Charlene Woods · The most beneficial part of this lovely common veggie we toss out ... it’s the silk. Those beautiful threads that cling despite our best efforts to remove them. Did you know.. The silks that emerge from the ear shoot are the functional stigmas of the female flowers of a corn plant. Each silk connects to an individual ovule (potential kernel). A given silk must be pollinated in order for the ovule to be fertilized and develop into a kernel. The tassel at the top is where the pollen delicately drifts down to lay upon the silk. As I peeled the corn tonight...just as Grannie taught me... “ save that silk girl” echoed in my head. Sometimes she would put it in her cup, other times on a paper to dry and on occasion, when we had plenty, she would add it to a jar. It was part of her winter tonic. As a girl of about 9 I thought this was just weird but did as Grannie said. She always had a cup of “stuff” as she called it. You just never knew what was in Grannies cup. What I do know now... Corn silk has sooooo many benefits... used for bladder infections, inflammation of the urinary system, inflammation of the prostate, kidney stones . It is also used to treat congestive heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, fatigue, and high cholesterol levels. Ohhh so simple and so available... “Save that silk, girl “
