Your doctor may recommend a corn elimination diet if she suspects you can't tolerate or are allergic to corn. Although corn is not considered one of the top foods to cause an allergic reaction, it is becoming more common among children. A corn elimination diet is not intended to diagnose any condition, but it is intended to confirm if eating corn causes adverse reactions. Once the elimination diet is complete, your doctor will recommend further steps to diagnose your condition.
Corn Intolerance
Food intolerances are more common than food allergies. If you're intolerant of corn, your small intestines do not produce enough of the proper enzymes to digest the proteins or sugars found in the corn. This can lead to digestive complications that are caused by inflammation and irritation in the digestive tract. Corn intolerance and a corn allergy are commonly confused because of similar digestive symptoms. Symptoms from corn intolerance may include nausea, bloating, gas, cramping, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
Corn Allergy
A corn allergy is a malfunction of the immune system. When you experience an allergic reaction, your body fails to recognize the proteins in corn as a safe substance. The immune system reacts to the proteins as if they were dangerous and builds up a defense system, which includes the production of immunoglobulin E antibodies, or IgE, and histamine. These two chemicals cause inflammation, swelling and irritation in soft tissue throughout the body, such as in the sinuses, the lungs and the skin. Symptoms may include asthma, skin rashes, digestive complications and nasal congestion.
Elimination Diet
An elimination diet is an intentional avoidance of a certain food that is suspected of causing adverse reactions to determine if the reactions stop once the food is removed from the diet. A corn elimination diet should be performed under a doctor's supervision. Remove all corn products from your diet, including caramel color, corn syrup, cornmeal, maize and sorbitald. After about two weeks, you can begin to introduce corn products into your diet slowly. Keep a food diary of the foods you eat, how much of them you consume and how they affect you. The diary is discussed with your doctor to determine if you require further testing.
Consideration
Participating in a corn elimination diet can lead to a severe allergic reaction. If you develop common symptoms of anaphylaxis, discontinue the diet and call your doctor. Symptoms may include the inability to breath, shortness of breath, dizziness, a drop in blood pressure, facial swelling and hives.
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