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Need Help With Corn Intolerance!

livelifelarge24

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livelifelarge24 Enthusiast
livelifelarge24
Posted

After almost two years of being gluten free and getting that totally under control I finally figured out what my one lingering issue was- I don't do we'll with corn products. I ate a lot of tortillas, tortilla chips, corn cereal, etc. before realizing this. I don't have a true allergy, I was tested and had no reaction and my symptoms are digestive rather than anaphylactic.

Anyway I have two questions -

1) HOW avoidant do I need to be? Is this like gluten (which I have to avoid all contact in any shape or form even cross contamination like the plague) or is it ok to have corn syrup, baking powder in baked goods, corn starch in beauty products?

2) Are there any resources online where I can learn more about this? When I was diagnosed Celiac I found a ton of info but I haven't been able to find a good resource for corn intolerance.

Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thank you in advance!

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foam Apprentice
foam
Posted

I think Corn is just not digestible as a rule these days. They've bred corn to be very high protein and originally it wasn't like that. It seems to give everyone digestive problems now. So most people just don't eat it, not eating Corn isn't really an issue.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Many of us, especially those of us reactive to lectins (which tend to exist in the outer covering of the grain) can handle very refined corn without problem.  For us it is the tortillas, corn chips, polenta, etc., which has the whole kernel ground up, which cause the problems.  You could test yourself with some corn starch and see how you handle it.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

I too have problems with corn. I finally got to the point where I could tolerate corn starch (but no corn, corn oil, or corn syrup), but then I got glutened and now I'm intolerant to corn starch again.

 

Here is a good source for info about the places corn hides, and I warn you, it is in EVERYTHING!! Vitamin fortified? The carrier for the vitamins is usually corn. Citric acid? Yep, they can get that from corn and because it is cheap, that's what they almost always use. That means bagged salad is out because they use a corn-based citrus wash. Almost all pills have corn starch - both medications and supplements. Most "natural flavors" and artificial flavors have corn. The list goes on and on.

 

But read as much as you can on this site and you'll learn more: Open Original Shared Link

 

The good news is that MAYBE we can get over it someday.

janpell Apprentice
janpell
Posted

I can't handle too much corn either but I can if I have it sporadically. Say one week I can make corn flour tortillas, the next week some tortilla chips, probably no more than once a week though. I am working to eliminate it all together but I love my soft tortillas every so often. I find dropping corn more difficult than gluten so I have to wean and it is taking me a long time.

livelifelarge24 Enthusiast
livelifelarge24
Posted
  • Author

I think Corn is just not digestible as a rule these days. They've bred corn to be very high protein and originally it wasn't like that. It seems to give everyone digestive problems now. So most people just don't eat it, not eating Corn isn't really an issue.

I disagree with the statement that "most people don't eat corn." I am the only person I know with this problem in my circle of friemds amd colleagues. And it definitely is an issue because it's in nearly everything :/ I guess it will be a matter of experimenting with my own tolerance level. Sigh. Thank you for the website suggestion bartfull, I will check that out.

AnnJay Apprentice
AnnJay
Posted

I'm with Bartfull on this one, unfortunately. Corn is EVERYWHERE! I personally react to even a little bit. It is in vitamins, in anything that is processed in any way. It is in baking powder. Spice mixes.

Avoiding gluten is easy compared with avoiding corn. You will just have to experiment to see how sensitive you happen to be.

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foam Apprentice
foam
Posted

I find avoiding corn exactly the same as avoiding gluten. I have to make all my food from basic ingredients anyway so it' makes no difference at all. Most of my friends are at the point where they can't digest things like Corn chips, they are probably fine with trace amounts, corn syrup and things like that

Bella001 Explorer
Bella001
Posted

I've read there have been studies done that show corn is as toxic to us as gluten.  It's a cross reactive thing that happens and our bodies don't realize it's not gluten and starts freaking out.  I was sick all last week from corn.  I'm finally starting to feel better.  I cannot eat it or I get stomach issues, face breaks out, headaches, fatigue....a lot like the gluten issues I used to have.  I say avoid it all together, when you can!

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

I disagree with you on the term "cross-reactive" but many of us have an additional intolerance to corn.

ncdave Apprentice
ncdave
Posted

 

If corn makes you sick and you need to avoid it, heres a good place to start. Open Original Shared Link

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Here"s an interesting article I found,  Open Original Shared Link

 

If corn makes you sick and you need to avoid it, heres a good place to start. Open Original Shared Link

 

 

Your article talks about some sort of "allergy" not Celiac.  Not sure the reliablity of it.  It appears to be someone's personal blog,maybe? I don't think he is at any of the Celiac research centers?

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Here"s an interesting article I found,

 

I think this is a :sketchy article at best. No bibliography, no sources, no science. Be cautious of random articles about "gluten allergies"--as technically, there is no such thing-on the internet. I've seen some crazy stuff out there.

ncdave Apprentice
ncdave
Posted

I removed the link to the article, the doctors name was on the second line.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I removed the link to the article, the doctors name was on the second line.

 

We saw that  Dave, but without any citations, it really has no validity (for me, anyway)  I do hope you see our point. :)

ncdave Apprentice
ncdave
Posted

Not a problem, I understand. Just edit your post and it will go right back into cyber land where it came from. :)

Bubba's Mom Enthusiast
Bubba's Mom
Posted

Most of the corn has been genetically modified.  It's been released into our food supply without studies being done to show it's safe.  Many people are now reacting badly to it.  I am one of them.

In my case I had bed reactions to corn flour at first, but could tolerate corn starch or sweet (fresh) corn.  I then got intolerant of fresh, and have now resctricted my use of anything with corn starch.  It's really hard to stay away from it completely because corn is put into so many things.

In general now, I stay away from anything that could have GMO (genetically modified organism) ingredients.  It's hard.

 

Each of us is different, but iMHO it's best to try to avoid any contact with it if at all possible.

SensitiveMe Rookie
SensitiveMe
Posted

If you have Celiacs and suspect a corn intolerance I suggest you avoid all obvious corn products as well as deriveratives for a while and see how you do. I know everyone is different and their bodies react differently but I ended up with a severe corn intolerance several months after going glutenfree. Several months after a bloodwork test showing a very very high IGA the digestive disease doctor I was going to ordered an allergy panel bloodwork test which also showed a very very high IGE and she ordered an extended allergy panel bloodwork saying you have to be allergic to something. Anyway the digestive disease doctor said I was allergic to wheat, corn, and soy and sent me to an allergist. The allergist that I went to said you do not have a true allergy to wheat, corn, and soy but have developed antibodies to them because you are intolerant of them as you only have digestive symptoms associated with eathing these things.

 

A good source for seeing all corn derivative products is Live Corn Free at Open Original Shared Link and you will find a list of many things made from corn, The list is daunting and it seems near impossible to avoid all these things but I have actually managed to do it although it is extremely difficult and downright expensive. I believe it takes some time of eating certain things before you develop antibodies against them and possibly you could still have some leaky gut going on and so I am suggesting you avoid all these derivatives for a time. I would not wish the severe corn intolerance I have on anyone and so I am telling you this because I would not like you to develop antibodies against corn. The continued ingestion of corn and corn derivatives caused me to have erosive gastritis and atrophy of stomach muscles in addition to my damaged intestinal system.

 

If I ingest any corn derivative products then very shortly afterward my stomach will go into spasms and then I will feel awful with my whole digestive system going bonkers. I once was drinking a coconut water product without problems and it had a short expiration date on it. Then I wasn't able to find it again in the store for a while and then eventually saw it again and bought it, So when I got home I drank some and within minutes my stomach went into spasms and I said what the heck is going on. So I read the ingredients and noticed they had now added Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) which is made from corn to it. I believe they did that to give it a longer expiration date and so now I buy a different coconut water which has nothing else added to it. But I have to get it in the health food store and it is expensive. I really cannot tolerate any corn derivative products at all including honey, xanthan gum, citric acid, ferrous gluconate (which is added to black olives), Vitamin E which is also added to many things including the almond milk availabe here. I buy only pure juice with nothing else added such as Martinelli apple juice as most juices and even most products have either Vitamin C or Citric acid added to them. I make my own baking powder and confectioners sugar (using potato starch instead of cornstarch). Medicines are also a problem and I cannot tolerate brand name Advil so I use CVS Ibuprofen liquid filled Softgels instead and have no problem with them. I use Pomi brand tomato products which are labeled with having no citric acid in them. And I use Amore Brand Tomato Paste which comes in a tube.

 

 

When I first had to go glutenfree I was buying and ingesting many of the glutenfree products in the store. I now know that most of them have some corn or corn derivative product added to them and I do believe eating these store bought glutenfree products only added to my corn intolerance problem. Wheat is actually the easiest things for me to avoid. Soy is very difficult to avoid but corn and corn derivatives seem near impossible. For my severe lactose intolerance I use Lactaid Milk and only eat swiss cheese as it contains only an insignificant amount of lactose. But I have actually managed to find things and I even get excited and :) when I find them. Initially I was very downhearted and felt so isloated because of all my food intolerances but as time goes on and they seem to be making more things available that I can have I have a better attitude and outlook.

 

I don't mean to criticize anyone or anything but personally I have never found the delphi forums to be helpful to me. Instead I have copied down all the corn and corn derivative products from the Live Corn Free website and carry it around with me so I can avoid all these things.

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