Your intestines contain approximately 750 trillion microorganisms, including the yeast species Candida albicans. Under normal circumstances, your gut flora aid digestion, boost immune activity and modulate fat storage. Some alternative-medicine advocates believe that rapid growth in candida yeast populations causes a variety of medical symptoms that can be improved by changing your diet. Before beginning an anti-candida diet, talk to your doctor to ensure it is safe for you.
Diet Purpose
A sudden spike in your intestinal population of candida yeast causes a syndrome known as candidiasis. Symptoms of candidiasis include abdominal pain, a white coating on your tongue, joint pain, weight gain, depressed mood, irritability, mood swings, bloating and fatigue. The candida diet aims to kill excess candida yeast and restore balance to your gut flora. Eliminating dietary sugars -- the primary food source for candida -- helps starve the yeast and improves your medical symptoms.
Whole Nuts
When purchasing whole nuts, avoid cashews and pistachios. These nuts are high in carbohydrates and may cause candida yeast overgrowth. Individuals on a candida diet should also stay clear of peanuts, which are highly susceptible to mold. Although these molds may not be visible to the naked eye, they can cause symptoms of candidiasis.
Sliced Nuts
Although pre-sliced or cracked nuts are convenient snack foods, you should eliminate them from your anti-candida diet. Slicing nuts increases the likelihood of nuts coming into contact with mold spores. Because sliced or cracked nuts are susceptible to mold growth, choose whole nuts instead. If you prefer sliced nuts, crack and cut them yourself. Eat freshly cracked nuts immediately to prevent mold growth.
Safe Nuts
Nuts are a good way to incorporate protein and healthy fats into your candida diet if you choose the correct nut varieties. Whole almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts are low in carbohydrates and relatively resistant to mold growth. To be safe and prevent mold, soak nuts in filtered water for several hours before eating. Alternatively, spray them with diluted grapefruit seed extract to remove mold spores.
Considerations
Although alternative medicine advocates attribute a variety of medical symptoms to candida yeast overgrowth, most conventional medicine practitioners remain wary of the diagnosis of candidiaisis. According to Brent Bauer, M.D., no reputable scientific evidence suggests that an anti-candida diet alters your intestinal levels of candida yeast. Many dieters feel better on the candida diet because they replace white flour, processed meals and other unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives, not because the specialized diet kills candida yeast. Before beginning an anti-candida diet, discuss your plans with a doctor.
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