When we think of foods that are a major part of the average
diet today, grains are the bulk of most plates. If you’ve ever driven through the heartland
of America, you know that corn is a tremendous crop. It’s everywhere. And, it’s in everything. And it can have a dubious reputation! Corn allergies and sensitivities are on the
rise – most likely because consumption is at an all-time high. While a true corn allergy can result in
immediate hives, rashes and even anaphylaxis, corn sensitivities are more about
symptoms that crop up after a few hours or even days. Sometimes, those symptoms might not even show
up until corn has been consumed several times.
When looking at corn sensitivity in babies, we tend to look at the
likelihood when some symptoms crop up and aren’t managed after elimination of
our more frequent offenders of dairy, soy and wheat. Typical symptoms in babies include:
·
Eczema that gets progressively worse with time
and exposure
·
Mucous filled or bloody stools
·
Reflux -
silent or violent, it’s usually there with corn
·
Restlessness (especially with corn syrup/HFCS
exposure)
·
Dark under eye circles
It’s worth noting that these symptoms are pretty much the
same that you are going to see with any food sensitivity. When you’ve eliminated dairy, soy, and wheat
– we usually start wondering about CORN! There are varying degrees of
sensitivity and tolerance to certain forms, but it’s best to avoid most
ingested things if you have a little one that reacts to corn.
Corn syrup is used in most commercial baby formulas. It’s easier to get it out of your breast milk
than switch to a formula substitute. We
have heard of babies reacting to even hypoallergenic varieties of formula that
was prescribed by doctors to help with sensitivities/allergies.
With the saturation of our food supply, you have to learn to
read labels for EVERYTHING. Look
specifically for anything that says “corn” or course, but also keep in mind
that there is a terrific amount of food product that involves corn. There are many places where you will find
corn or possible corn ingredients that you might not think of think of!
·
Ascorbic acid
·
Alcohol
·
Barley malt
·
Powdered/blended sugar
·
Baking powder
·
Baking soda
·
Caramel and caramel color
·
Citric acid
·
Distilled white vinegar
·
Erythritol
·
Food Starch
·
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
·
Mannitol
·
Modified cellulose gum
·
MSG
And that’s a SHORT list! Do your research if you have a
super sensitive little one!
Here are a few handy sites to check if you have questions
about some ingredients:
As with any food that you eliminate, it’s always worth
journaling your experience when you are going through the process. You might not realize how much corn you are
actually consuming in hidden forms. It
might seem very difficult at first, but unless you are dealing with a severe
allergy in you or your baby, you can find a happy medium and a happy baby!
We are mothers, sharing our experience and research with you
– not doctors or nutritional professionals.
As with any health-related matter, seek medical attention and expertise
as indicated. Any advice given here is
not to be taken as medical advice.
