Avoiding sugar in all of its various forms is truly key to fighting candida. The candida yeast cells need sugar to build their cell walls, expand their colonies and switch into their more virulent, fungal form.
This is why a low-sugar diet is such a necessary part of your candida treatment. Going forward, you want your diet to be centered on:
- vegetables
- high-quality protien foods (organic meats, eggs, etc)
- gluten-free grains (like brown rice and millet)
Avoiding fruit at this time is also commonly recommended because even though fruit is very healthy, it does get turned into sugar in the body.
In terms of vegetables, you also want to avoid these somewhat sweet, starchy varieties:
- potatoes
- carrots
- sweet potatoes
- yams
- beets
- peas
- parsnips
These vegetables are banned from a strict anti-candida diet because of their high carbohydrate content, but they’re certainly nutrient-dense and can be reintroduced later on, after the cleanse.
Here are the foods to:avoid on the candida diet.
1. Sugar and Sugar Alternatives
These sweet items feed yeast, so you should avoid them at all costs.
2. Fruit and Fruit Juice
Even though fruit is generally healthy, it’s high in sugar and can make candida worse.
3. Alcohol
Most alcohol contains yeast so it’s not surprising that it produces more of it when consumed. It should be avoided.
4. Grains
Grains break down into sugar and can feed candida, yeast and bad bacteria.
5. Vinegar
All types of vinegar should be avoided with candida overgrowth, except for RAW apple cider vinegar. Raw Apple cider vinegar is the only vinegar that provides an alkalizing benefit for the body and actually causes candida to die. Please be sure to read the ingredient lists on any foods becuase vinegar hides in a lot of things. (As do corn, wheat, and dairy!)
6. Peanuts
Peanuts can often carry mold, which only encourages the growth of candida.
7. Dairy
Unless it’s fermented, you ideally want to avoid dairy. Milk contains lactose, which is a sugar. Raw organic Yougurt and cheese are OK if you arent otherwise sensitive to dairy.
8. Food Intolerances
Some yeast infections are due to food allergies. Try to avoid foods that cause negative reactions of any kind.
Other foods to avoid include:
- Dried fruits
- Bananas
- Ice drinks
