Candida Cleanse Diet | What Diet to Follow While Cleansing Candida

Getting rid of Candida can be a challenge. Even if you're on anti-fungal medication, you won't see much success unless you adjust your diet. 

 

Dietary changes are essential to all of our protocols; especially our candida cleanse protocol.

 

If your gut health is off, leading to an overgrowth of Candida, lifestyle and diet changes are necessary for long-term improvements. We are all about terrain management here at Zuma Nutrition. Diet is perhaps the most powerful lever we have for changing the terrain in the gastrointestinal tract.

 

This article will focus on what diet we recommend while following our 90-day Candida Cleanse Protocol. If you would like to learn more about Candida overgrowth , read our blog "What is Candida Albicans? Understanding Fungal Infections".

 

First, a Few Notes on Getting Rid of Candida Overgrowth

 

It is recommended to  seek medical advice if you have severe candida overgrowth symptoms. To learn more about candida overgrowth symptoms, read this blog. Treatment of a candida infection depends on what kind of infection you have. However, there are some general guidelines for treatment.

 

 

Like most forms of illness, the best way to treat candidiasis and prevent recurring infections is to address the underlying cause. The foods you eat play a critical role in maintaining the balance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in your gut. A diet high in refined sugars, processed foods, and pasteurized dairy products can encourage candida and other "bad" microorganisms to grow in the body.

 

What is the Candida Diet?

 

The Candida Diet, sometimes called "the Anti-Candida Diet" the “Candida Cleanse Diet” or the “Yeast Overgrowth Diet” Is the diet we recommend sticking to while following our 90-day candida cleanse protocol. This diet is a low-sugar, anti-inflammatory diet that eliminates the following foods:

 

• added sugars
• gluten
• alcohol
• processed foods
• foods that are hard to digest
• foods that can damage gut health

 

Generally speaking, the Candida Cleanse Diet removes all flour, sugar, and yeast sources from your diet. This diet also encourages lean proteins, healthy fats, low-starch vegetables, non-glutinous grains, some low sugar fruits, some dairy products, fermented foods, and some targeted herbs and supplements.

 

By improving your gut health and restoring the balance of the bacteria and yeast that live inside your body, you can get relief from Candida symptoms. This diet aims to restore the population of Candida to normal levels and promote a healthy terrain in the gut so that "good bacteria" have an environment they can thrive in.

 

How Do You Follow the Candida Diet?

 

To follow the Candida Cleanse Diet, the most important thing to do is to adhere to these principles intended to help reduce the overgrowth of candida.

 

Avoid Added Sugars

 

One of the most important things to do when following a Candida diet is to avoid all added sugars. The Candida albicans yeast needs sugar to grow. Candida also needs sugar to transition into its more pathogenic, fungal form, which is the form of candida that is most likely to spread and eventually lead to leaky gut.

 

Candida also uses sugar to form the biofilms that allow it to hide from your immune system and from anti-fungal herbs. This biofilm protects the pathogenic yeast from anti-fungal compounds. Biofilms make candida very difficult to treat, as they offer a layer of extra protection to candida.

 

 

Added sugars are in many foods, and we often consume them without realizing it. Because of this, it is essential that you read the labels on foods and check the ingredients for added sugar. Some common foods that often have added sugar include:

 

• soda
• energy drinks
• sports drinks
• sauces
• condiments
• salad dressings
• fruit juices
• teas
• cereals
• yeast bread
• candy
• grain-based desserts
• dairy desserts
• syrups
• toppings
• packaged and processed foods

 

If you are on a Candida diet, it is best to focus on whole foods in their natural form and avoid added sugars. We recommend limiting your sugar intake to the morning when you can eat a small amount of low glycemic fruit. Once the candida infection is gone, fruit can be a very healthy part of a nutritious diet. However, it is recommended to limit fruit intake on the Candida Cleanse Diet to help starve the candida overgrowth.

 

We also recommend avoiding stevia and erythritol on the Candida diet. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, so if you have a severe Candida outbreak, it is recommended to avoid this sweetener as well as it could feed your Candida infection.

 

Eat Low-Starch Vegetables

 

 

While vegetables are an essential food group for any healthy diet, including the candida diet, try to minimize starchy vegetables while following this diet. 

 

Examples of high starch vegetables to reduce during this diet include:

 

• white potatoes
• yams
• sweet potatoes
• corn
• peas
• beans

 

You do not have to remove these vegetables from your diet completely. However, don't eat too many of them and favor mostly green, low-starch vegetables. Focus on eating nutrient-dense vegetables that have lower calories.

 

Here are some examples of low starch vegetables to include in your diet during this cleanse:

 

• spinach
• dandelion greens
• kale
• cherry tomatoes
• bell peppers
• zucchini
• cucumber
• cauliflower
• brussels sprouts
• broccoli

 

When shopping for these vegetables, buy organic and cook them with good oils! Bad oils can make any healthy meal into an inflammatory nightmare; for more information on how to find healthy cooking oils, read this blog.

 

 

Eat Fruits That Are Low In Sugar

 

 

Often, fruit is eliminated from the Candida diet completely because of its high sugar content. Some fruits, however, like lemons, can actually help eliminate candida. Therefore, you don't need to get rid of all fruits (though you limit fructose intake).

 

The studies on whether fructose negatively or positively affects candida growth are not conclusive. For our Candida Cleanse Diet, we recommend focusing on low glycemic fruits and limiting intake to the morning on an empty stomach.

 

Remove these high-sugar fruits from the diet entirely during your 90 day cleanse:

 

• bananas
• mangos
• cantaloupe
• apples
• grapes
• figs

 

These fruits can be included during your cleanse daily:

 

• lemons
• limes
• avocados

 

These fruits should be eaten in moderation in the morning before any animal proteins:

 

• blueberries
• raspberries
• strawberries
• oranges
• cherries
• blackberries

 

We recommend eating before animal proteins because animal proteins require time to digest, which simple sugars can make more difficult. In the morning you are in a fasted state, which is ideal for consuming simple sugars.

 

Include Prebiotic Foods in Your Diet

 

 

Prebiotic foods are indigestible carbs that help feed beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. To learn more about prebiotics, read our blog about prebiotics.

 

Prebiotic foods are essential for getting your gut health back on track. While some prebiotic foods contain sugar, we have created a list below of beneficial prebiotic foods that do not contain significant amounts of sugar.

 

Try to include these prebiotic foods while following this diet:

 

• oats
• garlic
• onions
• leeks
• dandelion greens
• asparagus
• chicory root
• jerusalem artichoke
• barley
• flax seeds
• jicama root
• burdock root
• cacao

 

It is recommended to eat plenty of vegetables on the Candida diet as they often contain prebiotic fibers that support gut health.  

 

Include Probiotic Foods in Your Diet

 

 

Probiotics help to colonize the gut with beneficial bacteria. Healthy gut flora keeps candida levels under control and contributes to your overall health and immunity. As detailed in our candida cleanse protocol, a clinical-grade probiotic supplement is very beneficial for reducing Candida overgrowth. In addition to taking this probiotic, it is also recommended to include probiotic-rich foods in your diet.

 

Examples of probiotic-rich fermented foods include:

 

• yogurt
• kimchi
• sauerkraut
• kombucha
• kefir
• pickles
• miso
• kvass
• olives
• apple cider vinegar

 

When consuming these foods, be sure the foods contain live cultures, as the pasteurization process can kill these beneficial bacteria. Labels that have terms like "live cultures," "probiotic," "raw," and "unpasteurized" are good signs that the product contains live bacteria.

 

Avoid Gluten

 

 

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. It is well-known as an allergen for those with Celiac disease. Still, increasing evidence shows that gluten affects the health of more than just people with Celiac disease.

 

New research shows that gluten triggers the production of zonulin. This pro-inflammatory protein can be tough on the gut. While following our Candida Cleanse Diet, try to avoid gluten. If you need to include bread, opt for freshly made sourdough bread, which is fermented and easier to digest.

 

Cut Back on Alcohol

 

 

Alcohol may be one of the most commonly used intoxicants. Still, it also has many adverse health effects, including harming your gut health.

 

Numerous very clear studies show that alcohol leads to candida overgrowth and other gut health issues. If you would like to read more about this connection, check out this blog about the connection between candida and alcohol.

 

If a long-term Candida overgrowth has damaged your gut, drinking alcohol can make your gut health even worse and can cause candida to come back in the future.

 

While on the Candida diet, we recommend that you cut back your alcohol consumption or, even better, eliminate it completely during this 90-day program. Make sure to avoid beer and wine while doing this protocol especially, as they contain fermented sugars that feed candida yeast.

 

Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet

 

 

 

Make sure you eat foods rich in vitamins, micronutrients, and minerals. Here is a helpful chart that includes a food list of nutrient-dense foods that are Candida Detox Diet compliant. We have listed the foods for each essential vitamin. Aim to eat nutrient dense foods in this list. These nutrient-dense foods will help to nourish your body. 

 

We do recommend that you limit dense tissue meats during any cleanse though so make sure to limit these foods even if they are in this list. We recommend limiting these foods because they can be tough to digest and cause constipation. Dense tissue meats include: lamb, pork, beef, veal bison and other similar animals. If constipation is not an issue for you, then eating these foods in moderation is okay.

 

Vitamin A

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin A Include: 

 

• Organic Red Bell Pepper
• Organic Carrots
• Organic Kale
• Organic Spinach
• Organic Broccoli
• Organic Brussel Sprouts
• Cod Liver Oil (Sourcing is essential with Cod Liver Oil, we recommend Rosita Brand)
• Pasture-Raised Eggs
• Ruminant Animal Organ Meats (Eat in moderation)
• Grass-Fed Butter
• Raw Dairy (be cautious of your sourcing)

 

B Vitamins

 

Healthy Food Sources of B Vitamins include: 

 

• Bee Pollen
• Stabilized Rice Bran
• Grass-Fed Beef Liver (Eat in moderation)
• Organic Chlorella
• Organic Spirulina
• Organic Kale
• Organic Parsley
• Organic Kelp
• Grass-Fed Beef (Eat in moderation)
• Grass-Fed Lamb (Eat in moderation)
• Pasture-Raised Chicken
• Wild-Caught Fish
• Ruminant Animal Organ Meats (Eat in moderation)
• Organic Nuts and Seeds

 

B12 

 

Healthy Food Sources of B12 include: 

 

• Ruminant Animal Organ Meats (Eat in moderation)
• Grass-Fed Beef (Eat in moderation)
• Wild Caught Fish (be careful with heavy metals)
• Raw Dairy (be cautious of your sourcing)
• Pasture-Raised Eggs 

 

Vitamin C

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin C Include: 

 

• Organic Citrus Fruits
• Organic Amla Berries
• Organic Rose Hips
• Organic Kakadu Plum
• Organic Guavas
• Organic Guava Leaves
• Organic Bell Peppers
• Organic Acerola Cherries 

 

Vitamin D

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin D include: 

 

• Cod Liver Oil
• Wild Caught Salmon
• Grass-Fed Beef Liver (Eat in moderation)
• Wild Caught Tuna
• Pasture-Raised Egg Yolks
• Wild Mushrooms 

 

We recommend making sure you are not deficient in any essential vitamins, nutrients, or minerals and making sure you are getting ample sunlight before taking vitamin D supplements. If you opt for a vitamin D supplement, make sure it is a D + K2 Complex. The vitamin K2 is important for the bioavailability of Vitamin D.

 

Vitamin E

 

Healthy Sources of Vitamin E Include: 

 

• Wheat Germ Oil
• Cod Liver Oil
• Pasture-Raised Eggs
• Organic Pine Nuts
• Wild Caught Salmon
• Organic Brazil Nuts
• Organic Red Bell Pepper
• Organic Avocado
• Organic Spinach
• Organic Sunflower Seeds

 

Vitamin K2

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin K2 include: 

 

• Organic Kale
• Organic Mustard Greens
• Organic Swiss chard
• Organic Spinach
• Organic Broccoli
• Grass-Fed Beef Liver (Eat in moderation)
• Organic Kiwi
• Raw Dairy (be cautious of your sourcing)
• Organic Avocado
• Organic Beet Greens
• Organic Parsley
• Organic Cabbage 

 

Eat Foods That Improve Gut Health

 

 

Aside from cutting back on sugar, much of the Candida diet focuses on reducing inflammation and improving gut health. Therefore, it is essential to eat less of the foods that lead to inflammation and more of the foods that reduce inflammation and promote healing. 

 

Eating a diet rich in vegetables, low-sugar fruits, healthy proteins and fats, and fermented foods is essential for reducing inflammation and restoring gut health. These are among the best foods to eat for yeast infections.

 

Here are some gut nourishing foods to include in your diet daily:

 

• Organic Low Glycemic Fruits (See List Above)
• Organic Celery Juice
• Organic Cabbage Juice
• Well Sourced Bone broth
• Coconut Oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Asparagus
• Sauerkraut
• Ginger

 

Focus on Nutrition

 

Suppose your diet has been full of processed foods, soft drinks, chips, desserts, and other junk foods. In that case, the Candida diet will dramatically improve your nutrition. Foods like vegetables, fruits, and healthy proteins are more nutritious and help improve your health and well-being.

 

As you follow the Candida diet, reflect on your dietary choices and commit to making food choices that improve your quality of health. Some ways you can do this include:

 

• Eat whole foods and foods in their natural form whenever possible
• Eat more produce (fruits and vegetables)
• Focus on getting fiber into your diet and lots of green vegetables
• Buy organic whenever possible
• Strive to buy local and in-season foods when possible, as they are generally fresher and more nutritious
• Learn about the foods you eat and focus on foods that are rich in nutrients

 

Drink Mineral Rich Water

 

 

Drinking sufficient quantities of water and staying hydrated are essential to your health. It's also crucial for helping your body eliminate Candida overgrowth. Your body needs water to function, and when you don't get enough water, it can impair your health.

 

We recommend drinking reverse osmosis filtered water that contains the trace minerals in our fulvic acid & trace ocean minerals product. You add these minerals are added to the water after being filtered. If you can get spring water from a pure natural spring or can obtain it from your local market, this is another great option for high-quality drinking water. .

 

Aim to drink 3-5 liters of water per day during this cleanse protocol. 

 

Supplement with Magnesium Daily

 

Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body. The average person is extremely deficient in magnesium. If you are often stressed-out, your magnesium burn rate is likely very high. We recommend diluting magnesium malate into your drinking water a few times a day. Dr. Mercola makes good magnesium malate; find it here.

 

 

Space Out Your Meals to Allow For Proper Digestion

 

Aim to space out your meals to allow for about three hours between each meal. Spacing out your meals allows the full digestive process to take place. Try not to snack every time you are hungry and instead make herbal tea or drink mineral-rich water. Your hunger could also be coming from dehydration or from your body cleansing itself.

 

Balance Blood Sugar

 

Blood sugar is a complex subject, but here are a few essential tips. Eat protein, fat, and carbohydrates with each meal. Eat lower glycemic vegetables, and only have your fruit on an empty stomach in the morning. If you suffer from blood sugar imbalance issues, consider taking a bitter melon extract supplement or a Ceylon cinnamon supplement. Apple cider vinegar can also be beneficial.

 

Focus on Digestion

 

Digestion is a process that breaks food down to a size that is small enough for it to be absorbed in the small intestine. This process is complex and takes hours, depending on what you have eaten. Therefore, focusing on digestive health is extremely important for improving gut health long term. 

 

Here are some tips to improve digestion:

 

• eat slowly and mindfully
• eat fruit on an empty stomach only (usually in the morning in a fasted state)
• avoid sugar other than fructose 
• take digestive bitters a few minutes before a meal. Our Candida Cleanse Tonic is our recommended bitters tonic

 

Incorporate Anti-Fungal Herbs, Anti-Fungal Foods, and Therapeutic Supplements into Your Diet

 

Here are some powerful antifungals to include while following the Candida Cleanse Diet:

 

• Oregon Grape Root
• Goldenseal
• Grape Seed
• Clove
• Ginger
• Ginseng
• Multi-Strain Probiotic Supplement
• Garlic
• Coconut Oil
• Aloe Vera
• Turmeric
• Fulvic Acid

 

If you would like to learn more about the best herbs for eliminating candida, check out this blog. Also, check out this blog if you would like to learn more about the supplements that are the strongest candida killers. 

 

Summarizing Your Good Foods List

 

In summary, here is a list of foods that have been mentioned in this article as good foods to eat to get rid of yeast infection.  Later in this article, we will use this food list to build out your hypothetical candida diet meal plan. 

 

Here are good foods and herbs to eat on the Candida Cleanse Diet:

 

 

• Organic Garlic
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Organic Aloe Vera
• Organic Turmeric
• Organic Celery
• Organic Cabbage
• Well Sourced Bone broth
• Organic Onion
• Organic Asparagus
• Organic Sauerkraut
• Organic Kale
• Organic Mustard Greens
• Organic Swiss chard
• Organic Spinach
• Organic Broccoli
• Grass-Fed Beef Liver (limit during your cleanse to promote elimination)
• Organic Kiwi
• Raw Dairy (be cautious of your sourcing)
• Organic Avocado
• Organic Beet Greens
• Organic Parsley
• Organic Cabbage
• Wheat Germ Oil
• Cod Liver Oil
• Pasture-Raised Eggs
• Organic Pine Nuts
• Wild Caught Salmon
• Organic Brazil Nuts
• Organic Red Bell Pepper
• Organic Sunflower Seeds
• Wild Caught Tuna
• Pasture-Raised Egg Yolks
• Wild Mushrooms
• Organic Citrus Fruits
• Organic Amla Berries
• Organic Rose Hips
• Organic Kakadu Plum
• Organic Guavas
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Organic Guava Leaves
• Organic Bell Peppers
• Organic Acerola Cherries
• Ruminant Animal Organ Meats (limit during your cleanse to promote elimination)
• Grass-Fed Beef (limit during your cleanse to promote elimination)
• Wild Caught Fish (be careful with heavy metals)
• Pasture-Raised Eggs
• Bee Pollen
• Stabilized Rice Bran
• Organic Chlorella
• Organic Spirulina
• Organic Kelp
• Grass-Fed Lamb (limit during your cleanse to promote elimination)
• Pasture-Raised Chicken
• Wild-Caught Fish
• Organic Nuts and Seeds
• Organic Carrots
• Manuka Honey
• Organic Brussel Sprouts
• Ruminant Animal Organ Meats
• Grass-Fed Butter
• Oregon Grape Root
• Goldenseal
• Grape Seed
• Clove
• Ginger
• Ginseng

 

Foods to Avoid With A Yeast Infection or Candida Infection

 

Once again, in summary, here are the foods we recommend avoiding while following the Candida Cleanse Diet.

 

• Sugar especially processed sugar
• Simple carbohydrates (raw sugar, corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate)
• Yeast (breads, cakes, biscuits, cookies, crackers, flour, milk, buns, beer)
• Mold (including blue cheese)
• Mushrooms
• Alcohol
• Antibiotics
• Cigarette smoke
• Junk food and processed foods

 

Candida Diet Snacks

 

 

Snacking is an integral part of many people's lives. If you suffer from a Candida infection, however, you may need to change your snacking habits. People with Candida overgrowth often  crave sugary and sweet snacks (like candy, chocolate, muffins, or cake) or yeast-heavy snacks (like bread, bagels, and crackers). While these kinds of snacks are best to avoid, there are still many candida diet snacks that you can include in your Candida diet.

 

While doing a cleanse of any kind, you should keep snacking to a minimum and instead focus on eating nourishing and satisfying meals, and making sure you are spacing your meals so you can optimize digestion. That being said, here are some candida diet snacks that are safe to eat on a Candida diet:

 

• Carrots and Hummus
• Kale Chips Cooked in Olive Oil
• Sprouted pumpkin seeds
• Sprouted sunflower seeds
• Sprouted watermelon seeds
• Roasted almonds or other nuts (avoid peanuts, pistachios, and cashews on the Candida diet)
• Olives
• Sautéed Eggplant Cooked in Olive Oil
• Organic Sourdough Bread with Smashed Avocado
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Dandelion Greens Sautéed in Olive Oil
• Sauteed Yellow Squash in Olive Oil
• Eggs
• Low Glycemic Green Smoothie
• Grass-fed Organic Steak
• Free Range Organic Chicken
• Cauliflower tortillas with Kimchi and eggs
• Raw Cheddar Cheese
• Cooked Artichoke with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
• Avocado with Balsamic Vinegar
• Guacamole

 

It is also okay to have popcorn on the candida diet if it is made from non-GMO organic corn and does not contain added sugar. This means it is best to avoid caramel popcorn on the Candida diet.

 

People often ask if they can have honey on the Candida diet. While we recommend minimizing any kind of sweet, studies have found that honey can have anti-fungal properties. Manuka honey's candida-killing properties are the highest of any honey. So if you are going to eat honey, we recommend eating manuka honey and being moderate in your consumption.

 

What Bread Can I Eat on the Candida Diet?

 

 

Avoiding foods with yeast on a Candida diet is strongly encouraged, including bread. Bread has become a pretty important staple for many people, so going without it may be challenging. Thankfully, certain types of bread and bread alternatives are acceptable on the Candida diet. It is essential to know that some people with a high Candida count are also sensitive to foods like wheat, oats, and rye. Many of the bread alternatives here include wheat flour still. They just avoid using yeast to leaven the bread. Suppose you are sensitive to wheat or other grains. In that case, you can look for alternative recipes like using coconut flour, almond flour, or some other type of flour alternative. Bread that you can eat on a Candida diet includes:

 

• Soda Bread. Soda bread uses bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk. You can use plain yogurt and lemon juice if you don't have buttermilk. If you are on a vegan candida diet, you can use coconut yogurt or another alternative recipe.
• Flatbread. A flatbread is a bread made with flour, water, milk, yogurt, other liquid, and salt and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. The bread is typically made without leavening, so it is yeast-free.
• Pitta bread. Pitta bread is a candida-friendly solution to bread as it can be made yeast-free and sugar-free.
• Yeast-Free Naan. Naan is a traditional Indian type of bread that can also be made without yeast.
• Sourdough Bread. Sourdough bread relies on natural airborne yeasts, and many people with candida can tolerate them. In addition, many people who are intolerant to wheat can eat wheat once it's been through a long sourdough process.

 

Candida Meal Plan Examples

 

The Candida diet can seem overwhelming at first. However, this change in food choices is the ideal yeast infection diet, as it removes sugar (Candida’s primary fuel source) and includes foods that kill Candida, which can facilitate an effective yeast cleanse and help you restore your health.

 

In case you are wondering what to eat to get rid of yeast infection or candida infection, we wanted to provide you with  a few meal plan examples:

 

Candida Diet Breakfast:

 

• Sourdough bread with smashed avocado and poached eggs
• Oatmeal with Ceylon Cinnamon, coconut flakes, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds

 

Candida Diet Lunch Foods:

 

• Dandelion greens salad with baked chickpeas, sunflower seeds, quinoa, stone ground mustard, and lemon dressing. Add pasture-raised scrambled eggs on top.
• Lunch bowl with duck eggs, white rice, dandelion greens, cherry tomatoes, and red bell pepper, topped with grass-fed butter.

 

Candida Diet Dinner Foods:

 

• Brown rice and vegetable stir fry with broccoli, kale, carrot, pineapple, ginger, and wild-caught salmon
• Steamed vegetables and coconut curry soup with a side of wild halibut over brown rice.

 

 

Throughout this article, we mention some herbs that may be difficult to find in the above foods lists at the market. These herbs are the most potent anti-fungal herbs found in nature and are included in our Candida Cleanse Tonic. 

 

 

The herbs in this product include:

 

• Oregon Grape Root
• Goldenseal
• Grape Seed
• Clove
• Ginger
• Ginseng

 

Taking these herbs along with an anti fungal diet can help you get rid of Candida overgrowth and provide an effective yeast detox. It is important to include herbs and foods that kill Candida along with removing sugar from the diet. Taking a comprehensive approach like this will ensure the best Candida cleanse.

 

Foods to Eat to Clear Thrush

 

Oral thrush (oral candidiasis) is a type of Candida infection that affects the mouth and causes small white spots or lesions to form inside the mouth. While oral thrush can occur on its own, it is most commonly a symptom of a deeper fungal infection in the gut. Therefore, eating the foods that help with yeast infection mentioned in this Candida food list are also going to be the best foods to eat for oral thrush. However, you may want to focus more on eating mild foods that do not contain excessive spices or acids. These are foods to avoid with thrush as these may aggravate the mouth and interfere with healing.

 

What Foods Should I Eat If I Have A Chronic Yeast Infection?

 

If you have a chronic yeast infection or a Candida infection that is severe, the dietary recommendations are similar. However, in a chronic yeast infection diet, it is recommended to avoid all fruits, even the low-glycemic ones. In the usual Candida diet there are some fruits allowed. But in severe cases of Candida infection, it is recommended to avoid all fruit, at least in the initial stages of the diet. Instead, it is recommended to focus more on eating bitter foods and anti fungal foods that have Candida-killing properties, like leafy greens, dandelion, pumpkin seeds, coconut oil, peppers, spices, etc.

 

Can I Eat Mushrooms on The Candida Cleanse Diet?

 

There is some controversy around mushrooms and Candida. Candida and mushrooms are both fungus, and so many people consider mushrooms as one of the foods to avoid for fungal infections. However, Candida does not feed on fungus to grow, it feeds on sugar, as all fungi do. 

 

In addition, not all mushrooms are the same. Some studies have found that reishi mushroom may have anti-fungal properties, but this may not be the case for other mushrooms that contain different compounds than reishi mushroom.

 

Much of the concern around mushrooms and Candida focuses on culinary mushrooms like button mushrooms and portobello. There has not been enough research to determine whether these affect Candida or not. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid mushrooms on the Candida Cleanse Diet as a general precaution, and to stick to the foods in our Candida cleanse diet food list.

 

Does Rice Have Yeast?

 

It depends. Rice, in itself, does not have yeast. However, many foods have yeast on them because yeast is in the air wherever you go. So it is possible for rice to have yeast on it as well.

 

Yeast needs sugar in order to grow, preferably glucose. Rice contains very little glucose, but it does contain a lot of starch, which can be converted into sugar by yeast in the digestive tract.

 

White rice tends to be high in starch, which is why it is recommended to avoid it on the Candida diet. Brown rice, however, is considered to be a safe food to eat on the Candida diet. So, if you are going to eat rice on the Candida diet opt for brown rice. It is also still recommended to focus primarily on eating vegetables, healthy fats and lean-protein while on the Candida diet.

 

Do Potatoes Contain Yeast?

 

Just like rice, potatoes do not contain yeast in themselves. However, they are high in starch which can be converted into sugar by yeast and may promote yeast growth. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid potatoes on the Candida Detox Diet or on any low yeast diet that is focused on eliminating Candida overgrowth. Again, it is encouraged to stick to the foods on our anti Candida diet food list and to strive to always include at least one antifungal food in each meal.

 

Summary

 

Thank you for reading our Candida cleanse protocol diet guide. Dietary changes are foundational for improving gut health during your cleanse and beyond into the future. 

 

Be patient with yourself and your body during this protocol, and always give yourself some leniency around our recommendations. It takes time to adopt new habits and to take full responsibility for our health. We want to encourage you to always be kind to yourself as you go through these changes and not to beat yourself up if you don’t do it perfectly. 

 

Healing from a place of self-love, self-forgiveness and self-compassion will always be more effective than trying to heal from a place of self-judgment, self-hatred, or self-blame. 

 

It is important to have a good understanding of Candida overgrowth, and to know the proper protocol for recovering from this condition. But we understand that it is not always as easy to apply this information, as changing our dietary and lifestyle habits can be challenging. 

 

Just remember why you’ve decided to follow this protocol. Keep your health goals in mind and do your best each day to reach them. The more you stick to it, the easier it will become. 

 

Over time, this diet will change your palate to crave more bitter foods and less sugary sweet foods. As the health of your gut microbiome returns, you’ll begin to see relief from your symptoms and experience a newfound sense of health and vitality. 

Enjoy the process, take it one day at a time, and reach out to us if you have any questions. We are here to support you on your health journey!

 

 

 

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5343866/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21513811/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4860025/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4192553/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28389898/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32809459/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6038711/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3654610/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4863630/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5572443/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5628516/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4837971/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6463098/