*chuckle* Tell that to the 45 lbs that went missing after removing it completely.

Corn:

-Starch - not so good for weight loss
-I had 3 nutritionists tell me point blank that any nutritional value that it has is too low to counter balance the starch in it. Truth be told it has a fairly good level of fiber, ad a few vitamins; however, most do not chew it enough to break it down so that these are readily absorbed.
-Corn is the source of High Fructose or Glucose/Fructose which is probably not so great really.

And just some food for thought:

When farmers want to "fatten" up their live stock they feed them corn to increase their fat levels. The growing issue with overweight children wasn't a problem until almost everything contained corn... And I mean everything!

It comes down to this:

We cut out potato for the most part because of the starch levels. Why are so many who've done that still eating corn when there are so many alternatives if they want a vegetable or whole grain that are not starch based?

Did you know that the list of things containing, derived from or possibly containing/derived from corn is massive? If want it then just shoot me a message. It is wild! And I mean really wild!

But really... This should likely be a whole new thread. Specifically the pros and cons of eating corn.

Hey! Yeah, corn consumption is definitely something that needs watching. I measure it carefully if I'm having any.

I'd like to add that Triscuits are one of my favorite snacks when I'm wanting something salty. They come in some really good new flavors now, too. Six Triscuits is a serving and has 120 cals., 4 gm fat, 3 gm protein, 19 gm carbs. I sometimes will have three Triscuits with some string cheese or some water-packed tuna and a few green olives.

Sweet snacks--well, I'm not big on those--but I like to have some Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips from time to time. Sixteen chips has 80 cals, 6 gm fat, 1 gm protein, 8 gm carbs. A few almonds with them is nice. But, if you are a chocolate addict, this could trigger you, so use with care.

Jay

Why is corn bad if you are trying to lose wieight? Do tell.

I very, very seldom eat corn. I love corn, I could eat it anyway you could prepare it; on the cob, creamed, plain kernels. I've probably enjoyed the thousands of corn derivatives each on their own. I'm sure there are more nutritional benefits to corn than I know about.

BUT, I grew up on a farm; we raised pigs (along with chickens, cows, catfish). When it was getting close to time to take the pigs to the stock yard to sale, we would feed them dried corn. Lots of dried corn. It fattened them up beautifully, so we made more money since you're paid based on the weight of the animal.

The plan that I initially started losing weight on discouraged corn, because it was a lower carb diet plan. Even though I have widened the foods that I eat since the beginning, I still eat it very sparingly. That decision wasn't based on any scientific research though, just my memories of those fat pigs at the corn trough.

I am insulin resistant and have removed all corn or corn products from my diet...however, corn is not the only food I must avoid. I also must avoid all white pasta, white bread, white rice...etc etc and I limit my fruits. I only eat whole grains and I everything I eat is accompanied with a serving of protein. I've copied a portion of an excellent article on insulin resistance that explains why I avoid corn and refined grains.

"These foods require little digestion and get absorbed all at once and all too rapidly into the bloodstream. This sugary food consumption shocks the body and alarms your whole system. "Get rid of it!! Out rushes the insulin, made by your pancreas for this reason and knocks out every bit of glucose and quickly stores it as fat. (The body does store sugar as gylcogen in the liver and muscles, but there is just so much it can store before it has to store it as fat cells.)

As a result of this the blood sugar level becomes unstable. The blood sugar level drops.

At this point, people tend to reach for more refined carbohydrates, and the cycle continues. The more you eat, the more you sugar in the blood, the more insulin takes it out of the blood and over time, the insulin gets less effective. This is what is known as insulin resistance."

Not only is weight gain a concern with insulin resistance, but this condition can also lead to Type II diabetes. I also read another article not too long ago that indicates that many many overweight people have insulin resistance and aren't even aware of the condition. Also, many women who are in perimenopause or in full menopause develop this condition.

Corn and soy are in nearly every processed (packaged, prepared) food. There's a great book that looks at corn (I cant recall the name but maybe it will come to me later).

While I have not cut out potato (for many reasons), I am with ya on the vegetable part (I have always counted corn and potatoes as "starch" in my mind) but what whole grains aren't starch based?

I am currently reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and it is amazing at how many things contain corn but personally that is really only an issue if you eat a lot of processed foods and eat a lot of standard meat products.

We could dramatically cut down our processed corn consumption by eating whole foods and either cutting back on meat products or eating naturally grown meat products.

I think corn is good but I also think it is something to eat in moderation. I also think potatoes are good but again I think they should be eaten in moderation.

For me personally, corn itself has no effect on my weight loss. I lost all of my weight making liberal use of some whole-grain corn products, like popcorn or sprouted whole grain corn tortillas.

What I DO avoid, though, by avoiding processed foods, is high fructose corn syrup and corn-based processed food additives. I just focus on eating healthy, all natural foods, which keeps the amount of those additives in my diet almost non-existent. Corn-based food additives ARE in most processed foods, and they are certainly of questionable nutritional value. Since processed foods are stripped of so much nutritious value, I try to avoid them as much as I can whether they contain corn or not, preferring to stick with lean proteins, whole grains, and produce for 90-95% of my diet. I count corn as a grain because it is so starchy, but as long as I'm eating most of my food in pretty much the state it was grown in, I'm happy.

In my personal experience, the occasional starchy vegetable (corn, or yes, white potato if you enjoy it) isn't going to slow your losses unless you eat an out-of-control portion. My own weight loss and 6 months (and counting) of maintaining that loss has happened while eating corn or whole grain corn products like popcorn two to three times a week or more, and white potatoes at least weekly. That might not work for everyone, but it did work really well for me.

I realize that many people must avoid certain types of foods due to health reasons. I'm not one of them.

I enjoy corn. It's tasty. Having occasional corn on the cob for dinner, or even a little bit of creamed corn has not hindered my weight loss thus far.

I liken it to potatoes, pasta and heck even chocolate. Eating a little bit every once in a while is not going to hurt me.

I, also, try to avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup, though I don't 100% of the time.

For people in my situation, I believe that the only unhealthy thing they can do is to ignore the fact that corn is a starchy food & consume far too much.

Though it may not be for everyone, I have found that I can have starchy foods (including corn) in moderation & still be sticking with a healthy eating plan.

I am also insulin resistant, and limiting starches (including corn) helps me lose weight and avoid cravings.

However, let's keep corn in perspective. Very few people eat "optimally" for each and every meal and snack. And even the least nutritionally valid food can have a place in a healthy diet. An ear of sweet corn is relatively harmless when you compare it to a snicker's bar or even a piece of white bread. But I think we have to remember what it is. It is a grain, not really a vegetable, so it should not replace a vegetable on your plate. Also, since there are a lot of other grains that are more nutritious, even as a grain choice it shouldn't be your first and definitely not your only choice.

Nothing wrong with corn - says the chick who lost 70+ lbs without cutting out corn.

I'm not a huge corn eater, I like it and have absolutely no problems with it - I love fresh corn on the cob in the summer (preferably grilled), I like putting baby corn into stir fry, I like making red bean and corn pita pockets. I like sprinkling corn on my BBQ chicken salads. I like making corn/grilled chicken/low fat cream cheese/green chile quesadillas.

I never cut out any food that had a positive nutritional benefit. I do try to eat the healthiest versions available. I eat sweet potatoes (all the time!), winter squashes, brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat couscous, whole wheat pasta, whole grain breads/tortillas/waffles. I am aware of a serving size and measure foods accordingly - 2 oz or 1/2 - 1 cup or 2 waffles or 3 small tortillas works for me.

I am not insulin resistant and have no reason to cut out corn or any of those foods. Eating them didn't stop me from losing 70+ lbs or keeping it off for over 3 years. I did completely give up fast food, most fried foods, packaged baked goods and sugar - foods that truly don't provide any nutritional benefits.

I love corn on the cob. Take a certain amount of butter and put it on bread then then slide the corn over it. I know how much butter I am using. I don't do without a thing. Isn't something I eat all the time but when I want it I enjoy it. Probably have corn once or twice a month.

wow!! I've put on about 7lbs since i started buying mini ears of corn and eating them on a regular basis!!! i was wondering what was going on! thanks for the info! i never even knew!

I love corn. When it's fresh and in season and I can buy it at the farmer's market, I eat it on the cob once or twice a week. It has nutritional value, it's tasty, it's only worth eating for a couple of months out of the year. There's no problem.

I eat it with Brummel & Brown Yogurt margarine. I love that stuff.

Several times every summer I spend a day on the "sweetcorn and watermelon" diet. If it's outrageously hot, and I don't feel like cooking, having an ear or two of microwaved sweetcorn and a bowl of ice cold watermelon is a wonderfully indulgent, yet low calorie meal. No, it's not particularly balanced, but in the scheme of things it doesn't sabotage my nutrition or my weight loss.