Corn?

[raen]

corn is generally regarded as OK by celiacs, but i read on celiac.com that it has never been seriously examined, and has some "suspicious" traits, same for rice, millet, teff, etc. "gluten-free" Oats i can say for a fact give me a gluten-reaction, so i am very suspicious.

the past couple of weeks, i have felt just awful, and taking item after item out of my diet until i was down to fruit, veggies, buffalo, and cerial, i was able to pinpoint what i was reacting to.

CORN of all things

this would mean nothing, if i had not been gluten-free for months now.. and able to eat most of what i could not digest before.. and the corn reaction is SUSPICIOUSLY similar to my gluten-reaction.. its exactly like a mild version!

is the reaction just because its been 5 months, and may be better by 8, or is it possible, if your allergic enough to gluten, to have a gluten-reaction to corn?? what about rice? (rice makes my stomach feel strained, similar to gluten)

[Trust Birth]

Hello there,

My DS had been off gluten for months and also had a strong reaction to corn. I had started putting corn meal in his pancakes and it was fresh corn season so he was having corn on the cob. Each time he had these things, he had the same reaction as he does to gluten (IBS mostly). I'm unsure of exactly why this is but we took him off of it and his symptoms disappeared. Corn is very difficult to avoid, more so then gluten. It is in everything. He seems OK with small amounts here and there (cornstarch in bread) but for the most part I avoid it as it causes him some grief. He doesn't like cereal, so he doesn't get it in that. I try to buy bread without it. I have heard of other celiacs having a problem with corn in the beginning but they are able to eat it after observing a gluten free diet for a year or so.

HTH

Cinthia

[YoloGx]

Corn is one of the common allergens. Part of this may be that it often has mold in it due to the high sugar content. However of that I don't really know for certain. I am able to tolerate it better than I used to I think mainly because I almost never have it regularly, i.e., every day or even every week. I also make sure now that its labeled gluten free which does seem to help. Its one of the few things I got right as a child since my brother with Down's was allergic to it too and I sometimes copied what he could or couldn't eat; I thus avoided it for the most part, and saved it for when we'd have corn on the cob or special occasions when we'd have cornbread. Of course the wheat part didn't agree but back then that's what I had regularly anyway...

Bea

[mushroom]

Corn was the first thing I cut from my diet when I moved to the US because I didn't know then that I had a problem with gluten. It made a lot of diference but was not the whole answer. Then came lactose, and finally, 15 years later, gluten, followed by soy.

IMHO, it is the genetic modification of corn that has created problems for those of us sensitive to it. The New Zealand corn is mostly GE free, and I can eat it in moderation (due to previous reactions would never consider anything but moderation ) without any problem. Also Garden of Eatin' organic corn chips are just fine. My extremelly celiac niece can also eat these corn chips, but no others. Also, I do not have any problems with cornstarch.

[YoloGx]

Corn was the first thing I cut from my diet when I moved to the US because I didn't know then that I had a problem with gluten. It made a lot of diference but was not the whole answer. Then came lactose, and finally, 15 years later, gluten, followed by soy.

IMHO, it is the genetic modification of corn that has created problems for those of us sensitive to it. The New Zealand corn is mostly GE free, and I can eat it in moderation (due to previous reactions would never consider anything but moderation ) without any problem. Also Garden of Eatin' organic corn chips are just fine. My extremelly celiac niece can also eat these corn chips, but no others. Also, I do not have any problems with cornstarch.

That makes sense! I'll try those corn chips sometime though chips in general are things I avoid these days for the most part.

As far as the gluten-free cornmeal/flour I usually use the blue corn. Its more ancient when you stop and think about it. Less likely to be genetically altered perhaps?

By the way, how can you tell where the cornmeal/flour comes from?? Especially from NZ?

Bea

[mushroom]

[quote name='yolo' date='Oct 5 2008,

By the way, how can you tell where the cornmeal/flour comes from?? Especially from NZ?

Bea

[ArtGirl]

.. and the corn reaction is SUSPICIOUSLY similar to my gluten-reaction.. its exactly like a mild version!

My experience exactly. A milder form of gluten symptoms. It took me a while to discover what the problem was after I went gluten-free. And I was really loving the Bob's Red Mill gluten-free chocolate cake mix - has a lot of corn meal in it.

Until the last few months I have avoided any corn derivative - including citric acid, dextrose, etc. It's been a real challenge being 100% corn-free - MUCH HARDER than just gluten-free. Corn is EVERYWHERE! I just did a corn challenge yesterday to see if I could now, after over a year, tolerate corn - NOPE! I'm mildly ill today. Looks like it's a lifetime allergy for me!

I can, however, eat CC-free oats without any reaction. Millet is okay with me, too.

[YoloGx]

GM corn is not allowed to be planted here although some has snuck in undetected, later revealed. So there is really not a cross-contamination issue yet. There are however a lot of GM field trials of various crops under way at the Ag colleges (they must be terminated before the plants flower.)

A neighbour thought she was doing me a favour by bringing me a bag of imported stovetop popping corn from the U.S. I thanked her, served her NZ popcorn from my corn popper, and threw hers in the trash after she left. So the answer is "buy New Zealand". Since I already put the labels under a microscope, it is not difficult

Incidentally, it could be the problem with soy too?? Most (if not all) of our soy is imported.

Neroli

[mushroom]

You guys have so much corn over there, I don't imagine you import any from little ol' New Zealand . Garden of Eatin' corn chips are produced by the Hain Celestial Group in New York. They do not claim to be GM-free but they are organic.

NZ is a little behind the U.S. in celiac knowledge and food availability, though it is gaining in leaps and bounds. We have a pretty solid British background, lots of Irish and Scots, so celiac is quite prevalent. It sure seems to run in our family. Mother I am sure was undiagnosed (terrible digestive problems), Dad had rheumatoid arthritis, one of my sisters is celiac, as is her daughter; the other sister will not admit to being celiac but I am sure she is. I used to "self-medicate" my gut with scotch, which was the only thing that would shut it up!! Even though I had a celiac sister and niece, I still thought my problem was corn.

I have only eaten out at one restaurant (twice), and without problems. We have a wonderful local gluten free bakery which makes things (besides great bread) like quiches, pizzas, the good ole NZ bacon and egg pie, meat pies (also a Kiwi staple) doughnuts, and other confectionery. I spend a lot of money there!!

That is really funny about you and your ex-boyfriend, dealing with the same issues without knowing it!! (LOL)

Didn't you two ever talk??

Neroli

[raen]

CC-free oats give me standard gluten reaction, but corn i feel i may be able to eat in a few more months, because eating things containing Citric Acid and other small amounts of corn seems to leave me feeling un-glutened. it was strait up corn cereal (Gorilla Munch - 100% gluten-free kids cereal with only 3 ingredients) that made me feel sick.

i am so much more concerned about rice now.. rice gives me a full-blown gluten reaction! i get a white coating on my tongue, stomach pains, belching, nausea, lightheaded for days, cant sleep, huge appetite, constipation, tense, etc. it could be a "rice allergy" .. except that i react like gluten. is it just because its so starchy? i thought rice was easy to digest?

it is reassuring to know many celiacs can eat these after a year, though.

----

latley i think im going insane and will either die of lack of edible foods or become the healthiest person alive.

scaled fish, egg yolks/whites/chickens & onions (except green), bananas, chocolate, peanuts/nuts may be an allergy. cellary gives me awful digestive problems. soy, tomatoes, garlic, apple cider vinegar, & low acid gluten-free orange juice may or may not make me sick.

cutting out gluten/milk was an easy adjustment, mentally, but how do you deal with the anxious fear of "what can i even eat?" it seems like i cannot be getting good nutrition with so much cut out of my diet with only red meat, vegetables, and fruits?? they always tell us we need a variety to stay healthy!

[bakingbarb]

Open Original Shared Linkis highly nutritious, non-glutinous and like buckwheat and quinoa, is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available and it is a warming grain so will help to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates.

Millet is tasty, with a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor and contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It is particularly high in the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.

The seeds are also rich in phytochemicals, including Phytic acid, which is believed to lower cholesterol, and Phytate, which is associated with reduced cancer risk.

Open Original Shared Link is one of the most nutritious and easily digested of all grains; and it is high in starch, making it a good high energy food. However, like other grains, it is low in calcium, Vitamins A, C, D, and B12, but high in phosphorus, other B vitamins, and iron -- which is higher in millet than any other grain with the exception of amaranth and quinoa (not members of the Grass Family). Millet is very rich in amino acids. The protein content may vary from 5-20%, but generally averages 10-12%. Millet is considered superior to wheat because its proteins are more easily digested, despite remaining low in lysine. Ideally, it can be combined with a legume or a food that is high in lysine (an essential amino acid) to make the dish a complete protein. Millet is also one of two alkaline grains (the other is buckwheat), making it a soothing choice for those with ulcers or colitis.