I was the kid that stuffed herself with corn on the cob at the family BBQ. Corn bread muffins were my breakfast of choice after moving out on my own. But my favorite of all was my moms corn soufflé.
Giving up corn was no easy feat. Why did I do it? In my quest for a healthier life, It was because of these three reasons:
Corn is NOT a vegetable.
Seriously. It’s not. It’s a grain. I don’t believe all grain is bad for you because some are loaded with great nutrients. But corn is not a good grain. It’s pretty much worthless. In fact, many countries outside the US think we are nuts for eating it because they use it strictly for animal food.
Corn is an inflammatory
Refined corn acts like sugar. And just like sugar, it creates inflammation. Why is this a big deal?
Think about it like this. How does anything work when it’s repeatedly being inflamed. Not very well right? Let’s say it’s a knee that’s inflamed(or swollen). It doesn’t move as fast, it aches, it doesn’t work as well. So picture this going on inside your body. Not a great visual is it?
Chronic inflammation has been linked to depression, obesity and even cancer. New Medical has a great article on the effects of chronic inflammation. Check it out here.
Corn is taking over the world.
Ok well maybe not literally the world but definitely our grocery stores. Corn is cheap. It’s subsidized by the government because it’s fed to cows instead of the grass they are SUPPOSED to eat. It’s cooked down and added to a disturbing amount of processed foods(mostly in the form of high fructose corn syrup). Very well paid scientist are in a lab right now trying to find new ways to synthesize corn to taste like real ingredients so it’s cheaper for the manufacturer.
Read your labels. I would bet 80% of the boxed, package food in your home contains some kind of corn concoction.
It’s seriously in everything. It’s disguised as ingredients with different names like Citric Acid, Dextrin, Maltodextrin, Ethanol, Maltose, Saccharin and Baking Powder. Did that last one catch you off guard? Cause it did for me. Turns out there are brands that make corn free baking powder for home cooking. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee when it’s listed as a ingredient.
Why can’t we see this as a real problem? Don’t let the manufacturers of these products treat you like an idiot. Demand real ingredients, not corn chemicals cooked up in a lab. Refuse to eat ingredients that make you sick and/or addicted. And don’t feed this crap to your kids either. It’s training their mind to crave it while harming their bodies.
Breaking free from corn has been difficult. It’s hard to know when I go out where it might lurk. It’s not labeled like everything else(vegan, gluten-free, nut-free).
I’ve been away from corn for long enough though, that when I accidentally do consume it, I get physically ill.(like running to the bathroom, what the hell did I eat ill. No joke). My body completely rejects it. This very fact has convinced me more than ever that I made the right decision to cut it out. Just say no to corn.
EcoVegan Mama 