Do you often have stomach aches after eating corn or do you suffer from a mild rash after eating chips? Then it could be a corn intolerance.
Like any other food, corn is not well tolerated by some people. Even if you only have mild symptoms, you don't have to stress your body with them.
With the help of a doctor and detailed observation of your eating habits, you can find out whether corn is really the cause of your suffering. Then you can change your eating habits accordingly.
In addition, make sure you eat a balanced and nutritious diet. This is also possible if you have an intolerance to a food. Also ask yourself : “ What is sustainability in terms of nutrition ?”
As in all areas of life, you should ensure that you do as little damage to the environment as possible when consuming food . You can do this by buying as few products as possible that are shrink-wrapped in plastic.
If you are unsure about how to exclude corn from your diet and buy sustainably in the supermarket, you can seek nutritional advice. There you will receive valuable tips that will make your life easier .
This also applies if you feel that you cannot eat healthily due to low income. By making targeted purchases and avoiding finished products, everyone can have a balanced diet.
How does corn intolerance develop?
It is not always possible to say exactly why someone develops intolerance. For example, an intolerance to certain foods can be inherited. There is also often a lack of certain enzymes.
This means your body cannot process certain parts of food properly. General intestinal problems also sometimes manifest themselves in intolerances.
In addition, corn contains a protein similar to gluten. This is Zein . This means : If you have gluten intolerance, you may also experience certain symptoms when eating corn.
They probably don't manifest as much as the distress you experience when eating foods rich in gluten . However, they can still be annoying.
You should therefore be careful with celiac disease in children . If your offspring cannot tolerate gluten and complains of physical problems after consuming corn, you should continue to monitor this and, if necessary, remove corn-containing products from their diet after consulting the doctor.
In the case of food intolerance, the food contains components that our body cannot cope with, for example because it cannot process them. However, corn is generally considered to be well tolerated , in contrast to cow's milk. Many people can only tolerate these in small quantities or not at all.
The good news : If you can't tolerate a food, there are almost always alternatives. If you have lactose intolerance, you can make plant milk yourself or buy it. When baking, you can use psyllium husks or potato flour instead of cornstarch. This means you can continue to eat your favorite recipes and don't have to miss out on anything.
The severity of the symptoms of intolerance varies from person to person. Because everyone reacts differently to different foods.
You should therefore listen to your body. The greater your physical discomfort after eating it, the worse your body apparently processes the corn . In this case, look for alternatives.
How does corn intolerance manifest itself?
It is rare for a person to be intolerant to corn, but it can happen. It can manifest itself through symptoms like these :
- Stomach pain: Since your stomach processes the food you eat, intolerance is often noticeable as stomach pain. They are very unpleasant and often restrict everyday life. They can also occur in conjunction with other symptoms.
- Diarrhea : If your body wants to get rid of substances that it can't get, you will suffer from diarrhea or nausea. This also answers, for example, the question of why you shouldn't eat oatmeal if you have fructose intolerance. If you feed your body substances that it cannot tolerate, you will then feel physical discomfort.
- Fatigue : Fatigue, also associated with headaches, can have many reasons. If you often suffer from this, you should not only consider stress as the cause, but also take a closer look at your eating habits.
- Skin rash : If you eat foods that your body cannot tolerate, this can also be noticeable on your skin. Redness, pimples or other impurities can improve with a change in diet.
If you suffer from a corn intolerance , this can occur not only when eating pure corn, but also with all other corn products. You can therefore also suffer from the symptoms when consuming chips, cornflakes or popcorn.
They often don't show up straight away, but only half an hour after eating or even the next day. This makes it difficult to identify the corn as the cause.
In contrast to a corn allergy, a mild intolerance is unpleasant but does not pose a life-threatening condition. The symptoms usually disappear after a day.
However, if you feel a tingling sensation in your lips, if they suddenly swell or if you even suffer from shortness of breath, you should seek medical treatment immediately. Such signs usually indicate a food allergy , for example a corn or rye allergy .
How do I recognize a corn intolerance?
If you often have stomach problems or other complaints, try to find out the cause. However, it may take a while until this is determined.
Basically, all foods consumed can be considered as intolerance. There are also illnesses or psychological problems that can result in the same symptoms.
The first step is to see a doctor. If this rules out physical and psychological reasons, he can carry out an allergy test . However, only certain substances are tested. But you yourself can actively participate in uncovering a possible intolerance. This can be done, for example, with a food diary.
Most of the time we quickly forget what we ate during the day. Especially when it comes to snacks in between or side dishes. So record every little thing you eat in a food diary. This is important in order to draw conclusions about intolerance later.
The most common food intolerances include :
- Gluten intolerance
- Lactose intolerance
- Fructose intolerance.
These can also be easily diagnosed by doctors. You will then know exactly which food groups you should avoid. It is also possible that you do not tolerate certain foods well .
Filtering these out is fine work. For this reason, detailing your diet in a diary is very important. You also write down when you suffer from which symptoms and how severe they are.
If you have kept your food diary for two weeks, with a bit of luck you may already be able to recognize a pattern. If you suspect a food is causing your discomfort, leave it out for a while and see if your well-being improves .
If you don't feel well the day after eating corn , eliminate it from your diet. If you don't think you can tolerate cow's milk, you can make your own oat milk or buy a replacement product from Greenforce . Also consider what other products the food was processed into.
Corn intolerance: what should I pay attention to?
If you can't tolerate corn , the most effective way is to avoid it. This is especially true for pure corn. However, with many foods you may not even be aware that they contain corn.
Especially if you have a severe intolerance, you should read the packaging to see which ingredients are contained in the product. Corn is mainly found in these foods :
- cornflakes
- wraps
- crisps
- Polenta.
If you have previously consumed these products frequently, you may find it difficult to make the switch. It's best to ask yourself beforehand : " What can I do if I have a craving?" “Then you are prepared for this eventuality.
So that you don't resort to corn in such situations, you can, for example , look for a substitute food that you also particularly like. It should be something healthy, such as berries. However, replacing your beloved corn chips with chocolate is not a good way to go.
Those with only mild intolerance can sometimes consume products that contain only small amounts of corn. This is the case, for example, if corn oil is found in mayonnaise or a salad dressing.
A small amount of corn flour is also used for some baked goods. Corn starch is primarily used to make desserts and sauces.
If you carefully try out the different foods and record the physical reactions in your food diary, you will soon determine whether you should only avoid pure corn or all foods with traces of corn.
However, don't put too much strain on your body. If you're not feeling well, it's better to avoid it completely. If you are unsure, ask a doctor for advice. He is familiar with food intolerances .
A good piece of advice at the end : Don't restrict your life because of a corn intolerance . There are plenty of other delicious and healthy foods out there so you don't have to suffer from your symptoms!