Diet + Recipes

The most effective and rapid way to recover from the symptoms of candida overgrowth is to change one's diet.

Opinion varies, but on the whole the following should prove helpful. You will find that painstakingly reading the ingredients of everything you buy becomes essential. If your heart sinks on reading the recommendations it could be that you are addicted to certain foods. The general rule is that if you are addicted to something you are likely to be allergic to it. Try giving up two to three candida-causing food groups at a time if you find it too difficult to do it all at once. Food addictions can be even more powerful than drug addictions, so if at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again. Like all addictions, it is difficult to shake off in the beginning but the cravings eventually die off. Here is what to eat and drink and what to avoid:


AVOID:

PRODUCTS CONTAINING YEAST: bread, beer, pizza, cakes and pastries, tinned or pre-prepared food.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING SUGAR: these include sucrose, glucose, fructose, honey, molasses, syrups, artificial sweeteners and fruit. Some people can tolerate small amounts of certain fruit, especially lemons, apples and pears, but many must give up fruit altogether.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING COW DAIRY: cheese, cream, butter, yoghurt, milk, lactose, pastries, cakes, pizza, tinned and pre-packaged food . However, organic goat's and sheep's milk and cheese are often tolerated. Organic eggs are fine, although they should be eaten in moderation.

MEAT: some people find that small quantities of certain organic meat are tolerated. However, most people have over-consumed meat and have large amounts of decaying, undigested meat in their bowels. Not to mention the dangers of over-consuming animal protein in general. The body usually responds very well to stopping eating this heavy, difficult-to-digest food altogether.

ALL PROCESSED AND REFINED FOOD: for example, white flour products. Most tinned and pre-packaged food has little if no nutritional value and contains large amounts of substances that are bad for your health.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS, PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND STIMULANTS: tea and coffee. Some herbal teas are tolerated such as mint.

CERTAIN VEGETABLES: tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines (tobacco family!), peppers and mushrooms. Some people are also sensitive to corn, peas, cabbage and carrots. More extreme cases of candida produce an intolerance to all starchy carbohydrates, which can make eating pulses, (non sprouted) seeds and grains an aggravating factor.

SMOKED AND FERMENTED PRODUCTS: including vinegar (if you must use it then organic white alcohol vinegar provokes less fungal growth than others), soya sauce and miso(although good quality organic can sometimes be tolerated)and smoked foods.

SWEET AND FIZZY DRINKS: including fizzy water and fruit juices.


WHAT TO EAT:

(ORGANIC BROWN RICE AND OTHER WHOLE CEREALS)_Warning: many candida sufferers have an intolerance to all starchy carbohydrates and may have to give up pulses, nuts, seeds and grains. Otherwise, it is worth experimenting with them as they are a valuable source of nutrition, for example: millet, barley, buckwheat, spelt, wild rice, oats, quinoa and others. Grains can also be used for sprouting, which is a great way to eat them if you react badly to them in their non sprouted form.

FRESH ORGANIC VEGETABLES: especially green runner beans, parsley, broccoli, garlic, radishes, daikon, turnips, courgettes, cauliflower, celery, leeks, green salads including mache, cress, water cress, roquette, dandelion leaves, nettles, (coriander, basil for seasoning).

(ORGANIC BEANS AND PULSES)_Warning: many candida sufferers have to give up pulses because of an intolerance to starchy carbohydrates, if so experiment with sprouting them. For example: lentils (green and red), beans of all sorts, chickpeas, mung and soya beans plus soya products.

SEA VEGETABLES: for example, nori, wakame, arame and kombu. These are particularly good for vitamins and minerals and they are very good at removing toxins from the body. Use them every day in small quantities in soups and in the cooking of grains and pulses.

ORGANIC SEEDS_Experiment with these, as candida sufferers can have intolerance of nuts and seeds as they are quite sugary: sesame, sunflower and pumpkin. Also very good for sprouting. Nuts in moderation: walnuts, hazelnuts, pecan etc. Avoid peanuts.

ORGANIC COLD PRESSED OILS: Especially olive oil. Sunflower, sesame in moderation.

FISH: be aware that many fish are contaminated with mercury and dioxins. Avoid tuna, salmon and farm fish. The smaller the fish, the better. The larger the fish, the more heavy metals and other toxins are contained in the flesh.

SEASONINGS: Himalayan crystal salt, sea salt (not grey), herbs, garlic, spices (in moderation).

RECIPES:

The following low carb dishes will be coming soon:

Sprouts (get a sprouter and start right away)

Vegetable Soup (courgettes, runner beans, celery, brocoli, cauliflower and onions)

Tempura (broccoli, onion and pumpkin)

Sardine spread with capers

Baked veggies with olive oil, ground cumin and cayenne (optional with fish)

Veggie omelette

DESERTS FOR FIGHTING SUGAR CRAVINGS (AND AVOIDING CHOCOLATE BINGES):

Baked apples

Cous cous and raisins cooked in apple juice


Please note: the following recipes are for people with a tolerance of starchy carbs. If you have an intolerance to these foods, focus your diet on non starchy vegetables and fish. This site will be updated with low carb recipes as soon as possible.

Basic Brown Rice

Warning: Many sufferers of candida have an intolerance to all starchy carbohydrates, including all grains. If this is the case, focus on recipes of non starchy vegetables as well as fish and organic eggs.

If you have problems digesting brown rice leave it to soak in its cooking water overnight and the next morning pressure cook it for fifty minutes on a low heat and on a heat deflector. For pressure-cooking use one part rice to one and a half parts filtered water. If you still have problems digesting rice, eat other grains that you can tolerate more easily and slowly add rice to these until your tolerance of it develops. Quite simply adding much smaller quantities of whole grains to our recipes can be all it takes to gradually build up our tolerance.

Mix rice with other grains: To get the most from your grains, and for greater taste and texture, cook your rice with millet (for croquettes and veggie burgers), barley, spelt or wild rice. Cook two thirds rice to one third other grains. E.g. 2 cups rice, 1 cup wild rice and barley, 6 cups filtered water, salt or kombu.


Boiled rice:

One part rice to two parts filtered water. Always rinse rice thoroughly before cooking. Put water and rice with a little sea salt or an inch stick of kombu in a saucepan with a well fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce to lowest heat, make sure the lid is well closed and place on a heat deflector. Cook for one hour.
Your rice is ready. Once it has cooled down it should be put in the fridge to be used over the next two or three days. Add to soups. Make stir-fried rice from cold refrigerated rice, otherwise it turns into a sticky paste.

Stir-fried turmeric rice:

Fry one chopped onion in olive or sunflower oil till golden brown. In the last three minutes of frying add 1 teaspoon turmeric, sea salt, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Stir well, and then add pre-cooked cold refrigerated rice (two or three cups to taste). Cook until the rice is thoroughly heated up. Fresh or frozen peas (peas can provoke fungal reaction) can be added to this recipe at the beginning, to give extra taste and texture. If the result is bitter you have probably used too much turmeric.

Vegetable fried rice:

Fry one or two cups of finely chopped vegetables in olive oil until golden. Season. (Optional: add one clove of grated garlic and a few herbs.) When well cooked, add pre-cooked cold rice, mix well and fry till it's cooked through. This can be done with an infinite variety of vegetables.


Split Pea Soup and Lentil Stew (warning: this is sweet/starchy and can provoke a fungal reaction)

One part split peas to 3 parts water plus one small glass. E.g. 500g split peas, sorted for stones and rinsed well and 2 litres of filtered water. 2 onions cubed, 5 to 8 tablespoons olive oil (to cover bottom of pan), 3 cloves of grated garlic, 1 tablespoon mixture of 'herbes de provence' and thyme, one quarter ground nutmeg, sea salt and ground pepper to taste, 3 bay leaves.

Heat the oil in bottom of pressure cooker, add the onions and cook on a medium high heat for a few minutes. Add seasonings and herbs and continue cooking the onions until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the rest of the ingredients, close the pressure cooker, bring to full steam, lower heat and cook for 20 or 25 minutes. When finished add water or salt to taste.

Exactly the same recipe can be used with Puy lentils (without nutmeg) for a simple but excellent lentil stew.

Veggie Burgers

Finely grind one cup of whole wheat grains (not already broken or made into flour) in a coffee grinder till it becomes a powder. Do the same with one cup of spelt (epautre) and kamut (half and half). Put this flour mix into a bowl and add warm water while mixing until it becomes a loose dough, a little wet and sloppy, but not too much.

Add the following very finely chopped vegetables (or others of your choice): a third of a carrot, 10cm length of leek, a quarter of a red or green pepper, 10cm length of celery, one chalotte (or slice of a big onion), one clove of garlic.

Add half a cup or a full cup of cooked brown rice, a tablespoon of toasted sesame or sunflower seeds, a teaspoon of herbes de provence or mixed spices, two tablespoons of chickpea flour, one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix everything together extremely well.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan and roll the mix into balls (don't worry if it's a bit wet). Put the balls into the pan and gently squash them till they become flat disks (make very thin if you want them crunchy). Fry on both sides till golden brown.


Dahl

One part red lentils to three parts water. For example: two cups of red lentils (sorted and rinsed), six cups of filtered water, sunflower oil, two onions sliced finely, one large tablespoon of finely grated (or pulped) fresh ginger, three cloves of grated garlic, one tablespoon curry spices (organic), one cup of frozen or freshly steamed peas (or runner beans or broad beans). Optional: one cup of raisins. Salt and pepper to taste.

Put the red lentils and the water in a saucepan and cook them for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking. When cooked the lentils should be a liquid purée, but not so liquid as to become a soup. Add water if it's too thick. While the lentils are cooking fry the onions, garlic and ginger in some sunflower oil until golden brown. Add salt and spices and gently cook for another two or three minutes. Then add the two mixtures together, adding the previously steamed (or frozen vegetables) and cook for another five minutes. Serve with turmeric fried rice.

Flageolet and Avocado Salad

Cut an avocado into cubes and add to two cups of cooked flageolet beans. Add vinaigrette dressing, grated garlic and parsley. Optional: one shallot or half an onion finely chopped. Season to taste.

Three Bean Salad

One cup each of cooked and rinsed chick peas, kidney beans and white beans. Mix together in a bowl and add the following vinaigrette: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, one or two cloves of grated garlic, salt and pepper. Add one tablespoon of either fresh chopped basil, coriander, mint or parsley.

Roasted Salty Seeds Snack

Rinse a cup of sesame, sunflower or pumpkin seeds in a strainer. Then gently dry roast them in a frying pan without oil, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until quite brown. Add sea salt to season at the last moment, or better still, if you are not sensitive to it, a few drops of shoyu. Mix well. Serve. The same can be done with nuts.

Fried Fish

This can be done with most white fish, like cod or haddock, but also with red mullet fillets (goatfish). Cover the fillets with organic white flour, sprinkle with herbs and season. Fry in a shallow pan with sunflower oil until golden. Serve with fresh salad and a rice dish.

Fish With Olive Oil and Herbs

Place the fish in a frying pan with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with grated garlic, herbes de provence, thyme, a couple of bay leaves and seasoning. Cover and cook on a medium high heat for about ten minutes, until done. (Optional: cook with prawns or sea food as a garnish.)

Grated Vegetable Salad (Coleslaw)

Grate cabbage, carrots and onion finely, mix with vinaigrette (see above) or a home-made mayonnaise. Sprinkle with toasted sunflower or sesame seeds.

Goat's Cheese Omelette With Herbs (warning: all cheese can produce a fungal reaction)

Pelardons are a type of French goat's cheese. These are 3cm thick discs of cheese about 6cm in diameter. They can be sliced horizontally into two thin discs, dunked in seasoned beaten egg and sprinkled with seasonings, thyme and herbes de provence. Fry them in olive oil with the remaining beaten egg poured around them; cover. When cooked serve with a salad.

Simple Garlic Spaghetti

If you don't want to use ordinary white flour spaghetti, try Japanese 'soba' noodles. They contain buckwheat which is good for the veins and arteries. There are so many types of organic pasta that it is really worth experimenting until you find one you really like. For example, 'tagliatelle' with spirulina is very nutritious and tasty.

Once cooked, add olive oil, grated garlic, fresh chopped basil and seasoning. (Grated goat's cheese optional).

Pumpkin Soup

Cover finely cubed sweet pumpkin with filtered water and sea salt to taste. You may need to add an onion (cubed) if the pumpkin is not very sweet. Cook for half an hour or more according to the pumpkin. Once cooked, put through a vegetable mill (moulie) or a food processor to make it smooth. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley, or other fresh herbs.

Onion Soup

Fry 6 finely sliced onions in olive oil on a medium high heat till golden brown. Add two to five cloves of grated garlic and fry for a little more. Season, add water and simmer for half an hour.


Important Disclaimer:

The aim of this website is to inform people. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice.