Down or Across?

The season for corn-on-the-cob is approaching. Well, it’s actually here if you shop in our local grocery store, but I know the truth. At any rate, our family has begun eating corn-on-the-cob. Last night my son and I were enjoying an ear, and began discussing whether we eat it down (in circles around the cob) or across (in rows). I have always been a row-girl, yet last night I across did the circle thing. Always fun to try something new!

I also started thinking about how much carbohydrate is in corn-on-the-cob. Back in the day, I learned that half an ear was a “bread” or “starch” exchange, which later translated to one carbohydrate (15 gm) serving. I’ve thought of it this way for as long as I can remember. But today I decided to do a little checking and it turns out there’s a bit of controversy on this. And just like bananas, the size can affect the serving size.

Considering half an ear one carb serving seems to work for me, so I’ll keep doing that, along with half a banana (or a third if it’s huge). If diabetes and corn-on-the-cob are a new combination for you, and if you take insulin, I definitely recommend doing a little sleuth work. Start with a conservative estimate and check your blood glucose two hours later. If you’re low, you need less insulin next time, and if you’re high, you need more.

How do you count the carbohydrate in an ear of corn? Do you eat corn-on-the-cob down or across?

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