The Candida Diet Explained
Anti-Candida Diet, or Candida Cleanse, or even Yeast Free Diet; the terminology can be confusing but the approaches all share the same goal: To rid the body of an overgrowth of the Candida albicans yeast. A Candida infection can affect a variety of areas of the body, the most common being the mouth, throat, genital area and gastrointestinal tract.
The symptoms vary depending on the part of the body affected and the severity of the infection. The effects can be topical for example itchiness, redness and irritation of the genital area in the case of vaginal thrush and penis yeast infection and more generalized symptoms in the case of Candidasis of the gut. Fatigue, constipation, muscle and joint pain, digestion problems, ‘brain fog,’ depression and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome have been associated with a systemic Candida infection.
Diets and cleanses are designed to address the root cause of the infection by altering the conditions in the body to make them less favorable to Candida growth. Candida diet recipes generally restrict the amount of sugars, carbohydrates foods containing yeast from the diet. Many of the diet plans incorporate antifungal supplements, dietary fiber and probiotics into the diet.
The following foods are restricted on a Candida diet, anti Candida diet or Candida Cleanse:
- Refined sugars, honey and syrups
- Alcohol
- Fresh fruit and fruit juices
- Fermented foods such as vinegar and soy sauce
- Breads or baked products containing yeast
- Foods containing mold such as aged or blue cheeses
- Foods containing gluten such as wheat, barley, and rye (as well as products made from these)
- Mushrooms
- Processed, dried or smoked meats
The following foods are allowed or encouraged and form part of a 'Candida diet food list':
- Vegetables
- Garlic (ideally in raw form) as this has known antifungal and antibacterial qualities
- Chicken, beef, turkey, fish, sea food
- Eggs
- Natural live yogurt containing live acidophilus
- Rice bran, oats and oatmeal
- Green tea diet
The following supplements are often also recommended:
- Dietary fiber such as psylium husk and other foods rich in soluble fibre.
- Volatile essentials oils such as oregano oil and peppermint oil, best taken as enteric coated capsules (to ensure release at the right time).
- Caprylic acid, a fatty acid known to have anti-fungal qualities, again best taken in as an enteric coasted capsule. (A recommended brand is Capriul which combines the fatty acid with psyllium husk and sawflower oil which contains another fatty acid with similar qualities to Caprylic acid)
- Green algaie such as chlorella and spirulina. Also known as super green foods these have a detoxifying effect in the body and help promote a strong alkaline environment in the intestinal tract. This can help destroy Candida, which prefers more acidic conditions.
- Probiotics to promote a healthy balance of intestinal flora and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. The most commonly used probiotic bacteria are lactobacilli, bacillus, bifidobacteria and acidopholus. The best probiotic products provide detailed information on the bacteria strains provided and the number of colony forming units (CFUs) per strain. A probiotic blend often recommended for Candida is ThreeLac.
- Other supplements recommended by alternative health professional include edible clay (to absorb the toxins), colloidal silver (which is said to interfere with the enzyme involved with supplying oxygen to the Candid yeast) and grapefruit seed extract.
Care should be taken when adding supplements to the diet to stick to recommended dosages. In addition not all of the supplements have been clinically tested for the treatment of Candida.
Diet is one of the best defenses against Candida. Following a disciplined anti Candida albicans diet for three months should result in improvements. Dietary approaches are often used in combination with topical treatments and homeopathic remedies (such as Yeastrol) to relieve the symptoms of the infection. These are summarized on our yeast infection treatment page.
Information on this site is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not intended as professional medical advice and should not be used to substitute for a doctor's recommendation. Please read our Disclaimer.
