Meat Sweats!? More Like Corn Sweats in Iowa!

If you think the phrase "meat sweats" is a bit much, get ready for a whole new level of summer heat discomfort, courtesy of the Midwest’s favorite crop: corn! That’s right, Iowa, the land of endless cornfields, has its very own sweaty phenomenon. Forget about your BBQ-induced perspiration; here in the heart of the Corn Belt, we’re talking about “corn sweat.”

What the heck is Corn Sweat?

During peak growing season, a single corn plant can release up to 4 cups of water into the air every day. And just one acre of corn? It can let loose a staggering 4,000 gallons of water daily. That’s like the entire neighborhood dumping their swimming pools into the sky. With all that moisture floating around, it’s no wonder the air feels like a sauna!

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This isn’t your ordinary humid day either. All that extra moisture from the cornfields can push dew points up to nearly 80 degrees! That’s right! Corn sweat is out here making Mother Nature’s heat index feel like the inside of a boiling pot. You know that moment when you step outside and immediately start to feel sticky, and it feels like the air is so thick you have to swim through it? You can thank those endless rows of delicious corn for that extra cozy embrace.

Did you know corn plants use this process to cool themselves down, just like we sweat to avoid overheating. As corn stalks soak up water from the soil, they release it through tiny openings in their leaves called stomata. This process helps keep them cool under the blazing sun and prevents them from turning into dried up cornflakes. As the water evaporates, it also pulls heat away from the plant, sort of like natural air conditioning. of course, all that evaporated water ends up hanging around in the air, turning the Midwest into one big steam room.

Not only does corn make us sweat, but it also helps us breathe! A mature corn plant doesn’t just release water; it’s also a powerhouse when it comes to producing oxygen. In a single growing season, one acre of corn can produce about 8,000 pounds of oxygen. Let’s do some quick corn math: with Iowa boasting around 13 million acres of corn, that means we’re looking at about 104 billion pounds of oxygen floating around thanks to these green giants. That’s enough oxygen to keep millions of people breathing easy. So next time you take a deep breath of fresh air, remember to thank your local cornfield! By the way, the Amazon rain forest produces about 28 billion tons of oxygen annually.

So, while corn might be the reason you’re sweating buckets, it’s also a key player in the fight for clean air. Cornfields absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, making them essential for maintaining the earth’s carbon-oxygen balance. In short, cornfields are like the Swiss Army knives of agriculture, they do a bit of everything.

So, as you wipe that sweat from your brow and seek shade from the oppressive humidity, tip your hat to the cornfields. They’re just out here doing their thing one sweaty summer day at a time, with a goal of feeding the world. Essentially, Iowa doesn’t just grow corn; it grows weather! And if you find yourself caught in a sticky, humid haze this summer, just think of it as nature’s way of giving you a big, sweaty corn hug to add to those meat sweats. Besides, every good entre, needs the perfect side.