Candida Diet

Candida albicans can be treated with perseverance, diet modification, and a few supplements.  Every person is an individual and may need to have their own ‘yeast control’ diet tailored to them. 

Following are some universal ideas for a Candida Diet:

• No sugar in any form.
• No fruit or fruit products.
• No aged products like cheeses.
• No fermented or vinegar containing foods like pickles, ketchup, or mustard.
• No yeast containing foods like cookies, breads, crackers, or packaged foods.
• No leftovers.

Sugars, whether refined or from carbohydrates like white flour, feed yeast.  If you have ever made bread and softened the yeast in a bowl of warm fluid with a little sugar dissolved in it, you know just how well yeast can reproduce using sugar as its fuel source.

Fruit contains a high amount of natural sugars.  Fruit juice can be used in place of sugar when softening yeast to make bread.  Some fruit carries high mold content on its skin (e.g. cantaloupe, grapes and blueberries).  Mold can compromise the human system in just the same way yeast does, and so it is important to control the amount of stress the body has to deal with by avoiding mold carrying foods.  Aged foods germinate mold spores also.

Fermented foods and vinegar containing foods alter the pH of the body making it more hospitable towards yeast.  Yeast containing food, which includes most packaged foods, give off toxins which stress the body and can make getting rid of yeast much more difficult.  The yeast in foods is not at all related to Candida albicans.

Leftovers that are stored in the fridge or at room temperature for more than four hours germinate mold spores.  If there are leftovers after a meal which the Candida fighting person wants to consume later, the leftovers must be frozen immediately (preferably in individual servings).  When leftovers are eventually used, they must be defrosted very quickly and heated very thoroughly (not in a microwave because it does not heat evenly).

It is important to remember that even when the yeast is under control, one cannot resume former dietary patterns.  The bad habits which allowed Candida to flourish once will probably allow it to flourish again.

Foods to Avoid

• All sugars, refined and raw including honey, molasses, and maple syrup.
• All fruits in all forms including dried and juices (especially melons, blueberries, and tropical fruits).
• All nightshade like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
• All foods containing vinegar.
• All foods containing yeast (bread, crackers, and most processed foods).
• All cheeses and fermented foods (including alcohol).
• All mushrooms.
• All leftovers.
• Peanuts.
• Soy sauce.
• Coffee, tea and tobacco products.
• Serious cases may also need to avoid wheat.
  

Foods to Focus on

• Animal proteins like poultry breast, salmon, trout, lamb, and eggs.
• Vegetarian proteins like lentils, legumes, tofu, nuts, and seeds.
• All vegetables not listed above.
• Nut butters – Except peanut.
• Whole grains (brown rice, millet, etc.).
• Red-skinned potatoes, in small amounts.
• May include white milk, plain yogurt, sour cream and plain cream cheese if not contraindicated by other conditions.
• Herbal teas.
  

Menu Ideas

Breakfast:  A poached egg on an allowed pancake or rice cake.  Whole grain pancake with butter and cinnamon.

Lunch:  Homemade vegetable soup with whole grain baking powder biscuit.

Supper:  Chicken breast and steamed vegetables.  Stir-fry.  Whole grain pasta with herbed oil dressing.