Corn, also known as maize, is a sweet-tasting grain rich in carbohydrates and fiber. Besides, it contains protein and several micronutrients that can effectively contribute to a baby’s nutritional requirements. But is corn for babies safe? Since corn has high amounts of insoluble fiber, you might be wondering if babies can digest corn comfortably. So, keep reading to know about corn’s safety for babies, its possible health benefits, and some age-appropriate corn recipes for babies you can try at home.
Can Babies Eat Corn?
Corn is safe for your baby, but you cannot make it a part of his first solid food. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you give the baby conventional first foods such as cereals, fruit, and mashed vegetables before adding corn to his diet. If your family has a history of corn allergies, you need to avoid it until the baby is grown enough to sustain. Also, babies with eczema should not be given corn, unless your doctor okays it.
When And How To Include Corn In A Baby’s Diet?
According to the American Academy for Pediatrics (AAP), corn can be introduced after six months of age when the baby begins eating solid foods. However, if you are worried about the allergies, wait until he turns one year old. Also, corn is difficult to digest, so it is advisable to delay it until his digestive system improves. Here are various ways you can choose to feed corn for babies:
For infants, feed corn by making a puree of it.
You can move on from puree to creamed corn when your child grows into a toddler around 18-24 months.
Once he is two years or more and learns to use his newly grown teeth to chew, you can give him kernels to eat but ensure that he is chewing them.
Do not substitute a more nutritious food with maize, as it is not considered to be high in nutritional values. If you have to choose between corn and a healthier food, go for the latter and wait to introduce corn as finger food in later months.
Nutritional Values In Corn
Corn is high in B vitamins: thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid (B5), and folate. It contains dietary fiber, minerals, magnesium, and phosphorus at moderate levels. This table provides the nutritional values:
Benefits Of Corn For Babies
Corn offers certain benefits for your baby if you limit the intake to moderate levels. Here are a few reasons why corn can be beneficial:
1. Helps in weight gain:
About 100gm corn contains around 350 calories. If your baby is underweight, corn diet could help him gain some pounds. Even a baby with normal weight can be given this vegetable to maintain his weight after you stop breastfeeding him completely.
2. Body growth and development:
Corn is rich in B complex. Thiamin supports nerves and brain development; niacin improves metabolism, especially of sugars, proteins, and fatty acids; and folate helps new cell development.
3. Muscle and nerve function:
Corn contains phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Phosphorus supports bone health; potassium and magnesium are necessary for muscle and nerve function. Iron improves brain development.
4. Protects blood cells:
The presence of antioxidants (through vitamin E) makes maize good for protecting cells from damage. It contains phenolic compound ferulic acid, which is an anti-carcinogenic agent. Antioxidants prevent tissue and DNA damage in the body.
5. Improves digestion:
The presence of fiber makes corn a good laxative. If your baby has frequent constipation issues, a few corn products like corn seeds and cornflour could resolve the problem. Corn seeds are natural laxatives and can be used to relieve constipation. Cornflour is also good, but it needs to be whole cornflour and not refined.
6. Good vision and skin:
Yellow maize is rich in vitamin A, a source of beta-carotene that gives better eyesight. Beta-carotene, which is not a part of vitamin A, acts as an antioxidant that is good for the baby’s skin.
Effects Of Corn On Babies
The natural sugars in corn can become starch quickly, and hence corn is not considered beneficial for a baby. Its ill-effects broadly manifest in two ways:
1. Allergies
Allergies are caused due to the proteins present in the kernels. Lipid transfer protein (LTP) is a major cause of allergies as it stays on even after processing or heating the corn and post digestion. Other potential allergens are storage proteins and corn pollen present in the kernel. Both corn and corn-based products could trigger allergies such as eczema and allergic rhinitis. However, corn does not figure in the top eight food allergens of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. Here is a list of some corn products but it is not exhaustive as corn is used as an ingredient in several foods:
cornstarch baking powder corn oil cornflakes corn tortillas popcorn vanilla extract confectioners’ sugar corn meal mannitol margarine colour hominy lactic acid invert sugar corn syrup caramel dextrin dextrose fructose maltodextrin sorbitol
Corn allergy symptoms in babies
If you observe any of these symptoms in your baby, stop giving him corn immediately (1):
Hives or a skin rash Nausea, stomach cramps, indigestion, vomiting, or diarrhea Stuffy or a runny nose Sneezing Headaches Asthma and in a worse case anaphylaxis
How to deal with corn allergy?
The first obvious way to deal with the allergy is to avoid corn and corn-derived products. Give your baby home-cooked food because ready-to-eats can contain corn in any form. If the reaction is severe, take your baby to a doctor. He would administer epinephrine (adrenaline).
2. Intolerance
Intolerance is different from allergies as it reflects in the form of digestive problems. Your baby could have the below symptoms if he is intolerant to maize:
Bloating Gas Stomach pain Diarrhea
Intolerance could be short-lived when compared to allergies.
13 Tips To Select And Store Corn
Once you make sure that your baby is not allergic or intolerant to corn, you may begin to add it to his diet. Here are a few tips to select the best corn available in the market:
Corn Recipes For Babies
Here are a few recipes for your baby to have corn in the tastiest way:
1. Corn Puree
You Will Need:
One cob of sweet corn A teaspoon of water, breast milk or formula
How To:
2. Pumpkin And Cornmeal Porridge
You Will Need:
1 cup water 1 cup milk 1 cup puréed pumpkin Yellow cornmeal (as needed) Water as needed One tablespoon brown sugar ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional) A pinch of salt
How To:
3. Carrot, Potato, and Sweet Corn Purée
You Will Need:
1 carrot 1 potato 1 tbsp peas 2 tbsp of sweet corn kernels 4 tbsp of water 1 tsp of olive oil
How To:
4. Maize, Apple, and Sweet Potato Puree
You Will Need:
2 cups corn kernels 1 apple peeled 1 sweet potato
How To:
5. Corn and Cauliflower Puree
You Will Need:
2 cups corn kernels 1 cup chopped cauliflower 1 cup yogurt Pepper (optional)
How To:
6. Sweet Corn Soup
You Will Need:
Fresh sweet corn A tablespoon each of finely chopped carrot, beans, broccoli, and spring onions Salt to taste
How To:
7. Corn Fritters
Age: Above 1 year You Will Need:
A small cup of multipurpose flour 2-3 tbsp milk 2-3 tsp sauce A cup of sweetcorn kernels Vegetable oil to cook
How To:
8. Cornflour Cutlets
Age: Above 1 year You Will Need:
2 tbsp cornflour 1 boiled potato 1 tsp lemon juice Salt to taste Pepper to taste Oil to fry
How To: Tip: Cornmeal mixes well with mashed potatoes, carrots, apples, peas, brown rice or rice meal, which are easily digestible.
In addition to making the babies overweight, HFCS could also set the tastes in the baby who would grow up to love over-sweetened foods. Check for the ingredients before choosing a formula, and take the one that has low levels of corn syrup, among others. Also, if your baby likes rice flakes, wheat flakes, or oatmeal, consider giving these as they are better nutritional options than cornflakes. Babies can be given sorghum but if your baby already has other starchy foods, you need to balance it as guinea corn is also high in starch. Dent: Dent or field corn is white or yellow in color. It is used in processed foods, industrial products, and as livestock feed. Flint: Grown in Central and South America, Flint or Indian corn has a hard outer shell. Its uses are similar to those of dent corn. Its color can vary from yellow to red. Sweet: Sweet corn is named so as it has higher natural sugars than the other varieties. Field corn has 4% sugar and sweet corn has 10%. It is used for direct consumption than as flour. It is rarely used as livestock feed. It is advisable to eat sweet corn immediately after being picked as nearly 50% of the sugar turns to starch within 24 hours (4). Flour: Flour corn is one of the oldest types and, as the name suggests, it is used in baked goods. The kernels are soft and filled with starch. It is usually white, but can come in varied colors like blue. Popcorn: This variety has a soft starchy inside that pops up when heated. The moisture inside the corn acts as steam that causes the explosion. Other types of corn also pop but not to the extent popcorn does, as the starch and moisture content is high in it.
