Best (And Worst) Foods for Candida
Best (And Worst) Foods for Candida
So you think you have candida, now what? A great place to start is with a diet that’s going to help bring your gut microbiome back into balance. Candida usually isn’t eradicated by diet alone, so in addition to diet changes, we recommend working with someone who can help you clear the infection with natural anti-fungals. For info on what candida is and signs to look for, go read my first article 7 Signs You Have a Candida Infection.
First, let's touch on a few foods you'd benefit from eliminating if you have candida.
Most Sugars
The main food candida thrives on is... you guessed it: SUGAR. So naturally, keeping the diet very low in sugars is extremely important to eliminate candida. Some common sugars found in packaged foods to look out for include:
High fructose corn syrup
Glucose-fructose
Anything ending in “ose” such as dextrose
White, brown, cane or beet sugars
Syrups such as malt or brown rice
Caramel
Agave
Juice crystals or concentrates
Maltodextrin, tapioca dextrin, etc.
Alcohol & Sugary Drinks
Alcohol rapidly converts to sugar in the body and because of that, candida absolutely loves it! Especially while on a candida cleanse, alcohol and drinks with added sugars should be removed from the diet.
What about grains?
While dealing with an active candida infection, you may want to consider eliminating grains, as they are higher in carbohydrates, aka sugars. The key grains that should definitely be removed while healing the gut include:
Gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye, barley, spelt and non-gluten-free oats)
White rice & rice flours
Rice noodles
All breads including whole-wheat
Batters and breading
Pastries & baked goods unless made with grain-free alternatives
Beans & Legumes
While foods like chickpeas, lentils, black and kidney beans are rich in fibre and plant-based protein, they’re not the most gut-friendly due to the presence of anti-nutrients like lectins and phytates. Additionally, they are higher in sugars.
What About Fruit?
Berries are the best options to enjoy on a candida diet due to their low sugar content.
Yeast
Being a yeast itself, candida thrives on added yeasts, so you’ll do best to avoid anything containing it.
Here are my top Candida-fighting foods to include!
Garlic - A powerful anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic food that can be a great addition to a candida-friendly diet.
Coconut oil - Contains caprylic and lauric acid, which are natural anti-fungal, candida fighters! Add coconut oil to foods, use it for medium temperature cooking, baking or try making coconut oil fat bombs.
Apple cider vinegar - Another natural antimicrobial to help fight candida, boost stomach acid helping with reflux, support the immune system, fight infection and keep your gut healthy. It can even help with weight loss!
Cinnamon, Oregano, Thyme & Cloves - Naturally anti-viral, anti-fungal and antibacterial, these herbs are a great addition to an anti-candida diet. They help support the immune system and fight infections.
Non-Starchy Vegetables - Being low in sugar and high in fibre and nutrients, non-starchy veggies like cauliflower, kale, spinach and asparagus are good options.
Vitamin A & C-Rich Foods - Include yellow and orange veggies such as carrots, lemons, limes, broccoli and other nutrient-dense foods.
If you’re struggling to make diet changes on your own, or have changed your diet and aren’t seeing the results you want, we’d love to help create a customized supplement protocol to help you clear candida!
Email us at hello@winnipegnutrition.com or visit our contact page here.
Asher Kleiber
Registered Holistic Nutritionist™
https://www.flourishnaturalwellness.com
