Fresh sweetcorn

Fresh corn  (mealies) offers even greater health benefits when cooked. The antioxidant activity is significantly increased when cooked, helping to battle cancer, heart disease and protect against cataracts.

Choose cobs with unpunctured green silks and vibrantly coloured kernels. If the "milk" spurts from a pierced kernel, the corn is fresh and sweet. 

If possible, never buy ears of corn which have been husked; this causes the flavour and nutritional value to dissipate rapidly. If the kernels are large, the corn is usually tough.

Store corn in its husk in the refrigerator. Eat as close to purchase date as possible.

Prepare corn by tearing off the silken sheaves and removing all the fibrous hairs. Don't add salt to boiling water when cooking corn as this will make the niblets tough.

Don't buy corn out of season. Corn begins to lose its delicate, sweet flavour immediately after harvesting, and unless it is really fresh and in its prime, it will have tasteless, starchy kernels.

COOK WITH SWEETCORN

Here are 5 super quick and easy ways to ring the changes with sweetcorn