Corn-Free Diet
- Corn is a member of the Poaceae botanical family. This botanical family consists of many cereal grains, including barley, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, teff, and wheat.
- Corn is not one of the top nine allergens and is not required to be recognized as a top allergen on food labels. Those with corn allergy or intolerance need to review all product labels to avoid corn ingredients as corn is found in many processed foods.
- Symptoms of corn allergy can include itching, flushing, hives, throat tightening, eczema flares and abdominal pain.
- Anaphylactic reactions to corn are rare.
Nutrition Information
When adjusting your diet, focus on incorporating a variety of whole foods in your diet that contain the nutrients you’re missing due to eliminating problem foods.
- Corn flour is a good source of fiber, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, selenium, and vitamin B6. If eliminating corn flour from your diet, use a variety of these foods as alternatives:
- Fiber: beans, bulgur, wheat, barley, rye, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds
- Phosphorus: beans, peas, dairy products, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, seafood, amaranth, quinoa, wheat
- Manganese: beans, nuts, pineapple, spinach, sweet potato, amaranth, oats, brown rice, teff
- Magnesium: avocados, bananas, beans, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, nuts, pumpkin seeds, potatoes, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, wheat, rye
- Selenium: Brazil nuts, seeds, eggs, meat, poultry, seafood
- Vitamin B6: chickpeas, potatoes, salmon, tuna, poultry, banana
Reading Labels
Avoid cornflakes, corn flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, corn oil, corn sugar, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose, glucose, grits, high fructose syrup, hominy, maize, maltodextrin, maltodextrose, modified starch, polenta, popcorn, starch, vegetable starch, vegetable gum, vegetable protein, and vegetable paste. This list is not all inclusive.
Alternatives and Suggested Products
- Against the Grain: pita bread, bagels, pizza crust, etc.
- Andean Dream: pasta, cookies
- Beanfields: bean based tortilla chips
- Beanitos: bean based tortilla chips
- Hilary’s: veggie burgers and bites, millet medleys, salad dressings
- Tolerant: bean and legume pasta
NOTE: Always double check the ingredient statement on any products you purchase. Food manufacturers may change their ingredients at any time.