Corn

We’re talking about corn today, and if you have been paying at least a little bit of attention to the news, you know why. Drought and despair have hit the corn belt and I can tell you right now that every single one of us is going to be affected by the outcome. In fact, predictions are that our grocery prices will increase by 10% within the next six to twelve months. Better stock up now on your “must have” food staples! And don’t smugly think you can just stop eating corn. Corn is used in 75% of the products sitting on your shelves right now. Have a sweet tooth? You’ll have a serious problem avoiding corn.

Here is just a sample list of products containing corn that I borrowed from an allergy warning:

* Many baby foods
* Bakery products
* Brewed beverages

* Carbonated beverages

* Cheese spreads and cheese foods

* Prepared cereals
* Condiments (ketchup, steak sauce, chili sauce, mayonnaise, tartar sauce, salad dressings)
* Chewing gum
* Prepared mixes (pancake, waffle, biscuit, cake flour, puddings)
* Gravies and sauces
* Canned soups and dehydrated soup mixes
* Coffee “creamers” and designer coffee drinks
* Sweetened condensed milk
* Most commercially prepared desserts
* Fruits (commercially canned, candied, frozen, pie fillings, jams, jellies, marmalades, preserves)

 * Fruit “drinks” and some fruit juices are sweetened with corn by-products
* Frostings and icings
* Oriental foods typically contain cornstarch as a thickener
* Cornmeal
* Tortillas
* Many distilled products-gin, vodka, whiskey
* Many fried foods are fried in corn oil
* Candy (Corn is present in virtually all candy, particularly when a smooth texture is present at room temperature)
* Ice cream, sherbets, and sorbets
* Marshmallows
* Meats (cured meats, luncheon meats, sausages, bologna, bacon, ham, wieners)
* Pickles, if sweetened
* Peanut butter is often sweetened with corn by-products
* Frozen seafood
* Sweetened ice tea
* Most snack foods
* Gelatin desserts
* Some nutritional supplements, unless labeled otherwise
* Popcorn
* Prepared mustards

Look for cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil and/or the words dextrose, glucose, dextrin, maltodextrin, lecithin, fructose, high fructose, vegetable starch, “thickeners”, sweeteners, syrup, vegetable oil, maize, and sorbitol.

And don’t forget the hundreds of non-food products that are made with corn. Some sources list as many as 4,000+ products that have corn as an ingredient. For a comprehensive chart visit the National Corn Growers Association and scroll down to “Education K-12”. Prepare to be amazed…and worried.

So, this was my public service announcement for the week. Aren’t you glad someone watches the Farm Report for you? 

 

Comments

[Megan]

I read today that meats, and pork in particular, are going to be outrageous by fall--specifically because of the corn crops. The journalist was recommending stocking up now.

Time for GMO's in all farming industries because I'd bet you people are NOT going to give up corn in all of its forms. Something has to give.