Raw Corn Salad
I’ve never been a huge Sweetgreen girlie, but I vividly remember having a bite of my friend’s Sweetgreen in 2014.
Her salad had corn in it, but it tasted different from any corn I had ever had.
It tasted…fresher?
More crispy?
I don’t know how to describe it, but it felt…right?
The next morning, I had a really good poo.
So I started doing some research on what type of corn Sweetgreen used, and I discovered this: it was normal sweet corn, but RAW!
Raw Corn Calories
Raw corn has fewer digestible calories compared to cooked corn. This difference comes from how the starches in corn are processed by your body. Corn contains complex carbohydrates, especially a type of starch called amylose. When corn is raw, much of this starch remains in a form that’s difficult for your digestive enzymes to break down. As a result, you absorb fewer calories because some of the starch passes through your digestive system undigested.
However, when corn is cooked, the heat breaks down the structure of these starches, making them easier to digest and absorb. This process, called gelatinization, increases the bioavailability of the starches, meaning your body can extract more calories from cooked corn than raw.
Additionally, cooking corn enhances the absorption of certain nutrients like antioxidants (especially lutein and zeaxanthin), but it can also reduce heat-sensitive vitamins like vitamin C.
Raw corn tends to be harder to digest, and its fiber content may lead to more intact kernels appearing in your stool. This isn’t a sign of poor digestion but simply that your body can’t fully break down the tough outer hulls of the raw corn kernels.
Raw Corn x Constipation
Raw corn can be better than cooked corn for constipation primarily because of its fiber content and how it interacts with your digestive system, especially when paired with healthy fats like avocado.
First, raw corn retains more of its natural fiber structure compared to cooked corn. This means that raw corn provides a higher amount of insoluble fiber, which is crucial for adding bulk to your stool and helping it move through your intestines more quickly. Insoluble fiber acts like a broom in your digestive tract, pushing waste through and preventing it from sitting in your colon for too long, which can lead to constipation. Cooking corn can break down some of this fiber, making it less effective at promoting regular bowel movements.
Healthy fats, like those in avocado, play a supportive role in easing constipation when combined with raw corn. Fats help lubricate your digestive system, which encourages smoother movement of stool. Avocados, in particular, are rich in monounsaturated fats and contain a good amount of fiber themselves, which adds to the bulk of your stool and promotes bowel regularity. Fats also stimulate the release of bile from your liver, which aids in digestion and can help keep everything moving efficiently.
When you eat raw corn with a healthy fat like avocado, the fiber in the corn works to bulk up your stool, while the fat helps soften and lubricate it, creating the ideal conditions for smooth, easy bowel movements. This combination helps prevent constipation and keeps your digestive system functioning optimally.
This Dish
raw sweet corn, sun gold & seasonal cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumber, arugula, raw quick pickled red onion, gochugaru tahini dressing
The Benefits
good for constipation & overall gut health. specifically:
Raw sweet corn, arugula, cucumbers, and avocado are all rich in fiber, which is key for fighting constipation. Sweet corn and arugula provide insoluble fiber, which adds bulk to your stool and stimulates your intestines to move waste through more efficiently. Insoluble fiber acts like a broom, sweeping waste out of your system and speeding up transit time, which prevents constipation. Avocado and cucumbers, on the other hand, contain a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel-like substance, softening your stool and making it easier to pass. This combination of fibers keeps your digestive system regular and helps prevent stool from becoming hard or difficult to pass.
Cucumbers, avocado, and lime are high in water content, which helps keep your digestive system well-hydrated. Proper hydration is critical for preventing constipation, as it softens your stool and ensures smooth bowel movements. Cucumbers, specifically, have a very high water content, which helps hydrate your intestines, while avocado contains potassium, an electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance and promotes proper muscle contractions in your digestive tract. This combination ensures that your bowel movements remain smooth and regular.
Tahini and avocado are rich in healthy fats, particularly monounsaturated fats, which help lubricate your digestive tract and ease the passage of stool. Fats in your diet stimulate the release of bile from your liver, which aids in digestion and can also promote bowel movement by keeping things flowing smoothly. Consuming these fats in moderation helps prevent the sluggish digestion that can lead to constipation.
Garlic, red onions, and avocado are all great sources of prebiotics, which are types of fiber that feed the good bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for maintaining regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria, which help break down food more effectively, reduce inflammation, and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs support gut health by improving the overall environment in your intestines, making your stool softer and easier to pass.
Garlic and lime contain natural enzymes and compounds that can support digestion and prevent constipation. Garlic helps stimulate the production of digestive enzymes, which aid in the breakdown of food, making digestion smoother and preventing the buildup of undigested material that can lead to constipation. Lime, rich in citric acid, stimulates bile production, which is crucial for breaking down fats and promoting healthy digestion. This keeps your system moving and helps avoid sluggish digestion, which can lead to constipation.
Sungold tomatoes, arugula, red onions, and garlic are packed with antioxidants, particularly vitamin C and flavonoids, which help reduce inflammation in the gut. Chronic inflammation can contribute to digestive issues, including constipation. By keeping inflammation in check, these ingredients promote healthy bowel function. Garlic also contains allicin, which has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, helping maintain a balanced gut environment that supports regularity.
Tahini and avocado provide magnesium, a mineral that plays a crucial role in muscle relaxation and gut motility. Magnesium helps relax the muscles in your digestive tract, allowing for smoother movement of stool. It also draws water into the intestines, which softens stool and makes it easier to pass. By ensuring you get enough magnesium, you’re helping to prevent constipation caused by sluggish bowel movements.
This combination of fiber, prebiotics, hydration, healthy fats, and digestive aids works together to stimulate bowel movements, soften stools, and reduce the risk of constipation. The synergy of these ingredients ensures that your digestive system stays regular and healthy.
The Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups arugula
2 cucumbers
1-2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup quick pickled red onion
1 avocado
1 organic sweet corn, raw
Dressing Ingredients: (yields more than 1 serving):
1/2 cup tahini
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp gochugaru flakes (can sub regular red chili pepper flakes)
2 cloves garlic
1 lime, peeled
1/3 cup tamari
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Quick Pickled Red Onion Ingredients:
1 red onion
enough apple cider vinegar to cover
a small jar
Instructions:
Use a mandolin, or VERY finely hand slice red onions
Cover in ACV and let them sit ideally overnight
Blend all the dressing ingredients together until super super smooth
Chop up the cucumbers & tomatoes
Slice the corn off the cob. I like to put the ear in a tiny pinch bowl to hold it steady, then run my knife down it
Slice the avocado
Toss all the salad ingredients together; use about 1/4 of the dressing (or to taste) and toss!
Links
I like this tahini a lot
For More on Gut Health
I used to have the most severe chronic constipation, but I was able to work through it & get regular.
The upcoming Blush Academy Gut Health course will have all of the tools, resources, recipes, and more to help you be regular, get off of laxatives, debloat, and look and feel your best. It’s the protocol I developed to get off of laxatives & be regular on my own, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
If you’re ready to be done with your gut issues, get on the waitlist for the course so you can enroll as soon as it’s available!
