The candida diet or candida cleanse is a popular diet that is designed to reduce levels of Candida fungi in the body, which can lead to infections.
It is low on sugar, refined carbs, cheese and yeast. It includes anti-inflammatory foods, such as garlic, olives, probiotics and coconut oil. This diet claims to enhance your gut immunity as well as reestablish the good bacteria in the gut.
What is candida?
Candida is a unicellular variety of yeast, which has more than 100 species worldwide. The most common species involved in human infection is Candida albicans. This fungus grows very easily on a variety of surfaces, such as moist food, cloth, animal skin, and the human body.
It can grow and thrive wherever it finds humidity and sugar and leads to various types of infections. Common areas that are affected include the vagina, penile head, mouth, throat, and gut. The growth of candida is affected by many factors, such as immune health, antibiotic resistance, and blood sugar levels.
What foods can you eat on the candida diet?
The candida diet encourages eating all healthy food items. Examples include:
- Non-starchy vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, other leafy vegetables
- Low sugar fruits: Oranges, berries
- Gluten-free grain: Oats, quinoa, barley
- Selected dairy: Yogurt, buttermilk
- Healthy fats: Olive and coconut oil
- Nuts and dried fruits: Almonds, dried cranberries
- Natural sweeteners: Stevia, palm sugar
- Probiotic drinks: Kombucha, yogurt drinks
- Non-caffeinated drinks: Coconut water, green tea
- Lean meats: Fish, chicken
What foods should you avoid on the candida diet?
Food that has a very high sugar content or unhealthy fats should be avoided. Examples include:
- Junk food and desserts
- Starchy vegetables, such as potato, corn, and sweet potatoes
- High sugar fruits, such as mango and banana
- Processed meat
- Grains with gluten, such as all-purpose flour
- Dairy with high lactose content, such as milk and processed cheese
- Artificial sweeteners, such as white sugar, sucrose, and aspartame
- Some seeds and fruits, such as cashews and raisins
- Caffeinated drinks, such as tea and coffee
What does a Candida infection look like?
Yeast infections look different depending on the location:
- Mouth
- White patches
- Pain
- Inflammation and redness
- Difficulty eating and swallowing
- Persistent dryness around the mouth
- Vagina
- Itching
- White patches
- Inflammation
- Pain during urinating
- Abdominal pain
- Pain during intercourse
- Thick, white, foul-smelling discharge
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References
Jeziorek M, Frej-Madrzak M, Choroszy-Król I. The Influence of Diet on Gastrointestinal Candida spp. Colonization and the Susceptibility of Candida spp. to Antifungal Drugs. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2019;70(2):195-200. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31215785/
WebMD. What to Know About Candida Cleanse. https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-candida-cleanse
WebMD. What to Know About Candida Cleanse. https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-candida-cleanse
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