Posted on 05/04/2006 5:56:26 AM PDT by polymuser
A Boston Legal episode had a case against a snack food manufacturer using high fructose corn syrup, claiming it caused obesity and diabetes in a client. OK, it's entertainment. But with a significant seed of truth in it. Corn seed.
Corn products now saturate the American diet: as a dinner vegetable; as the primary ingredient in breakfast cereals and many snack foods; as the primary sweetener in beverages, candies, snacks and processed foods; as the bulk whitener/sugar/starch in coffee creamers and powdered infant formulas; as the oil in many foods and the oil many foods are cooked in; as a starch and/or flour in many food products.
Corn is a seed. As such, it's a powerhouse of nature. Do you suppose if some other seed, say sunflower, was being ingested almost continuously by the majority of people as a large part of their intake, that maybe we'd see some health issues result? Some physiological reactions to overexposure/saturation? I suspect so. And now, I understand much of our corn is genetically engineered, adding another biolgical issue to corn's consumption and effects.
We're seeing significantly increasing instances of ADD/ADHD, obesity and diabetes in our society. I strongly suspect if the increase in corn product consumption could be compared to the growth of these maladies since the mid-1900's, we'd see parallel trends. But, I have found no such research as of yet.
You can search various word mixes to find a lot of assorted information (corn allergy add adhd obesity diabetes), but no historical comparison of all of them with an eye for a trend. I'd sure be interested to see what it showed.
If you are the parent of a child with behavioral issues, you may really, really benefit from visiting a non-traditional allergist to test for food allergies. Be warned, though: if it's a food allergy, weaning them off the culprit food(s) will be a battle -- we crave food we're allergic to. But wouldn't it be worth it, to have a well behaved child without drugging them daily? And how about a slimmer child who's not headed toward early-onset diabetes, as well?
there may be a kernel of truth to this...
Damn those Indians!!!!
We are told our cars will love corn products - ethanol.
If anyone wants to taste the difference between sugar and corn syrup, taste a Coca-Cola from Mexico and one from the U.S. side by side. While you still can, that is (Mexican Coke will be changed over).
Really? I think the post is pretty corny. The poster seems to be stalking the corn growers. This sounds like the opening salvo of an anti corn campaign. I'm keeping my ear to the ground for more anti corn rhetoric like this.
Corn, as a whole grain, is nutritious, as is corn oil, that is cold processed and not hydrogenated (allowed to go rancid, processed to remove the rancid taste and stripped of all beneficial omega 3, omega 6.) Stone ground corn meal is a great source of fiber. Anything made with high fructose corn syrup is candy and should be treated as such.
Thats so "Coorny", Boom, Boom, Crash.
Aye!
Yeah, it was pretty weak.
I think they're prepping for a big push for "corn-based fuels".
I understand. Allergies can affect many systems/organs -- skin, sinus, eyes, lungs, mucus, intestinal, circulatory, brain. And many allergies don't develop until after long exposure to high levels (as with latex). Imagine such exposure since birth.
You've found that food labels show beyond doubt corn's prevalence. Anyone can read them.
I've got nothing against corn as a part of our diet, especially in its whole form. And corn's not the only food culprit. But it's saturation has become, IMO, a serious health issue. One that's showing itself more now. And one that ADD/ADHD drug manufacturers don't mind at all. Ask your local elementary school's health staff for the percentage of students taking behavioral drugs. It's scary.
I kept a food diary and found that corn really was the source of a lot of my allergies. I stopped eating fresh corn, Fritos, Doritos, cornbread, tamales and most Mexican food. I noticed that I still had a headache but to a lesser degree. That is when I started reading labels and found that I was still eating corn. For instance, here in Houston, I have found only 2 brands of bread that have a corn free loaf among their many varieties. Life is more complicated now that I must watch my intake so closely but at least I don't have to go through life with a headache.
We'd have to go through a maize-like process to find proper substitutes now!
It is scary. I thought this level of superficial, unscientific, scaremongering "thought" was only found on DU.
SD
I have seen a brand called Boylan's Cane Cola in gourmet markets, but it's expensive.
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