We all know that an anti-candida diet is essential when you’re fighting the beast that is yeast, and there’s a whole list of “do not eat” comestibles. But I think there’s a special category within the anti-candida diet that I refer to as “Anti-Candida Superstar Foods.”
Superstar foods are the ones that can actively help your healing along, in one of four main ways:
- They actively kill off some of the excess fungus and yeast in the body (ie, anti-fungal foods);
- They help to reduce inflammation, thereby allowing your own immune system to operate more effectively (anti-inflammatory foods);
- They help to heal leaky gut, which is almost always an issue with candida (healing foods); and
- They actively boost the immune system, allowing your body to effectively heal itself (immune-boosting foods).
I’m going to add one more “Honorable Mention” category, too: Hypo-allergenic foods–that is, those foods least likely to spur allergic reactions–which will also lessen the load on the immune system.
I’ll deal with each of these categories in a separate video as part of the “Anti-Candida Superstar Foods” series.
In today’s video, I talk about my top three choices for anti-fungal foods that actively help to reduce the amount of yeast an fungus in the body.
Let me know in the comments: Do you eat these foods regularly? What’s your favorite way to cook and eat them?
Highlights:
- Which oil contains two potent anti-fungal compounds, and why you may want to watch the quantities you eat
- Which saturated fat is actually good for the immune system, the heart and easier to digest
- Which people should consider reduce the amount of healthy fats they eat
- The broad-spectrum antimicrobial that won’t kill off the “good” bacteria when you take it–so you can safely eat probiotics at the same time!
- A common root vegetable that is said to have powerful antifungal properties
- How to incorporate these three foods into everyday menus
Resources:
- The Sweet Life Club
- Living Candida-Free (Book)
- Anti-Candida Digital Cookbooks
- Candida Diet Individual Coaching
- Black Bean Fudge recipe
- Avocado Pesto Dressing recipe
- PubMed article
- Potato-Free Hash Browns recipe
- Rutabaga Gratin recipe
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase using those links, at no cost to you, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.
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Great info Ricki. I didn’t know that rutabaga is an antifungal food. I love to cut it into match sticks and cook in a frypan in a bit of water for a few minutes. I then add some fresh green garden peas (I know peas are not for stage 1) and cook till rutabaga is tender and peas are bright green. Top with parm or vegan parm, salt and pepper and a light sprinkle of nutmeg. Yummy. What I really love about your candida diet, is that it is a sound nutritional diet for all, not just those experiencing candida. I know I will continue to use your recipes for a very long time because they are just plain delicious.
Thanks so much, Darlene! I actually say just that about the diet all the time–it’s basically a good, whole-foods, cleansing diet that is nutritionally sound and could work for anyone (as long as they don’t have allergies to the foods). I’m so glad that you’ve moved beyond stage 1 and can eat other foods like peas now (and yes, that does sound delicious)! 😀
Hi Ricki,
I would love to try this Rutabagas Gratin. I like turnips the ones we get here are light orange in color. Thanks so much for all your recipies. I especially like your quick and easy fudge. It helps when I really need something sweet. I would like to know your comments on xylitol as a sweetener. Marg
Hi Marg, That sounds just like the rutabaga I get here, too. 🙂 And glad you like the fudge! I love xylitol and use it all the time. I talk more about it here and also here. Hope that helps!
I really have to find rutabaga now. Everyone is talking about it and I haven’t even seen that plant in real life not to mention cooking with it…
Edi, it’s sort of like turnips on steroids. Rutabaga looks like extra-large turnips with light yellow flesh. They are similar in texture and have a slightly more “robust” flavor. Hope that helps!
Can you address fodmaps with candida? In addition to being on an anti-candida diet, my doctor now wants me to eliminate high-fodmap foods also, due to leaky gut. This really restricts some of those anti-candia foods I so relied on (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc). Thankfully, I can still have my rutabaga as long as I limit to 1/2 cup serving. Coconut oil is great but I do have to watch now the amount of coconut milk and dried coconut…and coconut flour is out for now. 🙁 I just wondered if you had any advice for those like me who also have to restrict the fodmaps.
Thanks!
Hi Amy, I don’t actually deal with the medical/symptom/diet side of things at this point, so I’m afraid I don’t know anything specific about FODMAPS and haven’t looked into it. If someone tells me their restrictions, I can create recipes around that. Other than recipes. my focus is on mindset and how we can be happy within the dietary restrictions we need to follow. Sorry I can’t be of more help.