Why does corn come out whole when you poop?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “why does corn come out whole when you poop” with an in-depth analysis of the reason lying behind the presence of undigested corn in the poop. Moreover, we are going to discuss the reason why certain foods come out in poop undigested.

So the presence of undigested yellow corn kernels in the poop may be raising a lot of questions in your mind like “How does corn endure the high pH or the churning movements of our stomach?” “Should I even consume corn if it is so hard to digest?” but you need not worry as we are here to answer all your queries. 

So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.

Why does corn come out whole when you poop?

So corn has that bright yellow, shiny outer covering that protects it from harsh weather conditions and also plays a role in the protection of corn from pests. So how does this shiny, waxy, golden layer do all of this? The answer is pretty simple. It is due to the presence of cellulose in that yellow layer.

Now, this layer is important for the corn but when it comes to humans it is the one that comes out of the human body undigested. The reason behind this phenomenon is that to break down the cellulose an enzyme cellulase is necessary but humans lack this enzyme which results in corn coming out undigested in the stool.

Corn is one of those foods that owing to their certain characteristics come out of the body undigested. The corn contains about 10% of the cellulose while the rest of the 90% has various important micro and macronutrients like starch, dietary fiber, and carotenoids present in it. So you should make this healthy and nutritious food a part of your daily dietary regime. It is a good source of fiber therefore it can help to add bulk to the stool. Moreover, the cellulose present in it cleans your colon of the waste material and thereby plays an important role when it comes to relieving constipation.

Why is there corn in my poop? 

If you happen to notice corn kernels in your stool, don’t worry. That is just the undigested outer shell of the corn. Our body cannot particularly break down the cellulose present in its outer shell but can digest other ingredients present in it.

What causes undigested food in poop?

The foods that are present undigested in the poop mainly are the ones that have a high dietary fiber content. The body has the mechanism to break down various components of food into simpler ones but when it comes to dietary fiber it gets out of the digestive system without getting broken down. This property of dietary fiber plays an important role when it comes to adding bulk to the stool that ultimately helps in relieving constipation in individuals.

Some of the foods that come undigested in the stool are corns, beans, peas, vegetable skins, fruit peels, etc. all of which play an important role when it comes to adding bulk to stool and ultimately helping in making you poop.

The reason for the corn to come out in your stool undigested also lies in the fact that it contains cellulose in its outermost covering and it is the outermost covering of the corn that comes out of the body undigested in the stool and also helps in relieving constipation.

Should you be concerned about the presence of undigested food in your poop?

So it is not a thing of much concern when you see some undigested food in your poop is mostly the insoluble dietary fiber-rich foods are the ones that are not digested by the digestive system and they come out in the poop.

What you can do is to eat the meal slowly and properly chew your meal to break it down into really small particles having a large surface area for the enzymes and secretion of the digestive system to act upon. By doing so you will see fewer particles of undigested food in your poop (as the food is chewed into really small particles so they won’t be noticeable in the poop). 

Moreover, vegetables are a source of insoluble dietary fiber, so what you can do is to consume steamed vegetables instead of raw vegetables. When you steam the vegetables, they will soften, and when you chew these vegetables properly while eating there are fewer chances of undigested foods in your poop.

As long as stools are easy to pass, have a normal appearance, and you don’t feel difficulty in passing the stools, then there is nothing to worry about.

How much fiber do I need to poop properly?

Men under 51 years of age should consume 38 grams of dietary fiber while women under 51 should consume 25 grams of dietary fiber daily. Men older than 51 should consume 30 grams while women older than 51 should consume 21 grams of dietary fiber daily.

Other FAQs about Corn that you may be interested in.

How to store cooked corn on the cob?

How to know when corn is done?

How long does it take for a corn cob to decompose?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “why does corn come out whole when you poop” with an in-depth analysis of the reason lying behind the presence of undigested corn in the poop. Moreover, we discussed the reason why certain foods come out in poop undigested.

Citations

https://www.livescience.com/why-humans-cannot-digest-corn.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/undigested-food-in-stool