Most people are familiar with corn silk as the sugary and sticky threads
that adhere to an ear of corn. What most people aren’t aware of is the
fact that this silk-like material has been used for thousands of years
for food and medicine.
Native Americans, for instance, used corn silk to produce a tea and to
make topical compounds. The Aztecs and Mayans also dried corn silk for
these purposes, and were probably the first to cultivate corn, or maize,
on a large scale.
Corn silk is a good source of polyphenol antioxidants, as well as vitamins
and minerals. However, because it is abundant in vitamin K and potassium, it
should be used with caution in people who take anti-coagulants or diuretics.
