How to Live With Allergies to Corn
Corn is one of the most common food allergens. Since the vast majority of processed foods utilize corn products, it can be quite a challenge to eliminate all traces of corn from your diet.
- Difficulty:
- Challenging
Instructions
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1
Remove all products containing corn from your diet. These include, but are not limited to, corn flour, cornstarch, corn syrup, cornmeal, corn sugar, corn alcohol, and of course, corn chips.
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2
Read all labels diligently. Corn can be found in a mind-boggling array of food and food products, including soups, spaghetti sauces and processed meats. Even vinegar and ordinary table salt may contain corn.
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3
Beware of ingredients beginning with "dex," such as maltodextrin, dextrin and dextrates. They may be sources of corn.
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4
Limit or avoid foods containing sugar, such as sweetened cereals. The majority use corn sugars as sweeteners.
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5
Look for corn-free baking powder, which is available at most supermarkets.
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6
Substitute potato starch or arrowroot for cornstarch when it is used to thicken sauces, soups or gravies.
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7
Beware of products such as food starch, modified food starch, vegetable gum or vegetable starch. They may contain corn.
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8
Check your medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, as well as cosmetics and toiletries. Many contain corn syrup and cornstarch.
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9
Note that the adhesives on stamps and envelopes may contain corn, and this can be a problem for very sensitive people. Avoid licking them - use water instead.
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10
On the same note, corn oil is often used to coat plastic wrap, as well as paper cups and plates.
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11
Supplement your diet with vitamin C with added bioflavonoids, 1,000 to 5,000 mg daily, or quercetin, 500mg twice daily. They both help your body tolerate allergens and boost immune function. However as vitamin C is often derived from corn, you must use caution when selecting a brand of vitamin C.
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Take bromelain, 100mg twice daily. It enhances the absorption of quercetin.
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1
Tips & Warnings
You may be able to use corn oil even if you are allergic to corn. Most corn allergies are related to the corn protein. When oil is processed, the protein is removed.
If you are mildly allergic to corn, you may be able to try it again. First abstain from all corn products for at least six months, and then try a small amount. If you don't have a reaction, you may be able to tolerate it occasionally.
If you have had a severe reaction to corn, do not attempt to reintroduce it. You may be faced with a life-threatening reaction.
