Buzz
After devouring an ear or two of buttery corn, you may look down at the toilet bowl and wonder, 'I swear I chewed that.' It’s a common experience; the fact that corn kernels remain mostly intact after passing through our digestive systems is one of those little-known facts of life.
According to The Takeout, this phenomenon isn’t exclusive to humans—cows experience it as well. This is surprising, considering cows are ruminants, with digestive systems that can break down tougher substances far better than ours. When cows swallow their food, it softens in a special digestive chamber called a rumen and then comes back up for another round of chewing. (This explains why cows seem to always be eating.) However, scientists have found that sometimes corn comes out of this 'chewing the cud' process still somewhat whole.
But not entirely undigested. University of Nebraska-Lincoln ruminant nutritionist Andrea Watson explained to Live Science that it’s only the thin yellow outer layer of each kernel that doesn’t get digested. This layer is made of cellulose, a tough fiber that protects the corn from the elements, pests, and other harm. While humans can’t break down cellulose, cows typically manage it quite well—a testament to the toughness of corn.
Watson pointed out that about 10 percent of each corn kernel is made up of cellulose, meaning the corn you spot in your poop isn’t as intact as you might think. The remaining 90 percent, including starch, antioxidants, and other nutrients, gets properly digested. If you’re eating corn in forms like tortilla chips or popcorn, you can be confident that the cellulose has already been processed enough, so you won’t find any traces of your snack later on.
