Maize (corn)

Maize, or corn, is a cereal widely used as a carbohydrate source in dog and cat foods, supplying starch, energy, fibre and a share of plant protein, along with linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. Maize is one of the most unfairly criticised ingredients in pet food: a common belief casts it as a mere indigestible filler and a strong allergen, yet the data do not support this image. Properly cooked maize is well digested by dogs, and it ranks among the rare rather than frequent sources of food allergy, well behind beef, dairy or chicken (veterinary literature). Its negative reputation owes more to [grain-free](/glossary/grain-free) marketing than to nutritional demonstration. Maize also supplies lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants, and like any cereal it provides little essential amino acid compared with an animal protein, so its role is mainly energetic; corn gluten, which is more protein-rich, can be used to raise the stated protein figure, which warrants checking (FEDIAF). The marker: cooked maize is a digestible, low-allergen carbohydrate whose poor reputation rests more on a commercial trend than on nutritional facts, much like [wheat](/glossary/wheat). Compare it with [rice](/glossary/rice) and [barley](/glossary/barley) as cereal carbohydrate options, and note it is not among the legumes in the [dilated cardiomyopathy](/glossary/dcm-dilated-cardiomyopathy-grain-free-debate) investigation.

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