The sweetest corn I’ve ever tasted was grown right here at home in Bermuda. Fresh summer corn the world over tends to be better tasting than that harvested in the fall and winter.Despite severe drought conditions corn crops did reach maturity, according to local farmers. And while volume is down, there is still plenty for sale.I have frequently referred to corn as a killer. By that, I do not mean our beautiful local fresh corn. My argument is about industrial-scale production and use of corn in everything from clothing to, the ultimate killer in my book, high fructose corn syrup.Our local farmers are not party to the corn killer stuff although it is worth asking your farmer if he used genetically-modified (GM) seed. While I was unable to speak with all local farmers Roland Hill of J & J Produce, Carlos Amaral of Amaral farms, Roger Pacheco of Pacheco & Sons farms, and Tom Wadson of Wadson’s Farms stressed that they refuse to use GM seed.Eating our fresh Bermuda corn will likely benefit your cardiovascular health and even if you are a smoker, it will offer you some protection against lung cancer.CornScientific name: Zea maysFamily of: PoaceaeGrown: in BermudaVitamin content: a good source of thiamin (B1), folate (B9), vitamin C and pantothenic acid (B5)Mineral content: a good source of phosphorus and manganese.Dietary fibre: a good source of fibre. There are 12 grams in I cup.Omega 3 fatty acids: 108 milligrams in one cup.Omega 6 fatty acids: 3481 milligrams in one cup.Protein: 15.6 grams in one cup.Good for: Corn is a good source of vitamin B9 (folate), and helps to lower homeocysteine levels in the blood. Homeocysteine is a building block of proteins that can damage blood vessels. For this reason, high levels in the blood put a person at risk for heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease a condition where the arteries of the extremities become narrow and harden.A diet high in folate significantly mitigates this risk and researchers have said that if Americans ate 100 percent of the US recommended daily allowance of the vitamin every day, heart attacks would drop by ten percent.Folate also provides protection against colon cancer.The yellow pigment in corn is caused by the presence of beta-cryptoxanthin. This is an orange-red pigment also found in pumpkin, tangerines, bell peppers and oranges. Beta-cryptoxanthin may lower a person’s risk of getting lung cancer. A study conducted in China showed those with a diet rich in this compound, had a 27 percent reduced risk of lung cancer. The study also showed a 37 percent reduced risk of developing lung cancer in smokers who had a diet rich in cryptoxanthin.As a good source of thiamin, corn may also help with memory and possibly prevent Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is characterised by reduced levels of a chemical messenger in the brain called acetylcholine. Thiamin is needed to synthesise acetylcholine. Lack of acetylcholine has also been found to cause age-related mental impairment, such as senility.