Corn is everywhere. According to Michael Pollan, author of the book "The Ominvore's Dilemma," corn is so inexpensive that it's regularly used to create processed foods and food additives like sweeteners and fillers. One food in particular that's notoriously laden with corn products is breakfast cereal. This is fine for most people, but for those with corn sensitivities or allergies, it makes the simple act of finding a box of cereal a scavenger hunt through a long list of ingredients.
Step 1
Skip most grocery store cereals. Corn and corn-derived additives are in almost all commercial, name-brand cereals. Shop organic or gluten-free cereals in the health food stores and still double-check the ingredients.
Step 2
Eat oatmeal. Oatmeal is made from whole or processed cereal grains which do not contain corn. Buy plain oats to ensure there are no corn-based additives.
Step 3
Shop the bulk bins at your local health food store and make your own cereal mix from whole grains. This allows you control over your cereal mix. This usually works best for hot cereals, but you can also make cold cereals with bulk granola, nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
Step 4
Read labels. It's obvious that cereals like Corn Flakes are made from corn, but other cereals may also be corn based. A common ingredient in boxed breakfast cereals is high-fructose corn syrup, so if you have a corn allergy, check the label of each box.
Step 5
Check your cereal for hidden corn-based additives. Common ingredients like malt syrup, sugar, citric acid, cellulose and even salt are often surprisingly corn based. Refer to a corn allergen list for more than 100 common food additives derived from corn.
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