Corn contains folate, or folic acid — also known as vitamin B9 — which allows the body to produce red and white blood cells, promotes a healthy metabolism, and lowers the risk of birth defects in pregnant women. A cup of corn contains about 19 percent — just under a fifth — of the daily value you should consume of the vitamin.

While you may think of boiling corn on the cob as a great way to prepare it, this actually isn’t the case. When corn is boiled, it loses some of its folic acid and other nutrients, which seep into the water instead of serving as helpful vitamins.

If you drop your corn into the pot, you’re essentially making it less healthy, but there are plenty of other ways to prepare it. Steaming it takes less time and preserves all those nutrients, but you can also grill it, roast it, or even microwave it.