Is it possible to avoid corn in our diets

But plenty of staple foods are off the menu. My seven days without corn, after the jump. I rolled out of bed with a grumbling stomach, but managed to read up on ingredient labels before I reached for breakfast.

Greek yogurt: just milk and live cultures. Unlike many fruit yogurts, sweetened with corn syrup. And a packet of Splenda—yes, I confess, artificial sweetener—should be fine. Well, no. But the stuff in those yellow packets also contains dextrose and maltodextrin, both corn derivatives.

Goodbye, Splenda. I reached for the Sugar in the Raw instead. I rooted around in my fridge for sandwich fixings—but my regular sandwich rolls had polydextrose, a corn derivative, and my loaf of Health Nut bread had cornmeal. No sandwich today.

So I roasted some asparagus with olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and poached an egg to break on top. Tasty, but I wished I could have mopped up the extra yolk with some toast. After an afternoon latte, I stopped at the grocery store for corn-free provisions: veggies, a fresh-baked baguette, unprocessed cheese.

Packaged chicken sausages had corn products, but the ones made fresh by my butcher were all meat and spice. And a glass of champagne, later that night.

Thank God there's no corn in champagne. Cereal, sandwich bread, sandwich rolls, breakfast pastries, Starbucks breakfast sandwich, Dunkin' Donuts sandwich, chicken sausage, frozen yogurt, Splenda, chocolate-covered pretzels, Toaster Strudel, mochi ice cream snacks, cheese, anything from Chick-fil-A, pizza, tomato sauce. Cloudy and cool, it was an oatmeal kind of morning.

Good thing I stick to the plain stuff—some flavored packets definitely count corn syrup among the ingredients. Then a cappuccino, no Splenda. The office had a little Chick-fil-A party, and I considered partaking, but after reading the ingredients posted online, I realized that nothing passed the no-corn test: corn syrup in the buns, corn products in the chicken seasoning, corn in even the biscuits and salads.

No Chick-fil-A for me. So lunch was leftovers—extra chicken sausage, chopped up and browned with onions, with a fried egg on top and a little baguette.

And a bowl of oatmeal as a midnight snack. Yes, I often have double-oatmeal days. I missed the office indulgence, but reading the Chick-fil-A menu was a real eye-opener. Not a single item was free of added corn? But not this week; a quick look at the ingredients showed cornstarch, corn syrup, and all sorts of -dextrose derivatives. Is there no convenient food for the corn-free? I almost took for granted that my other breakfast standby, Luna Bars, would have corn somewhere in their nine thousand ingredients.

But miraculously, no corn in sight! I brought a corn-free baguette and unprocessed cheese sandwich for lunch, carefully avoiding the office nibbles.

Much to my surprise, every single one was sweetened with either cane sugar or honey. Props to ginger beer. Please indicate how you like to proceed:. I am not currently subscribed to PureWow.

I am already subscribed to PureWow. Please log in to your account. Like What You See? Please accept the terms and privacy statement by checking the box below.

Sign up for PureWow Recipes. A valid email address is required. Sign Up. Please enter a valid email address The emails have been sent. Please consider subscribing to PureWow. Sign up for PureWow to get more daily discoveries sent straight to your inbox. Thanks for Sharing! Now like us on Facebook. Want more where that came from? By Sarah Stiefvater Jul. Follow PureWow on Pinterest. SHARE PIN IT From Around The Web. More Stories From our Partners.

Manage Your Account Enter your registered email below! Hey, you know what would make your day better? Whole corn is high in various nutrients, especially fiber and antioxidants. High-fructose corn syrup has been linked to many serious health issues, including today's obesity epidemic. Here are 6 reasons why it's bad for your…. Learn to recognize common symptoms of corn allergy, such as hives, eczema, itchiness in the mouth, or dizziness, and when to consult your doctor.

Canadian researchers find more evidence that food addiction is contributing to the global obesity epidemic. Grains are the edible seeds of plants called cereals. This article takes a close look at grains and their health effects, both the good stuff and the…. High-fructose corn syrup is seriously bad for your health, but it's being added to all sorts of foods.

Here are 20 foods that are often loaded with it. Starches are a type of carbohydrate that can be either healthy or unhealthy, depending on how processed they are. Here are 19 foods high in starch. Everyone knows that vegetables are good for your health, but some truly stand out from the rest. Here are 14 of the healthiest vegetables on the…. Getting your meals delivered can save major time on meal prep. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Facts and More. This article looks at the possible benefits and disadvantages of eating corn.

Share on Pinterest. What Is Corn? Highly Nutritious. Corn Crops are Often Genetically Modified. How to Cook and Use Corn. The Bottom Line. Read this next. Is Corn a Vegetable? Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M. Corn Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. Corn Allergy: What Are the Symptoms? The 14 Healthiest Vegetables on Earth.