Not one of the top 8, but corn is a major allergen. I was surprised by who many readers had commented on the other allergen posts that they had a corn allergy. So of course, I wanted to help out and do some corn-free research! I can only begin by telling you that corn is everywhere and in tons of things. To make matters worse, most of the corn in the American diet is GMO…big time. But before we get in to that, let’s talk about the symptoms of a corn allergy.
Like any food allergy, symptoms and tolerance range in severity. You can get itching, hives, swelling of the mouth, tongue, face, etc., difficulty breathing, congestion or runny nose, dizziness, digestive upsets, nausea, or full on anaphylaxis which requires an Epi-Pen and trip to the ER. A corn allergy is one of the more difficult to get a definitive “blood test” diagnosis because it’s has similar characteristics of other allergens such as pollen, grasses, seeds, and grains. To combat the allergen you must stay away from all corn and corn products. Corn is in many processed foods and sweeteners which can make things tricky and difficult. Cross contamination is also a huge concern. Since you can’t substitute “corn” itself, you just have to avoid it and possible contamination through reading labels, asking questions, and monitoring preparation (don’t let someone dust a pan with corn meal or try that potato in corn oil!)
In some severe cases, animals that are corn-fed, be that cows for beef or even milk, pigs, etc., consuming these products can cause a reaction. Again, this is very rare, but it also brings me to the point about GMOs. Since GMOs are relatively new in terms of evolution, we really won’t know the true impact of them on human health for years. But isn’t it interesting how with the rise of GMOs, children are more commonly born with food allergies, asthma, intolerance, autoimmune disorders, etc. Children and adults are developing allergies left and right as well. Since corn is THE biggest GMO crop in the US, with its mass production, it is used in everything, from sweeteners (and high fructose corn syrup), in processed meats, feed to factory farm animals (Very unhealthy. That is not their natural diet and makes them extremely ill), starch which is found is almost every processed food, to even toothpaste. Corn, itself, natural and non-gmo, is a wonderful grain and crop. It’s one of those that I always buy organic and non-gmo. Again, these correlations are very interesting (and disturbing).
In case you missed it! What To Avoid: Soy – Dairy – Egg
So tell me:
+ Do you or do you know someone with a corn allergy?
+ How do you feel about the GMO and food allergy/intolerance correlation?
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Raia says
June 5, 2015 at 10:45 amThere are times when I’ve been sure being intolerant to corn is more difficult that having celiac. :p Thanks for sharing this at Savoring Saturdays, Rebecca.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
June 5, 2015 at 11:39 amCorn can be tricky!
Jan says
May 1, 2015 at 9:03 amThis is great! I’d love for you to post this (and a few others,like you blueberry flax granola) over at Country Fair Blog Party which is a month long link up! We’d be thrilled to have you!
http://www.thetipgarden.com/2015/05/country-fair-blog-hop-may-15.html
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
May 1, 2015 at 9:34 amThanks Jan.
Erlene says
April 28, 2015 at 11:20 pmI’m thankful that none of my kids have food allergies, but I do believe that GMOs do play a role in some of the health issues that are popping up more often.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 29, 2015 at 7:39 amYea, me too. It’s just to much positive correlation!
Cheryl @Treasures from a Shoebox says
April 28, 2015 at 4:44 pmIt took years to figure out that HFCS was causing my “crashes”, in which I literally fall into a deep sleep. It was so scary, because I would be out with my children and sometimes have to pull off the side of the road to “sleep it off”. While my children were in the van waiting for me to wake up (thankfully the oldest was 13 when these crashes began). Even non-GMO corn will cause my joints to hurt and my eyes to swell and ooze. I think if it had been caught earlier, I might have been able to eat organic corn. But not so now. Several of my children suffer from this same malady. Thanks for the list!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 28, 2015 at 4:48 pmThat sounds more like just an allergy and histamine reaction.
Diane says
April 27, 2015 at 5:30 pmGreat post with important information about corn allergies!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 27, 2015 at 5:40 pmThanks!
Teresa says
April 25, 2015 at 7:13 amWe are not solidly tested against corn allergy, but convinced that our son probably has a corn allergy, so we’re avoiding corn entirely because it seems to help with him. It’s difficult to avoid, but we’re doing okay with it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 25, 2015 at 7:33 amThat’s great! These things are always much easier once we actually embrace them for our health and actually do it!
Sandra Laflamme says
April 23, 2015 at 11:08 pmI am thankful to not have a corn allergy. Corn is in everything. This would be tough to avoid. Your tips for what to avoid would be super helpful if you were dealing with this!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 24, 2015 at 7:28 amFood allergies are all about being aware and knowing!
Stacey says
April 23, 2015 at 1:07 pmMy oldest son was showing symptoms just a day after birth and was tested at 9 weeks. He managed to outgrow it by 2.5, but it was an incredibly difficult allergy.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 23, 2015 at 4:01 pmI’m glad to hear he outgrew it! But yea, food allergies can be difficult to navigate in the beginning! Especially with such young children who can’t exactly help themselves!
Debbie says
April 22, 2015 at 2:24 pmI’m lucky that I have no problems with corn (or any food really). I love fresh corn on the cob, it’s one of my favorites.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 22, 2015 at 2:34 pmMine too!
Alissa says
April 22, 2015 at 2:31 amwoah. I didn’t even know some people have corn allergy. I’m glad I’m not cuz I love corn and the food that I have allergies to, I don’t like them either so I guess I’m lucky that my allergies coincides with my palate. lol
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 22, 2015 at 7:21 amHaha, I guess so!
megan @ NoSmallLife says
April 21, 2015 at 10:09 pmI have a corn allergy and girl it IS everywhere! Thanks for raising awareness 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 22, 2015 at 7:23 amYes! Yes it is!
Farrah says
April 21, 2015 at 5:35 pmIt’s amazing how many “everyday foods” that you wouldn’t normally expect to have corn in them actually do! 😡 Thanks for this post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 5:50 pmI know! (Happy Birthday! Go eat some Non-GMO caramel popcorn or something 😉 haha!)
Farrah says
April 21, 2015 at 6:24 pmThanks! <3 I'll go on the hunt for those! ;P
Meghan says
April 21, 2015 at 2:43 pmStopping by from the Meet & Greet Blog Hop! Love this post. We found out that my sister had a corn allergy when we were teenagers, and it was so surprising how many things she couldn’t eat after we found out about the allergy! Things that you don’t even think about, such as chips, anything cooked in vegetable oil, etc. I remember going out to eat and having to ask the waiter if the food was cooked in vegetable oil or not! Lucky her allergies have gotten much better since then, but it’s still crazy how many diet restrictions there are once you find out you have a corn allergy.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 4:04 pmYea! Just like with my celiac and soy allergy, my list is HUGE! But it does get easier over time once you are aware and it becomes a part of life!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
April 21, 2015 at 11:49 amCorn definitely seems to be a growing concern, not just for IgE, but for cell-mediated reactions, too. In fact, I would venture a guess that they’re seeing it more in the latter. Great list – but wow, so hard to avoid corn in our culture!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 12:14 pmI just want to learn more about all this so much deeper. And yes….there is so much and so many potential things!
Marissa says
April 21, 2015 at 11:45 amGreat post! Thanks for the tips:)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 12:23 pmThanks for checking them out!
Linda @ Veganosity says
April 21, 2015 at 10:53 amGreat post! I love corn and I only buy organic if I can find it. So far I haven’t had any reactions to GMO corn, but who knows what will happen over time? My biggest problem with Monsanto and the GMO debate is what they’re doing to farmers. They practically don’t have a choice anymore.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 11:20 amI forget which move it was, but one of the food documentaries. This farmer growing crops, was not using Monsanto seeds, but tucks carrying Monsanto seeds and crops would pass by his fields all the time. Then they came and tested his crops and found that his crops became strains of gmo Monsanto crops and he had to start paying and selling for them. I don’t know, but ti was horrible and sad :/
Linda @ Veganosity says
April 21, 2015 at 12:19 pmI think that was Food, Inc. So sad for the farmer and the man who washed seeds. They ruin people and have no guilt or shame about it.
Sheryl says
April 21, 2015 at 9:26 amGreat post. Corn is a tricky one. I love your comprehensive list. GREAT JOB!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 9:27 amThanks Sheryl!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
April 21, 2015 at 9:13 amThanks for this!! I am seriously considering trying grain free, so this will be super helpful. Pinned 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 9:28 amO boy!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
April 21, 2015 at 8:52 amI actually tolerate corn pretty well and do usually have corn tortilla chips when I go out for Mexican! The GMO factor pushes me away from buying too many corn products for my kids, although I haven’t actually seen an impact, it’s something to be aware of/careful with I think.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 9:29 amWe see the impact overall and over recent years. But I am all for real corn!
Colorado Gal says
April 21, 2015 at 7:53 amI”m not huge on processed corn but I do love corn on the cob! And tortilla chips? Count me in for days… I can eat an entire bag with salsa, no problem 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 8:11 amHaha, yes! I love real popped corn and fresh corn cobs! So yummy!
Debbie Rodrigues says
April 21, 2015 at 7:45 amI love corn. I like it so much that sometimes I wonder whether I am getting some addiction to it.
After I can get out on my own again, I will probably be back to an organic and hormone free diet. All this GMO talk scares the hell out of me, mainly after the tumor.
Thanks a lot for sharing it.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 8:10 amI know….Corn is awesome, but the scary things they are doing to it…no good!
lindsay Cotter says
April 21, 2015 at 7:36 ami hate how corn is in EVERYTHING now. But at least it’s gluten free… well, the natural kind. LOL! great tips. I avoid corn 85% of the time.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 8:09 amYes! I LOVE corn, but it’s got to be non-gmo…I mean wonderful fresh corn cobs are one of my favorites!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home says
April 21, 2015 at 7:01 amI don’t have a true corn allergy but I avoid all corn and corn containing products. I have IBS and corn is one of my triggers. I don’t know if non-GMO corn is any different than GMO corn–I stay away from all of it. I believe that HFCS is one of the biggest culprits in many of our health issues. GREAT POST!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
April 21, 2015 at 8:09 amFor IBS, it wouldn’t matter if it’s GMO or not, haha, it’s still the grain of corn!
HFCS is nasty…it’s not natural and completely man-made! We so don’t need it!