Candida Foods to Avoid

Candida Foods To Avoid List

In our Candida Diet Guidelines pages we gave you a brief introduction of what the diet involves.

This page shows you all the candida foods to avoid and foods that cause candida or make the problem worse.

At first it may seem difficult to avoid many of these foods but when you really think about what it will mean to feel healthy and energetic again you'll see it's really not a huge deal.

Plus there are still many healthy and delicious foods you can eat.

We have a complete candida food list that gives you many delicious options and alternatives when on the candida diet.

But now on to which foods not to eat on this plan.

Candida Foods to Avoid:

Sugar – Anything and everything containing sugar must be avoided. The purpose of the diet is to “starve” the yeast out of your body, and yeast feeds and grows on sugar, so lets cut it out altogether.

This includes honey, malt, desserts, cookies, cakes and any other foods containing sugar. Check all labels carefully as many manufacturers disguise sugar by using other names such as: maltose, lactose, fructose, sucrose and dextrose. Natural honey and maple syrup also contain sugar. Fruit is also to be avoided as it contains natural sugars which have an effect on yeast overgrowth.

* Sugar is one of the main candida foods to avoid.

Refined Grains - As discussed on the diet guidelines page, these behave like sugar in the body and include all white bread, white rice, white pasta, refined cereals such as cornflakes and anything containing white flour. Instead look for 100% whole wheat on the label.

Yeast - This means bread. All bread made using yeast is to be avoided. And please don’t forget foods that are coated in breadcrumbs such as chicken nuggets, etc. Bread items containing yeast include pizza bases, pita bread, bagels, French bread and just about any type of bread you find at the supermarket. You can get specially made breads that are yeast-free and we have included several great recipes on this site for homemade yeast-free bread.

* Yeast is one of the main candida foods to avoid.

Malted Products - Products like Ovaltine and even some cereals and crackers contain malt so read labels carefully.

Fermented Products - Foods that are fermented will aggravate the yeast in your body. These include vinegar, soy sauce, pickles, sourdough bread, ginger ale, beer and wine.

Alcohol - Some alcohol like beer and wine (listed above) are fermented and should be avoided but all alcoholic drinks such as vodka, gin, and rum are stimulants and release stored sugars into your blood stream. Basically when your body takes in a stimulant it has the same effect on the body that stress has and thus releases stored sugars. These sugars make your yeast condition flare up.

Dairy / Milk Products - Milk products contain natural sugars which is why they have that slightly sweet taste. These products should be avoided and include all cheeses (except cottage cheese), cream, milk and yogurt. Natural plain yogurt is allowed because it does not contain sugar (this is why it has a slightly sour taste). Natural butter is also allowed.

Fresh and Dried Fruit - This is a difficult one for people to understand because food is meant to be good for you, and it is. But when you’re suffering from yeast overgrowth fruit intake needs to be controlled because fruit contains natural occurring sugars.

To start exclude all fruits for 3 weeks and then slowly add an apple or pear a day to your diet and monitor your results. If you experience a flare up remove fruit for a further 2 weeks and reintroduce. All dried fruit contains fast-acting sugar and should be avoided until the candida has cleared.

Mushrooms – These area fungus and contain mould and should be avoided at all costs.

Smoked / Cured Foods – These include ham, bacon, sausages, smoked salmon, etc. Any smoked or cured foods.

Stimulants – This includes tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, soda and even some pain killers. Anything with added caffeine is a stimulant and behaves like stress in the body (see alcohol section above).

Artificial Sweeteners – These are just as bad for you as natural sugar in the sense that they still activate the yeast in the body. In fact, they are even worse than natural sugar because artificial sweeteners contain dangerous chemicals that can cause a host of disorders and illness in the body.

Spicy Foods – The reason for removing these is that they destroy the friendly bacteria in the gut. If you’re taking the Candida Yeast Support Supplement you may be able to include these foods in moderation, but always monitor the reaction in your body when you do so.

A Note About Sauces/Gravies: Gravy and other sauces are usually made using cornflour or white flour. I've included a candida gravy recipe in our recipe section and there are various other recipes for popular sauces. Keep in mind that most sauces tend to contain either milk or cream which are both foods to be avoided.

Always read all labels carefully and avoid these items when eating out if unsure of ingredients. Most pre-packaged gravies and sauces should be added to the candida foods to avoid list.

Although at first glance this candida foods to avoid list may seem very restrictive and you may be wondering what in the world you CAN eat, please be reassured that this diet is not forever and there are still many delicious, wholesome foods you can eat.

I recommend that you also take a look at the system I've used to help me cure my candida because changing your diet isn't the only factor to getting rid of your candida.

You can read the full review and get more information by Clicking Here.

Here's a complete Candida Allowed Foods List.

And here are some quick and easy to make candida diet recipes and a candida shopping list

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