Does corn have any nutritional value

[ChristySmiles]

Does corn have any real nutritional value? Also, is the corn in corn syrup and corn starch and corn meal, etc, all the same corn? I'm wondering this because my daughter recently developed a sensitivity and I'm a little shocked at how much "corn" there seems to be in everything.

[Speeddemon]

Really? You can have an allergy to corn? That’s a new one to me and that must suck since it seems that corn is in everything!

Corn does have some nutritional benefits and I think it’s high in fiber. But at the same time, if you cut it out of your diet, you can easily get the fiber and nutrients from other stuff. Mostly it just sucks that you need to avoid a lot of foods. I’m sure all the corn syrup, corn meal and corn starch and stuff is derived from corn…that said, no idea if your daughter will be sensitive to it all. Maybe just avoid it all as much as you can to be safe.

[enviroTodd]

Corn does have nutritional value. It doesn't get enough credit in that sense. Like Speeddemon said, it's definitely high in fiber, too. The problem with corn is that it's virtually impossible to find any of it that is non GMO now. It's pretty much all been genetically modified. There isn't enough research to suggest that won't cause problems. I think it does and so I just skip most corn because of it. It definitely doesn't have nutrients you can't easily get somewhere else

[Speeddemon]

Corn does have nutritional value. It doesn't get enough credit in that sense. Like Speeddemon said, it's definitely high in fiber, too. The problem with corn is that it's virtually impossible to find any of it that is non GMO now. It's pretty much all been genetically modified. There isn't enough research to suggest that won't cause problems. I think it does and so I just skip most corn because of it. It definitely doesn't have nutrients you can't easily get somewhere else

Alright, you've got me curious. I know everyone says to avoid "GMO" stuff or things are advertised as "non-GMO" and that's considered a good thing...but honestly, just how bad is GMO for you? I get that the more natural something is the better it is, but how much better are we talking here?

[enviroTodd]

Alright, you've got me curious. I know everyone says to avoid "GMO" stuff or things are advertised as "non-GMO" and that's considered a good thing...but honestly, just how bad is GMO for you? I get that the more natural something is the better it is, but how much better are we talking here?

The fact is that they don't know. It's used in nearly all corn and in most North American soy for that matter, but there hasn't been extensive research, particularly over time. It's essentially universal for corn - which is in massive lists of products - without it ever having gone through longer-term research because it's somewhat new technology. There are several reasons for concern with GMO. They may not actually be worth worrying about but the truth is nobody knows the answer. We're the guinea pigs in this global experiment.

[BabyButtons]

The fact is that they don't know. It's used in nearly all corn and in most North American soy for that matter, but there hasn't been extensive research, particularly over time. It's essentially universal for corn - which is in massive lists of products - without it ever having gone through longer-term research because it's somewhat new technology. There are several reasons for concern with GMO. They may not actually be worth worrying about but the truth is nobody knows the answer. We're the guinea pigs in this global experiment.

Is it just me or does it seem like were guinea pigs a lot for things...sometimes I don't mind, but other times I would like to know so I can have the choice. Personally, I've never had any bad reaction that I'm aware of to GMO foods...but since hearing all the things about it I've been avoiding it as much as I can.

[enviroTodd]

Is it just me or does it seem like were guinea pigs a lot for things...sometimes I don't mind, but other times I would like to know so I can have the choice. Personally, I've never had any bad reaction that I'm aware of to GMO foods...but since hearing all the things about it I've been avoiding it as much as I can.

Yes! That is absolutely true! Science claims are moving faster than long-term research can keep up. Our lives are just an ongoing test for future generations. It's always been that way, but it's quite a lot faster now due to the way our society works. All we can do is respect nature, try our best not to get swept away in the latest claims, and keep our energies balanced.

[Lady Greenfairy]

Does corn have any real nutritional value? Also, is the corn in corn syrup and corn starch and corn meal, etc, all the same corn? I'm wondering this because my daughter recently developed a sensitivity and I'm a little shocked at how much "corn" there seems to be in everything.

Corn isn't a fun allergy. It's right up there with dairy, gluten and soy. There are so many foods that contain dairy, corn, gluten and soy that it's easy to accidentally make a mistake and eat something without realizing that it has one of those ingredients in it. Having a food allergy is no fun. It's not like trying to eat better for yourself or avoiding an ingredient due to cultural, religious or some other belief or wanting to lose weight, etc. I mean, obviously it sucks when you mistakenly eat something you didn't want in your diet, but with an allergy it's not just an "oops" it comes with really awful physical symptoms that can wreck your day or longer. I'm sorry your daughter has developed an allergy to corn ChristySmiles

[PamelaPoison]

Corn isn't a fun allergy. It's right up there with dairy, gluten and soy. There are so many foods that contain dairy, corn, gluten and soy that it's easy to accidentally make a mistake and eat something without realizing that it has one of those ingredients in it. Having a food allergy is no fun. It's not like trying to eat better for yourself or avoiding an ingredient due to cultural, religious or some other belief or wanting to lose weight, etc. I mean, obviously it sucks when you mistakenly eat something you didn't want in your diet, but with an allergy it's not just an "oops" it comes with really awful physical symptoms that can wreck your day or longer. I'm sorry your daughter has developed an allergy to corn ChristySmiles

Well said. An allergy to corn would be so difficult because it's in nearly everything. An intolerance would be one thing, but an allergy would be completely miserable. It's becoming more common. I be there will be a lot of corn-free products coming really soon ChristySmiles Just like gluten-free suddenly became a category in grocery stores, so will corn free be at your supermarket soon. I'm sure of it.

[ChristySmiles]

Thanks Lady Greenfairy and PamelaPoison. I really appreciate your thoughts and support. It's been tough. If my daughter has eaten something with corn in it, in about a half hour or less from eating it she suddenly gets extreme digestive upset and painful stomach cramps. It usually last for at least half a day or sometimes the whole day for her. I feel terrible for her I don't feel like she's missing anything form her diet if she doesn't eat corn ever again, but it's just awful that it's in so much stuff. I hope you're right PamelaPoison and they make corn-free options available.

[2strikes]

Thanks Lady Greenfairy and PamelaPoison. I really appreciate your thoughts and support. It's been tough. If my daughter has eaten something with corn in it, in about a half hour or less from eating it she suddenly gets extreme digestive upset and painful stomach cramps. It usually last for at least half a day or sometimes the whole day for her. I feel terrible for her I don't feel like she's missing anything form her diet if she doesn't eat corn ever again, but it's just awful that it's in so much stuff. I hope you're right PamelaPoison and they make corn-free options available.

That's really awful. I had no idea this could be so bad. I hope that labeling becomes easier to find, companies start using ingredients other than corn and as you get used to what does and does not include corn, it becomes more natural to simply avoid it. Good luck to you and your family!