Corn

[Xerxella]

So what's the deal with corn? Healthy? Unhealthy? Neutral?

My daughter loves, loves, loves, loves it. But, 12 hours later I find it unchanged in her diaper. (TMI) Literally, it's like someone opened a can of corn and poured it in her diaper. So, if she's not digesting it, does it do anything?

I keep it as a balanced part of her diet, so she doesn't get it a lot. But, if she sees it anywhere she wants it. Could it be unhealthy? Could it be taking nutrients out of her body just to move it through the digestive tract?

I don't really worry, since she's a great height, weight and overall health, but I'm curious on opinions.

[Punchy Kaby]

I lean towards a 'Traditional Foods' diet, though DH does not. Corn does not get digested, as you see in the diaper. I don't know that it takes any nutrients away from the body, but it doesn't do much FOR the body. Sally Fallon talks about preparing corn flour in lime to make it more digestible(in Nourishing Traditions). I do not feed corn to my kids, other people do and they like it.

[MamaPhD]

I think corn is fine. It's not unhealthy per se, but I've read it just doesn't have that much nutrients. It tastes good, though. 20 mo DD loves it too and will eat an entire corn on the cob (plus other stuff) for lunch sometimes! Yeah, and it does just come right out the other end for us, too. Like you said, I don't worry having corn as part of a balanced diet!

[Skippy918]

My son loves corn on the cob. He likes to pick it up and bite the kernels off and yes it does appear in his poop.

[mamadelbosque]

This time of year we eat lots of corn on the cob. Its fine, IMO. People have been eating corn for thousands of years, so its just as traditional as anything else. And honestly, I find lots of whole bits of various foods in my ds2's diaper and did at this age w/ ds1 too - whole raisins, blueberries, bits of nuts, pretty much anything of about that size that doesn't get chewed thoroughly, IME ends up in the diaper more-or-less unchanged.

[ErinYay]

Corn itself is fine. Processed corn? Not so much.

[lifeguard]

Whole corn - fine, it really is just a little roughage. No harm but no real benefit either. Processed corn - not even a little bit good.

[blizzard_babe]

I think corn is fine... I just approach it as a grain rather than a vegetable.

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

I think corn is fine... I just approach it as a grain rather than a vegetable.

I try not to rely too heavily on it (or any one food) but I see nothing wrong with it in moderation. We eat corn tortillas (as does half the world) and corn pasta and corn kernels & DS loves it. I think there are much worse things he could be eating and there seems to be an argument against everything from wheat to nuts so there's no winning...

[kriket]

The way I understand it, the inside of the corn does get processed, you are seeing the harder outer casing. Nutrition classes have told me there are other veggies that this happens to (wheat hulls, why whole grains are good) and it's fibre and helps move things through your system.

My DS LOVES (loves loves loves) corn on the cob. He also likes peas, and tomatoes. I have notices the skins of ALL of these are in the diaper the same way they looked going in!

Totally OT, but does any one else get piles of pea and corn skins in the drier? Or have I caught DH lying to me about scraping poop before he puts it in the laundry! It's totally strange to see a little pile of green dried peas sitting in the lint trap!