Why Does Corn Come Out Whole In Your Poo, Even When You Chew It?

It’s no secret that your body eliminates digested food through your stool. Your body uses enzymes and acid to break down the nutrients in the foods you eat, and it’s typically not visible in the toilet bowl.

However, when you eat foods like corn, this isn’t always the case. 

“Corn does have this reputation of showing up and making a second appearance after a meal,” said gastroenterologist Dr. Leybelis Padilla. Think about the last time you had Chipotle or corn on the cob – did it come out intact later?

For most people, this is a completely normal occurrence. If you’re interested in why this happens, we spoke with doctors to help us understand:

For starters, the corn kernel’s outer layer is indigestible

What you’re seeing in your stool is often just the outer shell of the corn, which is called the pericarp. This part of the starchy vegetable is made of indigestible plant fibres. 

“It is made of a very tough cellulose, a type of fibre that our human body cannot fully break down. The reason is...