Recipe: Corn Silk Tea (옥수수 수염차)

What do you usually do with the corn silk after peeling a fresh corn? Well I am pretty sure most of you just throw it out, right? But it actually has a lot of good benefits for our health!
So next time, be sure to save the corn silk and make some CORN SILK TEA~

So, you may be familiar with these thin thread-like strands that is usually pulled off with the husk of the fresh corn.. and yes, these strands are also known as corn silk.

Corn silk tea has diuretic and detoxifying properties, it has been used as a herbal remedy since a long time ago. And it also contains zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins C, B, and K.

• It has a soothing diuretic effect on the urinary system, and helps to flush the body of any waste or fluid in the form of urine. So in other words, it makes you pee a lot.
• It is beneficial in dissolving stones in the kidney, and other urinary disorders.
• It keeps blood pressure and cholesterol levels in control.
• It helps to fight diabetes, malaria, and heart problems.
• It helps to relieve the symptoms of PMS; such as bloating, water retention, and tenderness of the breasts.

Actually, this corn silk tea is available in pre packaged tea bags or pre made bottled beverage. And I think you can easily find them in Korea, because this tea has become a steady seller and very popular in South korea. I also heard this tea has been found to be one of people's most beloved drinks - as it can be enjoyed like water, and I think because of their marketing (the promise of giving you a 'V-line : sharp jawline') but I do not know if it is true or not LOL.

And now I am going to show you how to make your own corn silk tea at home~
For your information, you can dry the corn silk and store it in a jar or a zip-lock bag - it last for about one year! But I prefer to use the fresh corn silk, since my dad always buys a lot of fresh corns every day as food for his birds.

Remove the corn silk from corn (you can use regular corn or sweet corn, and do not use the brown dry silk from the top of the corn!), then wash the corn silk and drain. Put the corn silk from 10 corn and 2000 ml of water into a large pot.

Bring to a boil with the lid on the pot over medium heat, then turn the heat down, and simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat.

Turn off the heat, let the corn silk continue to soak for another 10 minutes. Strain the corn silk, and serve it while it is still warm or chilled. You can also add some sugar or honey into this tea, but I prefer to drink this tea without any sweeteners because it is much healthier!

This corn silk tea is cooling, soothing, and it taste just like corn. I think this tea is a healthy alternative to cold beverages in the summer!

I usually make this tea in large quantities, so I can drink it with my family whenever we want (I love to put mine in a go-to bottle!). And this tea last for about 2 days in the refrigerator.
But if you just want to make a cup of this tea, just pour a cup of boiling water, and add 2 tablespoon of corn silk - just feel free to add more corn silk for a stronger flavor and aroma, and let it soak for a few minutes before drinking it.

So, have you ever tried corn silk tea before? ^_^

Thanks for reading this post, and have a lovely day!

See ya~