“When I’m pregnant, it’s just like taking dope,” said the Negro woman bearing her ninth child at the District of Columbia General Hospital in Washington. “I can hardly wait to get home so I can get some more starch,” she added, referring not to starchy foods but to laundry starch. “Sometimes I’ll eat two or three boxes a day.”
To their astonishment, Northern doctors have lately discovered that eating laundry starch is all the rage among Negro women—especially pregnant women—in many Northern-city slums. At D.C. General Hospital, Chief Obstetrician Dr. Earnest Lowe estimates that up to one-fourth of his patients are starch addicts. At Los Angeles County Hospital, three or four patients a week are diagnosed as having anemia apparently caused by starch binges.
Magnesia & Matzo. According to the few doctors who have studied the subject, the craving for laundry starch is an offshoot of the clay-eating habit still prevalent among some Southern Negroes. Those who migrate North sometimes receive packages of clay (known as “Mississippi Mud” in Los Angeles) mailed by friends back home, but most switch to laundry starch, which is easier to obtain and apparently satisfies the same hunger.
Across the country, the preferred brand is Argo Gloss Starch, available in either the economy-size blue box at 19¢ or the handy red box at 11¢. Both contain chewy lumps that taste, according to one gourmet, like “a cross between milk of magnesia and matzo. The texture is that of an after-dinner mint.” Like peanuts, one handful leads to another. “After a box of it,” said one woman, “my throat gets kind of sticky, so I go and get a big glass of ice water. Then I get a powerful desire for more.” Some enthusiasts spice laundry starch with salt and pepper; others munch it with ice chips. A few housewives wash it down with co*ke.
Inexpensive Psychiatry. Argo representatives say that their laundry product contains nothing but cornstarch, a common thickener for soups and desserts. (They also say the starch-eating habit is “rare.”) According to medical opinion, eating large amounts of laundry starch often brings on anemia by blocking the body’s absorption of iron. Some doctors state that overeating laundry starch may also cause a deficiency of folic acid, which in pregnant women may lead to premature births or bleeding near delivery time.
Whether starch gobbling results from a physical need or a cultural habit is a minor medical mystery. According to Manhattan Internist Harry Roselle, who sees many cases at St. Luke’s Hospital, Negro women nibble starch in times of stress as a form of “inexpensive psychiatry.” Many Negroes believe that starch prevents nausea during pregnancy. Indeed, some doctors agree that starch probably does soothe “morning sickness,” though probably only for psychological reasons. Unfortunately, the other effects are all bad.
FAQs
According to the few doctors who have studied the subject, the craving for laundry starch is an offshoot of the clay-eating habit still prevalent among some Southern Negroes.
Why do I crave Argo starch? ›
Cravings for plain cornstarch or other “non-nutritive substances” such as uncooked rice or clay are termed “pica.” This often is a consequence of iron deficiency (Expert Review of Hematology, November). Ask your doctor to test you for anemia.
Why did people eat Argo starch? ›
Eating the starch was a substitute for eating clay, which for generations was considered a delicacy among blacks and some whites in the South. As time passed, black women -- especially those in the North -- started eating starch because it was easier to come by and had the same gritty texture.
What is Argo starch used for? ›
Convenient and versatile, corn starch is used as a thickener for gravies, sauces and glazes, soups, stews and casseroles. It also thickens pies and is an essential ingredient in corn starch puddings and cake fillings.
What does eating starch do to the body? ›
Starchy foods are the main source of carbohydrate and play an important role in a healthy diet. They are also a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in your diet. As well as starch, they contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.
How to get rid of cornstarch cravings? ›
This sounds like "pica" - craving inedible things. This can arise from nutritional deficiency, problems with absorbing nutrients, conditions like pregnancy, or from stress and emotional problems. I suggest that you take a multivitamin that includes iron and go talk to your doctor as soon as possible about this problem.
What deficiency causes starch cravings? ›
While some people blame a sweet tooth for their urge to eat carbs and sugar, others suggest that nutritional deficiencies of magnesium, zinc, chromium, amino acids (tryptophan), or vitamins (vitamin D especially), may actually be the culprit.
What are you deficient in if you crave cornstarch? ›
But just knowing I shouldn't eat starch is not enough. A: Please see a doctor and ask to be tested for iron or zinc deficiency. Pica, compulsively eating a substance that is not food, is frequently associated with such a mineral deficiency and often goes away when the deficiency is corrected.
What should I eat if I crave starch? ›
Go for the right kind of carbs.
Complex carbs, the ones you find in whole grains and veggies, are your body's main source of energy. They take a while to digest, so your blood sugar levels rise slowly and you feel satisfied longer. Non-starchy veggies, such as carrots, have fewer carbs than starchy ones like potatoes.
Can you eat Argo Corn Starch raw? ›
Yes, it is safe to eat cornstarch in small amounts. Cornstarch should never be consumed raw, though. Most recipes that use cornstarch call for 1 to 2 tablespoons that are heated either on the stovetop or in the oven. To thicken a sauce, soup or stew, mix a small amount of cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry.
Diets high in refined starches are linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and weight gain. In addition, they can cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and then fall sharply. This is especially important for people with diabetes and prediabetes, since their bodies can't efficiently remove sugar from the blood.
Why am I addicted to starch? ›
Sugar and starch are both powerful appetite stimulants. That means, by inhibiting the hormone Leptin (the feel-full hormone), they tell the brain that we need to eat more. On the other hand, protein and fat do the opposite. Through the hormone Leptin, they send a signal to the brain to stop over-eating.
What is the best starch for your gut? ›
Oats are a good source of resistant starch, providing around 3.6 grams per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked oatmeal flakes.
- Cooked and cooled rice. ...
- Some other grains. ...
- Beans and legumes. ...
- Cooked and cooled potatoes. ...
- Green bananas. ...
- Hi-maize resistant starch. ...
- Other cooked and cooled starchy carbs.
Cornstarch can be refrigerated or frozen to extend its shelf life. However, it's not necessary if stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Refrigeration or freezing may cause clumping or changes in texture when thawed or brought back to room temperature.
Does Argo corn starch expire? ›
Corn starch may be stored indefinitely if it's kept dry.
Is laundry starch edible? ›
Laundry starch, even when eaten, is not subject to any FDA regulation. Yes, that's a bit of a tongue-in-cheek remark on my part. At one time, markets displayed laundry starch in the snack aisle. However, even if it's not there, people who crave it will find it in the store.
What are the benefits of laundry starch? ›
Yes, starch makes clothes stiff by adding hold to clothing, creating a crisp, professional finish. Starch adds crispness and structure, providing body to cotton and linen items. It aids in ironing, easing the process and creating a higher resistance to wrinkling and soiling.
Why do people eat starch by itself? ›
You may have heard that people eat raw cornstarch for blood sugar issues and diabetes management. It's true raw cornstarch has been used as a medical intervention for cravings and blood sugar spikes in people with type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia, per February 2014 research Diabetes Spectrum.
Why do I eat laundry detergent? ›
Eating or craving non-food items like washing powder can be a sign of a mineral or micronutrient deficiency. Look up 'Pica' symptoms.
