 |
Corn-Free
Diet
If you
feel frustrated and helpless due to food allergies, you are not alone. Up to
60% of Americans have shown signs of food allergy at one time or another. About
10% of food allergy sufferers exhibit symptoms serious enough to see a doctor.
Food allergy typically does not appear overnight. In susceptible people,
allergies to foods eaten regularly (if not daily) progress over time. Because
allergy onset is subtle, identifying offending foods can be difficult and often
requires trial diets. Once the food has been identified, the patient may
incorporate acceptable substitutes in his or her diet and avoid the food completely.
Nearly any
type of food can cause allergy, but cow’s milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts,
corn, cereal grains, chocolate,
Citrus
fruits, peanuts and soy products most commonly provoke reactions. Because many
foods come from related plant and animal species, which contain cross-reacting
substances, a person may suffer allergic reaction from a food ha has never
eaten. The website
www.dpcAlaSTAT.com provides information on specific allergens, peak
pollination seasons, and allergen cross-reactivity.
The
following diet excludes all corn and corn products, including:
·
Corn syrup
·
Corn oil
·
Corn meal
·
Cornstarch
·
Vegetable oil
·
Maize
·
Popcorn
·
Grits
·
Hominy
·
Corn sugars (dextrose, Dyno,
Cerelose, Puretose, Sweetose)
·
Margarine
To
eliminate corn completely, you must read all labels before you purchase
commercially prepared food. Alsobe aware that paper containers such as boxes,
cups, plates, and milk cartons may contain corn, and the inner surface of
plastic food wrappers may be coated with cornstarch.
|
Types and Amounts of Food |
Include |
Omit |
|
Soups
As
desired
|
Broth,
homemade soups prepared without corn |
Vegetable soup
Commercial Soups* |
|
Meat
and Meat substitutes
2-3
servings
(5
oz total)
|
Beef,
lamb, liver, pork, veal, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese, eggs, dried beans or
peas |
Peanut
butter*, cold cuts*, ham*, wieners*, sausage*, breaded or fried foods*,
Cheese*, cheese spreads*, chili*, chop suey*, chow mein*, fish sticks* |
|
Potato
and potato substitutes
1
or more servings
(¼
cup each)
|
White
or sweet potatoes, macaroni, noodles, rice, spaghetti |
Coated
rice, Potatoes or rice fried in corn oil |
|
Vegetables
2
or more servings
(¼
cup each)
|
All
except corn (include 1 dark green or deep yellow vegetable daily for a
source of vitamin A |
Corn,
hominy, mixed vegetables*, succotash, Harvard beets, canned vegetables*,
pork and beans*, creamed vegetables* |
|
Breads
3
or more servings
|
White
or whole grain bread, provided corn meal is not used in the baking process,
saltine crackers |
Any
bread containing cornmeal or dusted with cornmeal, graham crackers, baking
powder biscuits, baking mixes, corn fritters, pancakes*, English muffins,
tacos, tamales, tortillas |
|
Cereal
1
or more servings
(½ cup)
|
Cooked
or ready to eat cereals made from wheat, rye, oats, barley, rice |
Corn
Flakes, Corn cereals, grits, hominy, pre-sweetened cereals*, polenta |
|
Fats
|
Butter, cream, soy, oil, safflower oil, peanut oil |
Corn
oil, vegetable oil*, gravy*, shortening*, bacon*, margarine*, salad dressing
|
|
Fruits
and Fruit juices
2
or more servings
(4 oz juice)
(¼
cup fruit each)
|
Fresh
fruits or juices, unsweetened fruit juices (include 1 serving citrus fruit
or juice daily for a source of vitamin C) |
Canned
or frozen fruit juices with “sugar added”, dates, confection sugar |
|
Desserts
In
moderation
|
Homemade cakes, cookies, pies, artificially sweetened gelatin |
Ice
cream*, sherbet*, gelatin*, cakes*, cookies*, pies*, pastries*, puddings*,
frosting* |
|
Milk
3
or more servings
(8
oz each)
|
Homemade, low fat, skim milk, evaporated milk, non fat dry milk powder,
buttermilk, Neo-Mull Soy® |
Chocolate milks*, milkshakes*, soy milks*, eggnog* |
|
Beverages |
Water
as desired, tea, coffee, diet soda |
American wines*, whiskey, gin, carbonated beverages*, 7-up®, Coca-Cola®,
ale, beer, instant coffee*, lemonade* |
*May be
used if corn free status verified by the manufacturer
Brand
names are used for clarification only and do not constitute an endorsement. |
