In this post, we will learn how to make corn silk tea and why you should drink it. It is super easy to make, it’s another way to use corn, and it’s very healthy for our body. We’ll go over the health benefits and how to dry the silk and how to make corn silk tea.
We pretty much live in corn country here in central NC. Local farmers sell 12 ears of corn at the market for $4. It’s so affordable it almost doesn’t make sense to grow it yourself (the benefit of growing it yourself, of course, is the fun of watching it grow and the fact that you know for sure that it’s organic).
We eat so much of it every summer, and every summer I dry the silk and use it for corn silk tea.
It’s really cool how useful corn is. We use the husk for art (the kids make dolls and such), the silk for “corn hair tea” (as my kids call it), the corn as food, we give the cob to the chickens as a snack., and I leave the plant in the garden as mulch. We use every bit of it!
How to Make Corn Silk Tea…
What is Corn Silk?
Corn silk is the “hair” that you find under the husk of the corn. The stringy stuff can be used fresh or dried (I’ll show you how I dry it in a minute). It will change its color and darken a little bit if you decide to dry it but it will hold for a long long time.
Corn Silk Tea Benefits?
Corn silk is high in potassium, therefore, has a diuretic effect on the urinary system. In other words, it promotes the production of urine which means it makes you pee, a lot.
Corn silk will also help prevent kidney stones and is useful with other urinary problems like nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys), cystitis (urinary tract infection), and prostatitis (swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland).
Corn silk is also known to reduce water retention in the body and may be beneficial in treating high blood pressure and gouty arthritis (uric acid builds up in the blood and causes inflammation in the joints).
HERE is a good research for further learning.
Another research shows that corn silk tea can be used to treat metabolic syndrome and assist is weight loss…
“Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a very common medical problem worldwide. It includes obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and abnormal levels of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. It is closely associated with insulin resistance and may lead to diabetes mellitus, liver diseases, or cardiovascular diseases. Corn silk (CS), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been reported to have multiple beneficial effects, including hypotensive, anti-diabetic, and hypolipidemic properties. This suggests that corn silk could be used to treat or prevent metabolic syndrome.”
You can read the research HERE.
A simple Corn Silk Tea Recipe…
The first thing to do would be to remove the husk…
Then, I gently remove the silk from the corn.
In the picture of the corn silk tea above, you can see the dry brown part that wasn’t covered by the husk, go ahead and cut that off.
Place the silk on a paper towel on the kitchen counter. You want to keep it at room temperature. This amount of silk is from five or six ears of corn.
Within a few days, it will dry. During those days, if you remember, turn it a couple of times.
That’s it! It is now ready for tea. Someone asked me why not using it fresh… You probably can but I think that it’s nicer to handle it when it’s dry. Also, by drying it you preserve it for later too. I place my dry silk in a jar or in a zip-lock bag and it lasts all the way to next summer.
When you are ready to make a cup of tea, grab a little bit of the silk…
Add it to your mug…
Add some honey or sugar…
Then add boiling water and let it sit in the hot water for a few minutes.
If you chose, you can leave the silk in the mug or remove it before you drink your tea. I usually leave it.
So, of course, it tastes like… Corn. It’s not bad, the taste is very mild but still… If you find that you don’t like it much you can simply add a tea bag like one of those berry tea bags or orange or whatever. I usually add a few mint leaves to my tea.
Five minutes after you drink it you’ll be visiting the potty. Then you’ll feel like you didn’t have a drink in two weeks so you’ll run to your kitchen and gulp down a big glass of water. It works fast!
Share your thoughts with me in the comments below! If you’ve had corn silk tea, did you like it?
For more homemade remedies, check out these posts…
Ancient Moroccan Soup to Cure Flu or Cold
47 Ways to Prevent and Treat Chigger Bites
Angela says
Years ago corn silk tea (Stigmata maidis) was in fashion in our pharmacy für “slimming”, people believing that they lose weight by urinating more….If you drink this tea instead of eating a snack that could help to reduce body mass but not more can be exspected.
I read your blog with interest,please go on
Angela
pharmacist from Germany
Lee says
Isn’t it known that drinking a lot (water, tea etc…) helps with weight lose? My mother is a Weight Watchers instructor and this is part of their teaching. Thanks for visiting.
Cynthia Skelton says
I love corn silk tea! I always save the silk from the sweet corn we eat and preserve. It is a delicious, nutritious and free! Can’t beat that!
Lee says
Agree and agree.
Kristi says
I really enjoyed this post! Thank you!
Lee says
Thanks for visiting!
Anna @ NorthernHomestead says
I wow, I had no idea! Good to know, pinning to my ‘health’ board. Thank you!
Katherines Corner says
Oh my goodness I have never heard of this. Great post! Watch for your feature on Monday. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop xo
Lee says
Thank you!
Becky Rowe says
I’ve never tried this but I think I will give it a try.
Margo, Thrift at Home says
I had no idea! My kids will be thrilled, as they love messing around with the silk when I make them husk corn and they also love messing with tea in the kitchen. Once the silk is dry, I assume I can put it in a jar or tea tin and keep it for months?
Lee says
Yep. I put it in a zip-lock bag and keep it in my tea cabinet. I am still using silk from last year. lasts forever. Thanks for stopping by!
Melana Walker says
Can you use a dehydrater? If so how much time?
Lee says
I am sure you can but Ii never used one so I can’t tell you how much time. You’ll have to check it once in a while. You’ll see when the silk is dry.
opara n.m.c says
I love your work and all the things you do to keep a healthy life. I would have loved to work with you but I don’t have money to invest in your company. I really need to work in my health I have a big potbelly and I am fat I want to work in my health so that I will come down and look younger am just 40 years.thanks.
Lee says
You can do it. make a plan and stick to it. Just sit down and decide on a plan that you know is not too hard for you to actually stay with. Good luck!
Kelli says
Corn silk tea is a gods send for those of us who suffer interstitial cystitis. Its the only thing that eased my discomfort and pain.
Angelica says
Hi, may I ask how you dry the corn silk? Just place it on the kitchen towel? Can I wrap it up with the kitchen towel and wait for it dry?
Lee says
Don’t wrap it up. Just lay it on a paper towel or a newspaper and place it on the counter. It will dry in a few days, then you can put it in a jar or ziplock bag.
Michael jones says
I love this. How long can one use it in terms of prostate enlargement? Is it compulsory to add the leave where its not available? How many times a day in case of prostate, kidney stone and others? Is fresh corn silk not medicinal too? If yes, how do you prepare that?
Plse I am on prostate enlargement treatment now and had previously undergone kidney stone operation as such your reply will be of great importance to me.
Thanks
Lee says
I think it’s one of those things that you just get used to doing and keep doing it. I can’t tell you you have to drink three cups a day for a month and you’ll be fine. In order to support your health, you have to just get used to drinking it a few times a day. This is why we dry it, so I can keep it for the whole year.
Fresh corn silk will probably be beneficial too but the taste of corn might be too strong. When you dry it you almost can’t taste the corn anymore.
You don’t have to use the leaves, you can add it to any regular tea or just make it by itself.
I hope this helps.
Sandra says
I put cornsilk in the oven to dry and forgot about it! It’s All brown…I’m still going to make tea from it…is that OK? Thank you!
Lee says
Hi Sandra, sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner!
Did you use it? Was it ok?
I would think that maybe it would fall apart in the hot water…
Idowu Olalekan Champion says
Thanks for this post.
It is educating
Lee says
You are welcome!
Yolanda says
Wow. Never heard of corn silk tea. But had some in the freezer cause a friend asked me to save it for hee. Guess what she not getting it now…lol. I making tea right now…great post and THANK YOU FOR SHARING.
Lee says
LOL. You are welcome!
Tori says
I had forgotten about this tea! I’ve just been put on water pills by the dr. Ugh. I’m more inclined to try homeopathic, herbal, natural ways of dealing with water retention. I’m thinking I’ll add the tea to my diet and wean off the pills if it seems to be helping. What a “fun” project for the boys when I bring home the corn on the cob! Haha! My one son is a corn lover almost as much if not more than his mama!!
Lee says
I also let my kids do it! They love sitting on the kitchen floor and pealing the corn. They use the husk to make dolls.
Oku Papar says
Yes! Heard about it few months ago but did not start using it till a day ago. I know the health benefits of corn silk is magnificent…. Great post and thanks for sharing.
Sheri Cline says
Very interesting. The oddest thing about corn-on-the-cob is my cat “George’s” response when I bring it through the door! In his younger days he would actually jump into the refrigerator to get to it, every time I’d open the frig he’s jumping in. Now that he’s a old man and can’t jump like in his younger days I just put it on the floor for him. He loves to nibble on that silk! I think I’ll make some tea for me and Old George and see what he thinks…..nothing wrong with a good Pee!
Lee says
LOL! Cats can be really funny!!
ChizzyCreamy says
Wow I have never heard of this before. Thank you for sharing this great post. Weight loss mood activated. I really need to slim down
Lee says
Good luck!
Wunmi says
Pls how does this help stop bed wetting in children?
Lee says
Since it helps pee it’s good to let kids drink it a few hours before bedtime. This way they can go empty their bladder well before they go to sleep.
Winga rs says
Can it cure high blood pressure?
Lee says
I wouldn’t say cure, but yes, it is known for treating high blood pressure.
Susan Swain says
Thanks for the info – buying organically grown corn today (southern hemisphere) to dry corn silk to make tea. Will grow my own corn next season for leg aches (and more energy). Thanks again. (PS – Use corn silk capsules for my dalmatian dog’s sporadic incontinence).
Lee says
You are welcome, Susan! I didn’t know there was such a thing corn silk capsules!
Moi says
Hi
Can U Take it with greentea, Ginger, lemon or/and cinnamon
Lee says
Definitely! You can add it to any kind of tea.
Lynwabs says
I am a lover of corn silk tea.
I drink mine without any additions and it taste great just exactly like corn.
I encourage us to form the habit of living, eating and drinking healthy.
Your health is your responsibility.
Enjoy a cup today and testify of its beautiful goodness.
Lee says
Yes, I like it too! It’s an easy way to add a healthy drink to your day.
Jess says
This is great. It helped dissolve my small kidney stone so that it could pass. I kept drinking it for a couple days and really helped with my water retention too. Since we consume a lot of fresh corn here in Texas too, keeping this in a ziploc bag made perfect sense. I suffer from MS so I can’t wait to see my lab results.
Lee says
Wow, this is great! Thanks for sharing.
Uyi says
Hi!
Good to know corn silk can take care of many medical conditions, but what if an anindividual is suffering from hypotention and want to treat bladder infection, cardiovascular issue and obesity? Is it advisable to use corn silk whilst it’s also used for hypertension?
Regards
Uyi
Lee says
I am not a doctor so I can’t tell you exactly. However, I can’t see how using corn silk tea will be an issue in the cases you mentioned. Again, I am not a doctor, though. You’ll have to do some more research and maybe consult a doctor.
Barbara says
Can you have the corn silk tea with any kind of other medications, because I take 24 meds a day. Don’t want any reactions Thank you
Lee says
I am not a doctor but I don’t think it should be a problem.
Pamela says
Thanks soo much for this education, i and my family will defiantly try it and i shall be back with my feedback. Be blessed.
Lee says
You are welcome! Thanks for stopping by.
Vicky says
Can I boil the tea and put in the fridge and drink. I want to be boiling it every weekend
Lee says
Yes, you sure can!
Davyre Duty says
I bought cornsilk capsuls
.they are large, i have trouble swallowing. Can u break them open and make tea?
Lee says
I really don’t know… I’ve never tried the pills and I have no clue what other things they are putting in there.
Nicki Elmore says
How often do you drink the cornsilk tea? Also, do you know of any teas that help cleanse the liver?
Lee says
Maybe a couple of times a week. Not every day. I don’t know of any tea that helps cleanse the liver. I am using a blend of essential oils called Zendocrine from doTERRA to do that but I’m sure that there is something…
Zeny says
I heard the proven benefits of boiling corn hair from my elders when I was growing up. I love drinking tea but with the convenience of tea bags now I go for them.
I have to try making this corn silk tea again. Thanks you made it simple.
BTW do you store dry corn silk in fridge?
Lee says
You can but it stores really well in a kitchen cabinet too. I heard about it from an older womnan too.
Mary says
This is a very nicely written article! Do you ever use the water leftover from boiling corn on the cob? If so, what for? We use it in our garden but would love to hear about other effective uses and the potential benefits…as a tea? as broth for soup? other? Any downsides to consuming the leftover corn on the cob water?
Lee says
I’ve never thought about using the water but it’s a good idea. I guess you can use it in any recipe that calls for water as long as a little bit of corn flavor is something that will fit with the recipe. I don’t know if I’ll use it as tea, though… Even with the corn silk tea I usually have to add other leaves and some honey to make it taste better.
Mary says
I tasted it by itself and it was actually quite pleasant! I think it would be delicious in making rice or as the liquid for corn chowder or other soup. I wonder if the health benefits are the same/similar as the corn silk. I’m having a hard time finding any direct pro’s and con’s along with nutritional information and am surprised it isn’t more widely discussed. Thanks for your reply!