# Corn Nuts: perfectly balanced diet **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421 "2016-08-29T18:25:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/1 "2016-08-29T18:25:43Z")
As I was crunching a bag of this delectable snack, and reading the label as I always do, I spotted something interesting. A bag contains 6% of the RDA for fat, 6% of the carbohydrate, and 5% of the protein. That means that the three nutrients are in nearly perfect balance! For a 2000 calorie diet you would need 17 bags, at which point you would have: Calories: 2108 Fat: 102% of RDA Carbs: 102% Protein: 85% Iron: 34% B-6: 85% Potassium: 34% Vitamin A: 17% Magnesium: 119% Sodium: 119% Yeah, we are missing a few essential vitamins, but it’s not bad for a single ingredient meal. I was surprised the amount of sodium is that low, as they taste really salty. A quick rinse of some of them would bring the sodium down anyway. They are definitely going in my emergency food kit if I ever make one. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/2 "2016-08-29T18:31:46Z")
How is it different than regular corn chips? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/3 "2016-08-29T18:39:54Z")
They’re also great for helping keep you awake while on a long drive. I defy anybody to doze off while chewing them. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/4 "2016-08-29T19:02:11Z")
Do they have a complete set of essential amino acids? IIRC corn lacks a few, which is why a vegetarian diet needs to include several different staples like beans and rice. But I suppose you weren’t intending to use them as bachelor chow anyways… ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/5 "2016-08-29T19:21:17Z")
Yeah, I think you need to add beans to get a complete protein. Corn chips have twice the fat and half the protein plus a lot more salt. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/6 "2016-08-29T19:25:41Z")
Well, besides all the cracked teeth… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/7 "2016-08-29T19:30:40Z")
In keeping with the bar snacks theme, you could complete the proteins using peanuts. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/8 "2016-08-29T20:15:09Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > For a 2000 calorie diet you would need 17 bags, at which point you would have: I wonder what 17 bags over a day would do to a person. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/9 "2016-08-29T20:24:06Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I wonder what 17 bags over a day would do to a person. Every single day for the rest of your life, you look at your stool and go “when was the last time I ate corn?” ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/10 "2016-08-29T21:18:26Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > How is it different than regular corn chips? Corn chips also [double as a fire starter](http://www.thehikinglife.com/2013/11/fritos-to-belly-lint-5-emergency-fire-starters/). ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/corn-nuts-perfectly-balanced-diet/764421/11 "2016-08-29T21:40:17Z")
Weird because corn isn’t even considered a vegetable.