of urine during a UTI as the infection is being resolved.
In vitro studies have shown that corn silk decreases adhesion of E. coli bacteria on bladder cell surfaces. In one small open-label trial, a corn silk infusion significantly decreased urinary symptoms, such as frequency, urgency, and pain, as well as laboratory signs of UTIs.
I need to be better about remembering to keep the corn silks! They usually go out to the compost with the husks whenever we have corn.
