Corn is technically a grain, though it is often eaten as a vegetable.

The longer version

Botanically, a grain is the edible seed of a grass, and maize fits that description exactly: each kernel is a single-seeded fruit harvested from a tall grass. Wheat, rice, oats, and barley are grains for the same reason.

The confusion comes from use, since sweet corn is picked while the kernels are still soft and full of sugar and is eaten like a vegetable, whereas field corn is left to dry and is milled or fed to animals. Farm statistics treat it as a grain crop, while cooking traditions sort it by how it appears on the plate. Both labels survive because they answer different questions.

Where this entry sits

Everyday ingredients turn out to be full of quiet chemistry and long history. This collection gathers short, plain explanations of how bread rises, why onions sting, where common spices originate, and how coffee, tea, and chocolate reached the modern kitchen. The full list sits on the Food and Drink page, where every entry is listed in order.