Is Popcorn Sweet Corn?
Since popcorn is made from corn kernels, you can use any type of kernel to make fresh popcorn at home, right? No, not exactly!
Is popcorn sweet corn? No — although there are several varieties of corn, there is only one type that can produce popcorn. Sweet corn can not pop because it has a relatively soft exterior, less starch, and more moisture, while regular popcorn kernels are usually very hard, starchy, and dry — perfect for popping!
Learn more about the different types of popcorn kernels, how they are made, and the best kernel for making delicious popcorn!
What Makes Popcorn Pop?
Popcorn has been around as a snack for centuries. It was also once considered to be an inexpensive meal for many, especially during times of scarcity like the Great Depression.
With several species available across the world, corn kernels can be found in many varieties, each with different properties — but not every species can pop!
What makes a corn kernel pop has more to do with its structure than anything else.
To understand how a simple and small kernel can explode into a delicious snack, we need to look at the anatomy of a typical kernel — this will also help explain why some types of kernels can pop while others can’t!
Popcorn Anatomy
Every kernel has three layers:
- A hard outer shell called the hull
- A starchy layer
- A germ layer
These layers sit over each other in succession, much like a Russian nesting doll, and to pop them, heat has to travel from the hull to the center of the kernel — and as it passes through, all the layers get affected a bit differently!
See, at the center of every kernel, there is a bit of moisture.
Even though popcorn kernels are dried, there is always going to be some moisture left in the deepest layer, and this is super important in making popcorn!
Popcorn Popping Process
A corn kernel bursts in three stages:
- Heating Stage
- Pressure Stage
- Eruption Stage
1. Heating Stage
To make kernels pop, you need to expose them to heat — and the best way to do this is to heat them via a medium, like oil or butter.
Oil and butter coat the kernels evenly and allow them to heat more efficiently. The fat also creates a seal that protects the kernels from burning, too!
As soon as the kernels are added to the oil, they begin to heat. As the heat renders the outside hull, it reaches the starch layer followed by the moisture-filled center.
This leads to the pressure stage.
2. Pressure Stage
During this stage, all the layers of the kernel start to render as the center begins to build pressure due to the evaporation of water.
Since popcorn kernels are firmer, their hulls can take some pressure, but after a while, they will eventually give in to the intense internal forces, which will cause the kernel to erupt.
3. Eruption Stage
The eruption stage is when the hull cracks open and the starch pushing outwards violently escapes out of the shell, leading to the iconic fluffy, puffy shape.
This process repeats for every popcorn kernel in the pot until most of them have popped!
Now that you know how a typical popcorn kernel pops, let’s take a look at a different species of corn!
Sweet Corn Popcorn(?)
To get straight to the point — there is no such thing as sweet corn popcorn.
Sweet corn kernels can’t pop because they are unlike popcorn kernels. In fact, out of all the corn species available across the world, there is only one that can produce popcorn: Zea mays everta.
But then, how does this explain the many popcorn shapes?
Well, the Zea mays everta species has many sub-variations (or “strains”) that produce different shapes when popped. These strains are a result of genetic anomalies or natural modifications that have taken place over centuries.
Each strain has different structural properties and proportions that allow the starch to explode out in different shapes.
For example, one strain can produce butterfly-shaped popcorn while others can produce a flower, mushroom, and other attractive shapes.
So, in summary: popcorn comes from a singular species (with many sub-variations) that is specifically grown for its unique characteristics and properties.
Sweet Corn Vs Popcorn — Similarities And Differences
Why doesn’t sweet corn produce popcorn? To explain this, we need to describe each of their unique properties!
Flavor
Sweet corn has a moderately sweet flavor that compliments well with many types of condiments and ingredients.
On their own, the kernels will provide a fresh, earthy, starchy flavor that can vary from one strain to the other. But in general, you should expect sweet corn to be noticeably more flavorful than popcorn kernels.
Sweet corn works extremely well with both savory and earthy ingredients. This is why they are commonly paired with spicy seasonings — and they can take on an even deeper flavor when they are grilled over charcoal!
Of course, this isn’t to say that regular popcorn kernels aren’t flavorful!
Raw popcorn kernels don’t provide the same buttery sweet flavor, but they do have a distinctly earthy flavor note to them.
The real magic, though, happens when the kernels are popped. The starch content in regular popcorn kernels provides much of the flavor.
You get a very subtle hint of sweetness, but the majority of the kernel has a nutty and earthy flavor — which works in its favor since its mild flavor allows it to be paired with other ingredients.
This means that they can either be paired with sweet ingredients like caramel, or they can also be enjoyed with spicy, buttery, umami, and even herby flavors.
If you want to be adventurous, then try pairing fresh popcorn with caramel peanuts!
Texture
Sweet corn are relatively softer and have more moisture — they are also paler in appearance!
Think about it: ever noticed how sweet corn just melts in your mouth and has a very buttery texture, especially when it is cooked properly?
Now imagine using the same soft kernel to make popcorn. As soon as the soft kernel hits the oil, its hull will likely rupture before enough pressure can build up inside the kernel.
Popping a sweet corn kernel will result in a half-ruptured kernel that will neither look great nor provide the right mouthfeel.
Popping these kernels may also lead to unwanted waste — this is why you don’t see sweet corn popcorn in the market.
You might think that dehydrating the kernel may make things better — well, you would be both right and wrong. Yes, a dehydrated kernel will make things a bit better, but the problem isn’t just the exterior, but the interior of the kernel too!
As mentioned, the interior of a sweet corn kernel will have significantly more moisture, even after it has been dehydrated. A dehydrated sweet corn kernel will still not pop properly and will likely be inedible.
On the other hand, regular popcorn kernels are naturally designed to pop due to their hard exterior.
It is also important to note that popcorn kernels also carry some moisture when they are harvested, but to prepare them, manufacturers usually superficially dry them so that they can pop properly.
Interestingly, while their internals may be different, both types of kernels look identical in shape, except for their color — popcorn kernels are brighter than sweet corn kernels!
Popcorn Products
We have come a long way with popcorn. Even though we have been popping them the same way for decades, popcorn as a commercial product has undergone several revolutions in the context of flavor!
Popcorn was once only paired with butter and, of course, salt.
Butter and salt had been the default choice for people all over the globe for decades until caramel popcorn started to “pop up” (we had to).
With the addition of caramel popcorn, people realized that they could use the rather mild flavor of the popcorn kernels as a canvas and pair them with different ingredients to give them a variety of flavors.
The timing of this revolution was also perfect since microwave popcorn had also started to become a popular option among snackers.
It didn’t take long until a range of popcorn products started to show up with different seasonings and artificial flavors!
The advent of artificial flavorings is what has catapulted the rise of popcorn products!
Today, you can even find sweet corn-flavored popcorn — check out this brand that sells fire-roasted popcorn with a sweet corn flavor — this is as close as you will ever get to having sweet corn popcorn!
There are similarly many other popcorn products that can provide even more flavor but, in the end, the one thing that they will all have in common is that they will be made from the same type of kernel.
How To Make A Perfect Batch Of Popcorn
We have discussed a lot about the differences between popcorn kernels and sweet corn kernels, but how do you cook both of them?
Let’s start with regular popcorn first!
Ingredients
- 50–100 g of popcorn kernels (for one bowl)
- 2–3 tbsp of butter
- Salt
Instructions
- In a pan, add butter and let it melt at low heat. Then add the kernels and then evenly sprinkle salt over them.
- Give the kernels a good mix, then immediately turn up the heat and put a lid over the pot. Let the kernels cook undisturbed.
- After 2–3 minutes you should start to hear a few kernels pop — this will indicate that the pot has started to come up to the right temperature.
- Allow the kernels to pop and keep the heat on until the popping slows down.
- Once you hear 1–2 pops every 2 seconds, turn the heat off and then leave the popcorn in the pan with the lid on for 2–3 minutes to pop any leftover kernels.
- Carefully empty the pot into a bowl and then give the popcorn a good toss to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Pro Tip) We recommend that you add additional flavors like caramel or artificially flavored seasonings while the popcorn is hot and fresh — this will help the flavors set evenly!
Notes
- As you can imagine, popcorn kernels expand exponentially, so you might have to start with a few kernels and then adjust the quantity in future batches.
- Even though this cooking strategy requires a bit of practice, it is one of the best ways to get 95–100% popped kernels without wastage. You can also use a dedicated popcorn maker appliance to make things even easier.
How To Make A Perfect Batch Of Popcorn
Craving some popcorn for your next movie night? Here's how to make the perfect bowl of popcorn at home without a popcorn maker!
Ingredients
- 50–100 g of popcorn kernels (for one bowl)
- 2–3 tbsp of butter
- Salt
Instructions
- In a pan, add butter and let it melt at low heat. Then add the kernels and then evenly sprinkle salt over them.
- Give the kernels a good mix, then immediately turn up the heat and put a lid over the pot. Let the kernels cook undisturbed.
- After 2–3 minutes you should start to hear a few kernels pop — this will indicate that the pot has started to come up to the right temperature.
- Allow the kernels to pop and keep the heat on until the popping slows down.
- Once you hear 1–2 pops every 2 seconds, turn the heat off and then leave the popcorn in the pan with the lid on for 2–3 minutes to pop any leftover kernels.
- Carefully empty the pot into a bowl and then give the popcorn a good toss to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Pro Tip) We recommend that you add additional flavors like caramel or artificially flavored seasonings while the popcorn is hot and fresh — this will help the flavors set evenly!
Notes
- As you can imagine, popcorn kernels expand exponentially, so you might have to start with a few kernels and then adjust the quantity in future batches.
- Even though this cooking strategy requires a bit of practice, it is one of the best ways to get 95–100% popped kernels without wastage. You can also use a dedicated popcorn maker appliance to make things even easier.
How To Make Sweet Corn
In comparison to popcorn, sweet corn is almost always cooked via steam or boiling water. The reason why this is the preferred method to cook corn is that sweet corn kernels don’t require as much energy to render.
Since they are naturally soft, you can just put them in a pot of boiling water and get buttery, soft, and delicious corn within 10 minutes.
Here is how you can make sweet corn at home:
- Fill a large pot with water. Make sure that the pot is large enough to host all the sweet corn — the corn must be fully submerged in water for them to cook properly!
- Remove the husks from the corn and set them aside as the water boils. In the meantime, you can also remove the kernels from the cob if you wish to eat them off the cob.
- When the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully put in the sweet corn cobs, then turn down the heat and let them simmer (without covering the top).
- This should take about 6–8 minutes. You can also cook them as per your preference by checking their doneness after the 6-minute mark.
- When fully cooked, immediately remove the cobs from the water and set them on a plate. Pat them dry with a paper towel and then serve them with your favorite seasonings.
You can use the same technique to cook corn on and off the cob!
Related Questions
Sweet corn and popcorn may come from different types of kernels, but both are equally delicious and versatile. Now that you know all about their differences and how they are cooked, here are some related questions!
Are popcorn GMO?
No, the species that yield popcorn kernels haven’t been genetically modified yet as per the USDA (The United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (The United States Food and Drug Administration).
Any subspecies of this type of kernel are a direct result of natural genetic modifications that have occurred over several decades and are free of GMO practices.
Should you add salt or sugar to water to make sweet corn?
No, when making sweet corn, you should not add salt to the boiling water before cooking the cobs because the salt will cause them to harden and may even affect their natural flavor.
Some people add sugar instead as it can sweeten the already sweet flavor of the corn and add a deeper flavor to them, but this is an optional step.
As a general rule of thumb, always add the seasonings after the corn has been cooked for the best experience.
Is regular popcorn more nutritious than sweet corn?
Both types of kernels have more or less the same nutritional profile — the only difference in their nutrition comes in how they are prepared and what they are paired with.
For example, sweet corn paired with loads of butter will not be as healthy as plain salted popcorn. But in the same way, popcorn with a caramel topping will be equally unhealthy.
The best way to consume sweet corn would be to pair it with a reasonable amount of butter, while the best way to enjoy popcorn would be to air-pop them instead of cooking them with a copious amount of butter.