Nutritionists may have finally settled the great corn debate: Is it a veggie, fruit, or grain?

This might explain why humans have given corn an identity crisis, sometimes telling it to be a grain; other times, a vegetable. What even is corn?

When people started avoiding grains to assume a healthier lifestyle, corn made it onto many “don’t eat” lists. Then, the low-carb craze came back full-force, and people found yet another reason to leave corn cobs on the shelves.

When did all the corn-shaming start? Probably when it became the basis of so many of the snack foods we’re now being told to eat less of. Ever heard of high-fructose syrup? This high-sugar substance is — yep, you guessed it — made from corn.

But it turns out we shouldn’t technically be so hard on corn. In kernel form (the kind you use to make popcorn), corn is extremely nutritious, high in fiber and vitamins. It’s actually considered a whole grain, a recommended daily food group per official nutrition guidelines.

Wait, did we say “grain”? We sure did.

According to dietitian Amy Gorin, it is technically classified as a grain. It has all the necessary parts of a grain, at least until you process it and remove the most essential ones (which is what happens when you make high-fructose corn syrup, for example).

More from Foodie News

• Interview: Carla Hall discusses Quaker Oats, NFL, and GENYouth collab
• Challah Back Girls is the best bread for the holidays
• Hot Pockets wants to settle your thermostat wars this year
• The Dairy Queen Blizzard of the Month for December is?
• These states are stepping up to combat the drinking water crisis

But this is just the beginning. Because corn, originating as a plant that produces a part that’s fully edible, is also technically a vegetable. WHAT.

It is technically called a starchy vegetable, which just means it’s higher in calories and carbohydrates than other vegetables like spinach, for example. This is why it ends up on so many “don’t” lists in the low-carb circuit.

This doesn’t mean it’s not good for you, though. It’s extremely low in fat — we’re talking about when it’s still “just corn” of course. When you start making chips out of it, it kind of loses its nutritional value since most snack foods are extremely high in fat, sugar, and salt.

Corn is also high in fiber, which is good for digestion and making you feel “full” faster. Do you know what’s also high in fiber and good for your stomach? Fruit. Guess which food is, in addition to being a grain and a vegetable, also a fruit? You guessed it: Corn.

Fruits, like vegetables and grains, are plants. Fruit is technically classified as anything that grows from the flower or seed of a plant. So, isn’t it just a grain or a vegetable or a fruit. It could fall into all three of these categories at once.

Which really only means that you can absolutely consider it a healthy addition to any meal, as long as you’re not overdoing it on the snack food. You can add corn to salads, stir fry, tacos … you can eat it straight off the cob if you really want to. Grilled and buttered, though, it’s even better.

Let’s put all corn-shaming efforts to rest. It’s got a lot going for it, after all.

What’s your favorite way to consume corn? Yes, corn chips count.