Explaining nutrition to someone who can't understand that corn is a grain page

[RobinNM]

Oh dear. I'm a medical transcriptionist and I go on a forum board for MTs. Someone posted a thread asking for opinions on Medifast and I came back and said, it's a bad idea and you should instead eat real whole foods and cut out all grains such as wheat, corn, etc.

The response I got was "How do I never eat bread again and how is corn not a grain?"

Wow. I'm going to try, because she did open the door by asking, but wow.

[Gravyboat]

I seriously don't understand how people think it's so impossible to not eat bread. Eat everything else you normally put on bread, only eat it without the bread. Presto. Now you're eating without bread.

[TorMag]

Stop trying to explain it to other people. There is no need to preach. Live life for yourself and enjoy the fact that you found Primal Living.

[mzteaze]

This confuses me too. I understand that we can be creatures of habit....but, every once in a while try something different. I have been loving this restaurant that serves grass fed beef burgers wrapped in lettuce with everything I enjoy on a "burger".

[Leida]

I would always say to that person to try it for 6 weeks and see for herself. Corn as a grain vs not a grain is not so much nutrition as semantics. If you'd like to go all nutritional on her tell her to avoid starches and gluten proteins.... I find that the easiest way to start the conversion is to simply eliminate foods containing any flour.

[beachrat]

I seriously don't understand how people think it's so impossible to not eat bread. Eat everything else you normally put on bread, only eat it without the bread. Presto. Now you're eating without bread.

It's true, but at the same time I understand some people having a hard time wrapping their heads around it, just from a habit-based perspective on the world.

When I started I was very sad about pesto, because I love(d) pesto, and pesto on sweet potatoes or cauliflower just did not compute for me. Now I never think about pesto. Until someone writes Presto and it makes me think of pesto.

I think that harder than the people who just can't imagine it are the people who think they're really impressively denying themselves by only eating good bread. Or who eat better food but won't give up grains. "Oh, I've cut back on bread too!" they say, munching doritos and having croutons on salad and eating cereal in the morning. Sigh.

[Gravyboat]

When I started I was very sad about pesto, because I love(d) pesto, and pesto on sweet potatoes or cauliflower just did not compute for me. Now I never think about pesto. Until someone writes Presto and it makes me think of pesto.

I'm sorry for your loss. Maybe I should put a trigger warning on my post.

[RobinNM]

Stop trying to explain it to other people. There is no need to preach. Live life for yourself and enjoy the fact that you found Primal Living.

I try not to preach, but the door was opened by the other person asking the question. It has lead to some interesting responses and at least one other primal/paleo person also adding to it. The original poster seems to be very interested, so hopefully I've planted a seed.

[Penady]

Beachrat...I just had pesto chicken for dinner. It was delicious. As for corn as a grain, I still have to tell mymother that corn is a grain and not a vegetable. Growing up a common meal for us was spaghetti, garlic bread, and corn (for our veggie). She still makes that meal. Some people just won't get it.

[gopintos]

Beachrat...I just had pesto chicken for dinner. It was delicious. As for corn as a grain, I still have to tell mymother that corn is a grain and not a vegetable. Growing up a common meal for us was spaghetti, garlic bread, and corn (for our veggie). She still makes that meal. Some people just won't get it.

Same in this neck of the woods. Seems like for human consumption, it is a veggie. Canned veggies go on sale at the store: Green Beans, Peas, & Corn. Or when it grows in the garden & you can it, freeze it, boil it, grill it, it is a veggie. For animals though, like cracked corn for chickens, ground corn for a calf or whole corn for a cow or whatever, then it is a grain. When it hardens, it turns into a grain