Why Corn Will Never Be OK on Kaufmann 1

These are the first things that you are supposed to give up in favor of lean, clean meats from the right sources, copious amounts of vegetables, limited fruits and nuts/seeds. 

Corn is one of the foods that people can sometimes get confused about – how could this staple of the American diet be such an offender. Corn’s presence in the American diet – from corn meal to corn syrup to the the plethora of other ingredients derived from this grain – is so overwhelming that it wouldn’t be a stretch to call it ubiquitous. A glance at the label of any processed food will probably reveal some sort of ingredient derived from corn. However, after reading the Fungus link, it is worth wondering if there isn’t a direct correlation between corn’s ubiquity and the volume of health problems Americans experience.

Corn is a tough thing to give up because of it’s ubiquity. (Also, corn tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole, which will always hold a special place in my heart.)
There are a few reasons why should be excluded from your diet, without exception.

Corn is extremely susceptible to fungal contamination. Ruth Etzel, MD published a study claiming that corn is universally contaminated with mycotoxins. So, if you are eating corn or corn products, you are likely consuming trace amounts of mycotoxins. Doug has published a volume of work linking mycotoxins to diseases as serious as heart disease and cancer. The Kaufmann 1 diet seeks to starve pathogenic fungi and avoid mycotoxins, because without doing this we believe attaining good health is close to impossible.

Corn is a grain, and consuming grains will fuel a fungal infection that may have gotten hold in your body. This is why corn isn’t ok, even if you have grown it yourself. Corn simply isn’t a healthy food, something we would probably contend for all grains. The Kaufmann 1 seeks to starve fungi in your body. You can’t do this and eat grains or sugar.

It is also advised on Kaufmann 1 to switch to grass-fed beef, pastured turkeys and chickens, and wild caught fish. Most conventionally raised animals are raised on a diet that is heavily corn-based. Animals that consume corn instead of their natural diet, in addition to being exposed to mycotoxins and ultimately probably storing trace amounts in their fat cells, have a fat profile that has an improper proportion of Omega 3 to Omega 6, heavily in favor of the latter. Omega 6 is linked to inflammation and other health issues, while the health benefits of Omega 3 hardly need repeating here.

So, corn is never, under any circumstances allowed on any of the Kaufmann 1 or 2 diets. Will eating  a bowl of corn kill you? Obviously not. But because of it’s propensity towards mycotoxin contamination, it is disallowed on all of the Phase diets. Even if this is a food you will struggle giving up, try it for two weeks and see if you don’t feel much better without it.