Can corn be included in a low carb diet?
YES! However, the amount you eat and the foods you pair it with matters a lot for managing blood sugars. Let’s break down our strategies behind this Low Carb Cauliflower Corn Chowder.
Corn is naturally rich in carbohydrates. Because of that, corn is considered a whole grain or starchy vegetable. A 100-gram serving of boiled corn, which is around ⅔ cup, totals up to ~19 grams of net carbs.
Because it is low in protein and fat, when eaten plain, it is likely that corn would spike up your blood sugar and kick you out of ketosis.
So how do we make corn blood-sugar and keto-friendly?
1. Practice portion control with higher carb foods:
We only use ¼ cup of corn per serving and we bulk it out with twice as much low carb vegetable hero: cauliflower. This brings total carbs down drastically to only 16 g net carbs per serving. And most importantly, it still packs the creaminess and flavor punch you expect from a corn chowder.
Unsure how much carbohydrate is right for you? Work with a KNI dietitian to explore your carb strategies today!
2. Pair higher carb foods with healthy fats:
Fats help to slow down carbohydrate absorption and thus prevent a spike in your blood sugar. This keto corn chowder packs in 42 grams of fats per serving! Our fat of choice in this recipe is dairy: heavy cream and cream cheese for extra creaminess.
Prefer dairy-free? No problem! Substitute heavy cream and cream cheese with coconut milk and/or coconut cream.
These simple strategies make it possible to include sweet corn for diabetic patients. To learn more about corn and diabetes, check out this article written by a colleague of ours.
For your personalized nutrition plan, book your free Discovery Zoom Call with Kidney Nutrition Institute today!
Is corn good for keto diet for PKD?
If you have PKD, you may be on a keto diet to maintain your kidney health. As such, the topic of corn and ketosis may be a valid concern.
As mentioned above, our Cauliflower Corn Chowder is lower in carbs and rich in healthy fats. Most people can still maintain ketosis while enjoying this keto chowder.
However, different people may tolerate different amounts of carbohydrates per day and per meal depending on their metabolism. Work with your dietitian to know how much carbohydrates is best for you.
It is also low in oxalates, with only 3.5 mg per serving. To learn more about oxalates, check out our article on oxalate management in PKD!
Overall, is this Cauliflower Corn Chowder kidney-friendly?
Yes!
Both cauliflower and corn used in this chowder are naturally low in potassium and phosphorus. Using dairy in the form of heavy cream and cream cheese adds minerals. Nevertheless, a hearty serving of our keto corn chowder can be considered low in potassium and phosphorus, with less than 400 mg and 126 mg, respectively.
In the context of a plant-heavy diet, including some dairy is harmless. For PKD, calcium in dairy can actually be helpful in binding oxalates and preventing kidney stone formation!
If you prefer dairy-free, feel free to substitute coconut milk or coconut cream in place of the dairy. Just note that the flavor will be different, although we are confident it’ll still be delicious!
This recipe is also low in protein, making it perfect for those following a low protein or very low protein diet.
Low Carb Cauliflower Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 2 cups cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup cream cheese full fat
- 2 tsp erythritol optional, to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute.
- Add vegetable broth, cauliflower, and corn. Simmer until corn is completely tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and cream cheese; stir to combine and heat the soup until the cream cheese melts and the soup is warmed through, then remove from the heat. Do not let soup come to a rolling boil or the cream may split.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Season with sweetener, salt (only if needed), and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Our Verdict
I personally LOVE corn soup, so we developed this recipe to make corn chowder intentionally keto-friendly. The addition of cauliflower in the chowder adds body and creaminess without altering the taste. Plus, using dairy for our creamy component preserves the pure corn flavor without adding extra flavors as would coconut cream or coconut milk.
If you choose to use coconut cream or coconut milk, feel free to play around with the flavors by adding jalapeno and even lime juice for an elote flavor profile.
Please let us know if you try this recipe in the comments below!
Want more tasty and kidney-friendly recipes?
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To see how these delicious recipes fit into a personalized nutrition strategy that keeps YOUR kidneys strong, set up an appointment TODAY with one of our expert renal dietitians.