Health Benefits
Often overlooked as a by-product of corn, Corn silk actually has quite an impressive array of benefits to offer in our everyday lives. An ancient Native American and Chinese remedy, Corn silk is excellent when it comes to managing the liquids in our body:
Urinary Tract Infections
Diuretic
Kidney health
Weight loss
Lowers Blood pressure
Lowers Blood Sugar
Facilitates Blood Clotting
Lowers Cholesterol
Immunity booster
Skin care
Inflammation
Digestive health
Antioxidants
Urinary Tract Infections
Corn silk is definitely most famous for its healing benefits on the urinary tract. It works as an anti-inflammatory agent for urinary tract infections. It basically coats the urinary tract lining and stops further irritation.
Since it’s a powerful diuretic, it flushes out the bacterial build up in the urinary tract getting rid of any infections. It is also used to soothe the irritated prostate gland.
Diuretic
The above mentioned urinary tract benefits that Corn silk has actually come from its potent diuretic effects. Corn silk helps flush out excess water and waste from the body, thereby reducing complications related to any kind of water retention. It also soothes the pain related to arthritis and rheumatism as it flushes out the uric acid (the main cause of pain in these conditions) from the body.
Kidney health
Kidney stones are made of small crystallized deposits that can cause pain and annoyance. Corn silk has been used since the ancient days to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones. Again, the diuretic effects of Corn silk increase urine flow and decrease the chances of sediment formation in kidneys, which otherwise can eventually lead to kidney stone formation.
Weight loss
Obesity is a major health menace affecting a large part of the human population nowadays. While obesity is caused by more than one factor including genetics, some people put on excess weight owing to water retention and toxin accumulation in the body. Since corn silk helps eliminate excess water and waste from the body, it is a good addition to the daily routine of anyone trying to lose weight naturally.
Lowers Blood pressure
Diuretics are often prescribed to reduce blood pressure, and Corn silk can be a great natural alternative to prescribed medication.
Lowers Blood Sugar
Corn silk also helps manage blood sugar issues. A Chinese study found that it has anti-diabetic effects regarding reduced body weight loss, water consumption, and especially the blood glucose (BG) concentration.
Additionally, another study showed that Corn silk has a protective effect on the kidneys, preventing diabetic kidney diseases.
Facilitates Blood Clotting
Corn silk contains vitamin K that helps in the blood clotting process. Apart from the fact that vitamin K is an important part of a well functioning body, it is also important in the healing processes of wounds.
Lowers Cholesterol
Cholesterol in the bloodstream leads to the onset of several critical ailments in the long run (including cardiac complications). Keeping cholesterol levels in the blood low is the key to staying healthy and avoid heart hazards. There are plenty of natural ways to keep your cholesterol levels healthy, and Corn silk is one of them. One of the studies done on the subject confirmed that Corn silk decreases total and bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing the good cholesterol (HDL).
Immunity booster
Corn silk contains vitamin C, which is ideal for boosting immunity. It also plays a critical role in regulating a myriad functions in the human body.
Skin care
You can also use corn silk topically. The tea made with it can be applied topically to deal with skin problems like boils and rashes. It also helps alleviate itching and pain caused by wounds, irritations or burns.
Additionally, Corn silk has been traditionally drunk as a tea to help in coping with skin pigmentation issues. This can be helpful for people afflicted with vitiligo.
Inflammation
Inflammation is part of your body’s natural immune response. However, excessive inflammation is linked to a variety of illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes.
Due to the active ingredients found in corn silk, it can reduce inflammation in certain parts of the body, such as the joints and extremities, making it an excellent tonic for both gout and arthritis, both of which have been treated by corn silk throughout history.
This stringy plant fiber also contains magnesium, which helps regulate your body’s inflammatory response and the proper uptake of other minerals and vitamins.
Digestive health
Some of the compounds found in corn silk tea can stimulate the release of digestive enzymes and bile, making the digestion process more efficient and improving our nutrient uptake.
Antioxidants
Corn silk is a naturally rich source of flavonoid antioxidants .Antioxidants are plant compounds that protect your body’s cells against free radical damage and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of a number of chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and inflammation.
