The Candida Diet & Bananas

The Candida Diet & Bananas
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The Candida diet operates around the theory that Candida yeast causes you to have cravings that lead you to eat unhealthy foods. The Candida diet claims that by depriving Candida yeast of it's food sources you will eventually experience less intense cravings for unhealthy food and find eating healthy to be less of a struggle.

Function

The Candida diet claims to help you develop better eating habits that will result in weight loss and an overall improvement in your health and vitality. This diet is a major overhaul for most people because it requires the subtraction of a significant amount of sugar from your diet. The Candida diet requires that you cut down on fruits high in sugar as well. The banana is an example of a fruit that is high in sugar. However, the Candida diet does allow you to eat fruits like the banana in moderation because of their nutritional value.

Nutritional Facts

The banana may be eaten in moderation on the Candida diet, despite the fact that it's high in sugar, because it contains several useful nutritional components. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, bananas contain 12.23g of sugar per 100g. Bananas also contain 1.09g of protein and 2.6g of fiber per 100g. Bananas contain various nutrients including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Bananas carry a very high concentration of potassium at 358mg per 100g of fruit. Bananas also contain vitamin C and several vitamins in the B complex.

Health Benefits

Potassium is the most prominent mineral in bananas and it carries several benefits. Potassium assists in your acid-base balance and in protein synthesis. Potassium is necessary for the formation of muscle tissue and is essential to the normal electrical activity of your heart. Vitamin C is among the most prominent vitamins in bananas. Vitamin C carries antioxidant benefits that help provide a boost to your immune system.

Additional Guidelines

Your freedom to enjoy fruits on the Candida diet depends on the amount of naturally occurring sugar those fruits contain. Fruits like bananas, oranges, dates and raisins are high in natural sugar and must be eaten sparingly. Apples, apricots, peaches and melons have a moderate amount of sugar. Low sugar fruits include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and pears. Fruits with the lowest amounts of sugar are most advisable for the Candida diet.

Considerations

In addition to foods that are high in sugar, the Candida diet asks you to give up a list of other foods and beverages that may be staples in your current diet. On the Candida diet you need to cut out alcohol, wheat and yeast. The Candida diet also asks you to give up caffeine because diet proponents believe this drug encourages the liver to dump large amounts of sugar into your bloodstream. The Candida diet requires you to eliminate preservatives and additives which are common in processed or refined foods. You will also have to give up milk and cheese as well as any moldy foods. The cheese and milk contain lactose, a sugar that the Candida diet strives to eliminate from your diet. The Candida diet also encourages a low carbohydrate intake. The elimination of all of these foods may cause a major disruption in your diet and lifestyle. Consult your doctor before making such severe changes in your diet.

References

Article reviewed by Lisa Dittrich Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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