2006-08-06 08:25:34 · 23 answers · asked by veighey2001 1 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
How come when you eat corn, no matter how much you chew it, you poop it out in whole kernals?
Corn poop is one of the greatest mysteries in life. I grew up pondering the same question. This is what I think is happening:
When we chew corn, the outer coating slips off the inner kernal. This outer yellow coating is almost entirely cellulose, and is indigestible. It passes through the gut untouched, and emerges looking like a whole kernal, although it is mostly just the outer skin. The inside of the kernal is starchy and digestible, and that is the part that we succeed in chewing up.
Is there any way to prevent corn from getting in your poop?
I know of only one way - don't eat corn!
http://www.heptune.com/poop.html
2006-08-06 08:30:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
the coating is so hard on the sweetcorn, your stomach can't digest it in the 12 - 24 hours it is in your stomach, so you just pass it out whole
2006-08-06 15:29:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our digestive systems do not process/digest corn seeds - only the inside. You will see the corn piece pass through whole, but the little nutrition value in it has been absorbed by the body.
2006-08-06 15:30:31 · answer #3 · answered by Sirena 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Each individual kernel has a lot of cellulose in it, the stuff that cell walls are made of in plants. Humans can't digest cellulose (which is why you can't eat grass), so it passes straight through you. If you fed it to a cow for instance, that wouldn't happen.
2006-08-06 15:30:25 · answer #4 · answered by Mordent 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
And also tomato skin? Although I have eaten baby sweetcorn and they seem to have digested ok - it must be that they get tougher as they age - bit like us??
2006-08-10 14:42:17 · answer #5 · answered by essdee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The shell of the corn is hard so it is easyer for the body to just pass it through. There are other veggie that do the same thing
2006-08-06 15:31:48 · answer #6 · answered by melindarix@sbcglobal.net 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sweetcorn takes longer to digest than most foods.
2006-08-06 15:31:42 · answer #7 · answered by nikgy71 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It only looks whole because the corn casings retain their shape.
The body processes what it can and rejects what it can not.
It does no harm whatsoever.
I was concerned and asked my GP the same question some time back
2006-08-06 15:38:18 · answer #8 · answered by Amanda K 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because corn is basically cellulose, humans do not digest cellulose. Makes for great fiber, but there are considerable natural sugars in corn, so always eat it in moderation, and try to chew your food more thoroghly.
2006-08-06 15:30:22 · answer #9 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your body can not digest corn. Whenever you eat corn whatever kernals don't get chewed up will appear whole.
2006-08-06 15:30:40 · answer #10 · answered by Gatemedic 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋