Green Giant Whole Kernel Sweet Corn: Labelgrade B (77/100)
B 77 / 100 — Very low saturated fat and low sugar load.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Green Giant Whole Kernel Sweet Corn delivers 2g of protein and 79.9 calories per 121GRM (USDA FDC 2526958). Per 100g that’s 1.7g of protein; per oz, 0.5g. The Labelgrade is B (77 / 100): Very low saturated fat and low sugar load.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | D | 53 / 100 | 1.7g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 83 / 100 | Short 4-ingredient list, no additive flags |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g saturated fat — perfect |
| Sodium load | A- | 89 / 100 | 129mg per serving (30mg per oz) — low |
| Sugar load | A+ | 96 / 100 | 5g sugar (0.968g added) — low overall |
| Fiber | F | 36 / 100 | 0.968g per serving — modest fiber contribution |
| Overall | B | 77 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Giant Whole Kernel Sweet Corn (this product) | 2g | 1.7g | 0.5g | 79.9 |
| Del Monte Fresh Cut French Style Green Beans | 1g | 0.8g | 0.2g | 20.6 |
| Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes | 1g | 0.8g | 0.2g | 30.2 |
| Del Monte Fresh Cut Cream Style Sweet Corn | 1g | 0.8g | 0.2g | 70 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
The lowest-sodium can in the group — and why whole-kernel matters
Two things set this corn apart from the rest of the canned-vegetable group. First, sodium: at 129mg per serving it’s the lowest of any canned vegetable we’ve graded — well under the green beans (380mg) or even the peas (190mg). That’s the main reason it ties for the top score despite carrying less protein than the peas; a low-sodium starting point is worth real points in a category whose universal knock is salt.
Second, it’s whole-kernel, and that’s the version to buy. Whole golden kernels are just corn, water, a little sugar, and salt — four recognizable ingredients. The alternative, cream-style, leads with water and adds modified food starch and more sugar to build that thick texture, which is exactly why our cream-style corn page grades a notch lower at B-. Whole-kernel keeps the can simple and lets you decide what flavor goes on the corn instead of the manufacturer deciding for you.
A genuinely smart, cheap pantry staple — just drain the brine
The honest case for canned vegetables is convenience and economics: they keep most of fresh produce’s nutrition, they never spoil, and they cost a fraction of fresh — and the best vegetable is the one you’ll actually eat. A can of corn in the cupboard is a vegetable serving you can drop into chili, soup, or a salad on a weeknight with zero prep and zero waste.
The one thing to manage is the canning sodium, and corn makes that easy because it starts lower than almost anything else in the aisle. Drain and rinse anyway — pour off the liquid, rinse the kernels for a few seconds — and you strip off roughly 40% more sodium plus a little of the packing sugar, essentially for free. Do that and Green Giant’s whole-kernel corn is about as clean and low-effort as a shelf-stable vegetable gets, which is why it earns its 77.
Scope
This page covers Green Giant Whole Kernel Sweet Corn (15.25 oz), UPC 0020000103907, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2526958. Green Giant sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
GOLDEN WHOLE KERNEL CORN, WATER, SUGAR, SALT
Where to buy
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade score is independent of affiliate relationships. More.
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 121GRM
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (121GRM) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 79.9 |
| Protein | 2g |
| Total Fat | 0.496g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 18g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.968g |
| Total Sugars | 5g |
| Added Sugars | 0.968g |
| Sodium | 129mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 3.63mg |
| Iron | 0mg |
| Potassium | 157mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Whole Kernel Sweet Corn (15.25 oz) · UPC 0020000103907. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
Are canned vegetables healthy?
Yes — canned vegetables are a genuinely smart, cheap pantry staple, and canned corn is one of the easiest to actually eat. Canning keeps most of the nutrients of fresh produce, the cans never spoil, and the low price means you'll keep vegetables in the house instead of letting fresh ones wilt. This whole-kernel corn is 80 calories per 1/2 cup with a clean four-ingredient list and the lowest sodium of any canned vegetable we've graded (129mg). The universal knock on canned veg is the brine sodium, but corn starts low and a quick drain-and-rinse takes it lower. As a convenient way to hit your veg servings, it earns its B.
Why does this corn grade B (77/100)?
Because it does well on the dimensions a plain vegetable can win and only loses points where every vegetable does. Saturated fat is a perfect A+, sodium is an A- (129mg, the lowest of our canned veg), sugar is an A+ (the 5g is mostly corn's own natural sweetness), and the four-ingredient list earns a B+. What holds it at 77 is structural: protein density grades D and fiber grades F, because the scorecard measures everything against high-protein, high-fiber foods, and corn — like most vegetables — isn't one. Read in context, the grade says this is a clean, low-sodium, convenient vegetable, not a protein source. That's exactly what canned corn should be.
Is canned corn as nutritious as fresh or frozen?
Close, with one quirk. Canning preserves most of corn's carbohydrate energy, fiber, and minerals; the losses are mainly some vitamin C and a little folate, plus a bit that leaches into the liquid. Frozen corn retains slightly more of those heat-sensitive vitamins because it's frozen near harvest, and fresh corn on the cob has the most — but both cost more and spoil. The real difference with the can is added sodium and a touch of added sugar, neither of which fresh or frozen carries. Drain and rinse and canned corn is a perfectly respectable, far cheaper stand-in for the fresh kernels.
What's a serving, and should I drain and rinse?
A serving is about 1/2 cup (121g), giving you 80 calories and 2g of protein. Yes, drain and rinse: pour off the canning liquid and rinse the kernels under the tap. For canned vegetables this removes roughly 40% of the sodium, taking already-low corn from 129mg down toward 75mg per serving. It also rinses off a little of the packing sugar. It's a free upgrade that costs ten seconds and a colander.
What's the best way to use canned corn?
Drain, rinse, and use it anywhere you'd use the fresh kernels: stir into chili, soups, salsa, cornbread, salads, or a quick succotash with the canned green beans. Because it's already cooked, it just needs warming. The one swap worth making is to choose this plain whole-kernel corn over a 'cream-style' can — cream-style bolts on starch and extra sugar (7g vs corn's natural 5g) and pushes the sodium higher, so plain kernels let you control the seasoning yourself.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2526958. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days of a reformulation.