How to Make Corn Silk Tea
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Learn how to make corn silk tea. This is a simple tea that is very beneficial to our body and another way to use corn. Corn silk can also be preserved by drying which means you can easily make corn silk tea year round!
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. 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, and we give the cob to the chickens as a snack… 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 and, 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 in 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.
Ingredients…
- Corn cobs with the husk still on
- Honey, maple, or sugar if you like to sweeten your tea
A Simple Corn Silk Tea Recipe…
Step one – remove the silk. Start by removing the corn husk to expose the silk. Then peel the silk off the corn cob. The top part of the silk, the part that wasn’t covered by the husk, is usually dark and dirty looking. Cut that part off and discard.
Step two – dry the silk. There are two ways to do this… The first is to place the corn silk on a paper towel on the kitchen counter at room temperature and let it be for a few days. Every other day, turn it to make sure that it’s drying well. Within a few days, it will be dry and ready for tea. The other option is to place it in the dehydrator at 95 degrees F for 8-12 hours. Both ways are fine, choose whatever works best for you.
Step three – make corn silk tea. Grab about a tablespoon of dry corn silk and place it in a mug. Add boiling water and let the corn silk steep for five minutes before drinking.
Kitchen Notes…
- How to store corn silk – to store your dry corn silk, place it in a ziplock bag or a mason jar and leave it at room temperature on the self or in the pantry.
- Remove the silk or don’t – I usually leave my corn silk in the hot water as I drink my tea, however, if you like, you can remove it after letting it steep for a few minutes. You can also place it in a tea mesh bag so it’s not just floating around and is easier to remove if you choose to.
- Use the silk fresh – someone in the comments was asking why not use the silk when it’s still fresh. I think that you can, however, I feel like it tastes better when it’s dried (the water content is down and the flavor isn’t diluted) and I also feel that it’s easier to handle.
- Taste – of course, corn silk tea tastes a bit like corn! I don’t think that it tastes bad, however, feel free to add it to other teas to adjust the flavor. You can add fresh mint, or you can add it to any other kind of loose-leaf or bag tea that you make.
Frequently Asked Questions…
I would start with three or four cups a week and see how you feel.
I don’t think that this will work but I’ve never tried.
I never use it. I just have my corn silk tea in a jar on the shelf with the rest of my teas. If it has been dried properly it should be just fine.
Yes! Once the silk had time to steep in boiling water all you have to do is let the water cool to room temperature. Remove the silk and store the tea in the fridge.
Corn silk tea works fast! 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’s all good! This is exactly what it’s supposed to do. I hope that you’d give it a try!
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Corn Silk Tea
A simple way to make corn silk tea.
Ingredients
- Corn cobs with the husk still on (as many as you want)
- Honey, maple, or sugar if you like to sweeten your tea
Instructions
- Start by removing the corn husk to expose the silk. Then peel the silk off the corn cob. The top part of the silk, the part that wasn’t covered by the husk, is usually dark and dirty looking. Cut that part off and discard.
- Next, dry the silk. There are two ways to do this… The first is to place the corn silk on a paper towel on the kitchen counter at room temperature and let it be for a few days. Every other day, turn it to make sure that it’s drying well. Within a few days, it will be dry and ready for tea. The other option is to place it in the dehydrator at 95 degrees F for 8-12 hours. Both ways are fine, choose whatever works best for you.
- Grab about a tablespoon of dry corn silk and place it in a mug. Add boiling water and let the corn silk steep for five minutes before drinking.
Notes
Kitchen notes...
- How to store corn silk – to store your dry corn silk, place it in a ziplock bag or a mason jar and leave it at room temperature on the self or in the pantry.
- Remove the silk or don’t – I usually leave my corn silk in the hot water as I drink my tea, however, if you like, you can remove it after letting it steep for a few minutes. You can also place it in a tea mesh bag so it’s not just floating around and is easier to remove if you choose to.
- Use the silk fresh – someone in the comments was asking why not use the silk when it’s still fresh. I think that you can, however, I feel like it tastes better when it’s dried (the water content is down and the flavor isn’t diluted) and I also feel that it’s easier to handle.
- Taste – of course, corn silk tea tastes a bit like corn! I don’t think that it tastes bad, however, feel free to add it to other teas to adjust the flavor. You can add fresh mint, or you can add it to any other kind of loose-leaf or bag tea that you make.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 30Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 2gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g
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.
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!!
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.
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.
LOL. You are welcome!
Thanks for this post.
It is educating
You are welcome!
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!
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…
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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!
Can you use a dehydrater? If so how much time?
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.
I’ve never tried this but I think I will give it a try.
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
Thank you!
I wow, I had no idea! Good to know, pinning to my ‘health’ board. Thank you!
I really enjoyed this post! Thank you!
Thanks for visiting!
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!
Agree and agree.
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
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.