Sweet Corn vs American Corn: Difference and Comparison

Sweet corn and American corn are the varieties of corn that are grown by farmers in the USA. In simple terms,

Sweet corn contains an amount of sugar that makes it taste sweet, whereas American Corn, which is just a simple maize variety, is not sweet and is mostly used in the feeding of cattle and toppings on various dishes by American’s.

Key Takeaways

1. Sweet corn has a higher sugar content and a softer texture than American corn.
2. American corn is more versatile and used for various culinary applications, while sweet corn is primarily consumed fresh.
3. Sweet corn has a shorter shelf life than American corn due to its higher sugar content.

Sweet Corn vs American Corn

Sweet corn is a type of corn that is harvested at an early stage before it has fully matured. It is eaten as a vegetable. American corn, also known as field corn or dent corn, is a type of corn that is used primarily for animal feed, ethanol production, and industrial purposes.

Sweet corn’s name comes from the sugar which is present in the kernels of corn. It is natural sugar like the one that is formed in flowers and plants.

If the Sweet corns are harvested at the right time, the amount of sugar gets converted into starch which, when consumed by humans, does not increase the sugar level.

American corns are just simple corns that are grown by farmers who have a large stock of cattle and herds, as this type of corn is mostly suitable for the animals.

As there is no sugar present in the corn, its taste is much simpler than Sweet corn.

These corns are used in the toppings and diet as it does not contain any sugar.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Sweet Corn	American Corn
Resources to Grow	It needs a lot of resources to grow as it is grown with hybrid seeds.	It can easily be grown with fewer resources.
Availability	Around the Year	Only during the rainy season
Pesticides usage	Needs to be minimum	It depends on how much area the farming is being done
Harvesting Period	After attaining maturity	Can be harvested before maturity
Fiber Content	It contains negligible fiber content.	It contains a certain amount of fiber percentage.

What is Sweet Corn?

Sweet corn is a type of corn in which the kernels (A soft edible part) contain a certain amount of sugar in it. The amount of sugar can increase if it is not harvested at the right time.

Sweet corns are grown with hybrid seeds that need a lot of resources like water, pesticides, and sunlight. The seeds are sown around 1-2 inches deep in the soil, and it is covered in layers of soil plus water.

The initial phase of Sweet corn needs a lot of water to germinate the seeds, which takes 2 weeks after the seeds are sown.

The availability of Sweet corn is around the clock for the whole year, which means it is available in all seasons.

Coming to the nutritional fact of Sweet corn, there’s not much difference in the nutritional value when compared with the American corn. It contains the same amount of protein which is scaled at 3.8gm.

Sweet corns are harvested after the maturity period. This is done so that the sugar content which is present gets converted into the starch form, which, when consumed, doesn’t spike the blood sugar level in the human body.

What is American Corn?

America is one of the world’s largest producers of Corns in the world approximately 14% of the corn is exported annually.

The major difference in American corn is that it is not sweet as Sweet corn. Rather it is just simple and ready-to-eat food.

The farming of these types of corn is simple and does not need more resources like the water in huge quantities or kilos of pesticides which were needed for the cultivation of Sweet Corn.

As it does not contain any sugar in the kernels, it is simple in taste. Because of this, it is widely used in food like pizza toppings and various other dishes.

This is because even if you add American Corn to the dish, it won’t change the taste of your food. Rather it will provide you the extra protein and vitamin(B1) which is needed for the body.

Sometimes if the American corns which get damaged in the harvesting of the crop are used for the cattle as food which is mixed with grains to provide a good diet to the cattle.

American corn cultivation is different from Sweet corn. It is harvested before reaching the maturity period.

American corns are available for a certain period, say like it is grown in summers, and when the rain arrives, it is consumed, and after that, in winters, the cultivation makes it hard to grow.

Main Differences Between Sweet Corn and American Corn

1. Sweet corns are harvested after attaining the maturity period, which makes the sugar convert into starch, while the American corns are cultivated before it attains the maturity level.
2. The availability of Sweet corn is throughout the year, which makes it suitable for enjoying anytime at any season, while the American corns are mainly available in rainy seasons, which is limited to only 3-4 months.
3. Sweet corn cultivation needs a lot of resources and proper watch needing until its seeds are germinated, which takes two weeks, whereas the cultivation of American corn does not need a lot of resources.
4. The amount of pesticide which is used in Sweet corn cultivation needs to be minimum. While there is no limited parameter in the cultivation of American corn, it depends on how much area the crop is being sown.
5. There is negligible fiber content in Sweet corn compared with American corn, which contains a good amount of fiber.

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RpLMBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA155&dq=Sweet+corn+vs+AMerican+corn&ots=tFj_qb4Qlr&sig=STIOYO9L4zdYv5VKfcxynMXB02U
2. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6299829

Last Updated : 16 July, 2023