How To Turn Corn Into A Juice You Can Drink

There are plenty of fruits and vegetables that most people never consider turning into juice. Bananas, for example, have a low water content and are more suitable for mashing into banana milk; mangoes and avocados are similarly mushy and are better off in a smoothie. But what about corn? You've probably never even considered turning this vegetable-grain into juice (even given its fruit-like sweetness), but now's the time. Corn is refreshing, has natural sugars, and becomes a delicious beverage when turned into a juice.

Before you start juicing all of your vegetables (and fruits), you should know that the juicer may remove some of your produce's healthy fibers. Corn is a great source of fiber, so it helps that the best method for "juicing" corn doesn't involve a juicer at all. A blender is a great way to maximize the corn's flavor (and a bit of its texture, too) — the preserved fiber is just a bonus. To make corn juice, cut the kernels off of cooked corn and put them in a blender. Purée one ear's worth of corn with roughly 1 cup of water, and you have corn juice. You can strain the mixture for a smooth consistency or leave it as-is. Add in some whole corn kernels for extra texture and a distinct "corny" look. This juice is best when chilled or served over ice.

A 2023 Green Giant survey showed that corn is the favorite vegetable of 32 states, proving that America seriously loves corn. Although corn may not yet have made it into the mainstream juice world (at least in the U.S.), other countries have found creative ways to incorporate corn into beverages. For example, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam all have variations of corn milk made with milk, condensed milk, and sugar. In Peru, chicha morada is a beverage made by boiling purple corn with pineapple and cinnamon. In Korea, corn lattes (corn milk with espresso) are mainstream and have even made their way to some coffee shops in Los Angeles' Koreatown. Corn silk tea is a popular Korean beverage made by brewing roasted corn kernels and corn silk.

All these creative uses of corn in beverages prove that corn juice is not as big of a stretch as it seems. Plus, with roughly 80% water content, corn is well-suited for juice. After blending up the corn kernels, try sweetening the juice with extra sugar or some honey. Make it summery by blending in some berries that match the corn flavor, like blueberries or strawberries. For a refreshing blended drink, substitute pineapple juice for corn juice in a coconut cream mocktail recipe. Next time you buy a few ears of corn, try using them in a sweet summer beverage instead of on the grill.