‘A Side Of ‘Non-Veg?’
Consider Limiting The Corn
The picture above is a mash-up of veggies.
Or is it?
Like the berry blog I did a while back, many ‘vegetables’ are up for debate as to whether or not they are a vegetable, fruit or grain.
Though I still wouldn’t use one for a pie or in muffins, we commonly hear about the tomato argument. Fruit or veg? (It’s a fruit)
As well, most aim to have nutritionally balanced meal and just because something is colourful doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the ideal companion to place beside your protein source.
Keeping in line with yesterday’s milk post and keeping the Omega-6/3 ratio in check, having a full plate of Omega-6 thinking you are eating a plate of ‘health’ while unknowingly boosting your body’s inflammation I hope to shed light on why exchanges should be considered at your next meal.
Many times I see and hear people having a dinner like this: chicken and rice with a side of corn. Sounds healthy right?
Don’t get me wrong, I love a fresh (non-GMO) cob of corn drenched in melted butter and sprinkled with sea salt but more often than not, corn appears as a staple ‘vegetable’ on many tables.
While it’s actually a fruit and can be considered a grain (read below), corn and things made with corn are some of the most inflammatory-producing foods.
“Corn is a seed derived from the flower/ovary of the corn plant,” he says, “so it is technically a fruit.”
More specifically, corn is a caryopsis, which is a type of fruit in which the pericarp (that’s the fleshy bit, like the part of a peach that you eat) and seed coat are fused tightly. This means they don’t have a substantial fleshy layer, helping them dry out well. You might know caryopses better by their common name: grains.
…Is corn a vegetable? Botanically and scientifically speaking, the answer is no.
You’d also probably roast pumpkin or blanch peas, but they’re both fruits. And conversely we often eat bell peppers raw much like the fruits that they truly are, yet a lot of people lump them into the veggie category.”- popsci.com
I know many kids are not the biggest fans of spinach or swiss chard (including my youngest) and the vegetable game can be a struggle. However, adding greens to smoothies, letting them pick them out at the store or finding a way to give an option of this or that sometimes works…for example with Luke I said, “You can choose broccoli or spinach but ya’ gotta have something green that you’ll eat.”
Even though I don’t often choose corn, peas or green beans (many people have an odd allergy to green beans and don’t know it…it’s skipping my brain as to why but I’ll remember at some point), I do implement vegetables with every meal. The staples will usually be either or a combination of cucumbers, carrots, mixed greens salad, sauteed cabbage broccoli or cauliflower.
Back to minimizing the corn intake…
Many, many processed and conventional products contain corn in some capacity. On the note of the Omega-6 ratio with regards to an increase in inflammation and overall ailments, if you have issues that are bothering you — like a vehicle…it’s important to put the proper things in it to keep it running well, please look (and be honest with yourself! ;) — it matters to take note as to what you are putting in your body.
Sickness thrives in acidic and inflammatory environments. Too much of what is readily available to us encourages the demise of our body’s natural ability to heal and be well as it was created to be.
Health is on the table (or in the fridge or in the garden) to be had ;)
-Becky
