How to Eat a Vegan Candida Diet

Learn about foods to eat and foods to avoid on vegan Candida diet. Furthermore, find out which are the foods in the grey area and which supplements to take. We’ll also address the importance of exercise, stress and sleep management, reintroducing foods properly, and sticking to a wholesome lifestyle.

You’ll be able to read about my experiences and research results from a series of articles:

• Guide to Candida Overgrowth: Causes, Symptoms, Testing and Treatment
• 16 Most Common Causes of Candida Overgrowth: From Diet to Environment
• Candida Overgrowth Symptoms in Women, Men and Children
• Vegan Candida Diet Meal Planning
• My Experience and Results After 11 Months on Vegan Candida Diet
• Vegan Candida Diet – Staying Candida Free After The Cleanse

Download my FREE Guide to Candida Overgrowth

Learn the Symptoms in Women, Men and Children; Candida Overgrowth Causes, Testing and Treatment.

This comprehensive guide will take you through what is Candida albicans; causes, symptoms, and testing of Candida overgrowth as well as treatment and die-off.

Sign up to download your copy!

Why I Needed to Go on Vegan Candida Diet

I’d been thinking of starting vegan Candida diet (the cleanse) for 2-3 years before I finally decided to give it a go in August 2016. And so began the journey on restoring my health naturally.

Fortunately, my Candida overgrowth symptoms had not been too severe, so that I’d been able to postpone starting the diet. However, they were inconvenient enough to finally take the critical step.

Firstly, I could feel the candida symptoms where most women with candida overgrowth do. Secondly, there were other concerns (especially within the preceding 10 months):

• cracks in the corners of my mouth that just wouldn’t heal,
• bloating,
• sinusitis,
• frequent upper respiratory infections,
• hay fever, and
• blood sugar spikes.

At some point I began to notice that when I managed to keep my blood sugar stable for a day or two the corners of my mouth would start to heal. I had been trying all kinds of salves to spread on the corners, but nothing really helped. Then I found one with anti-fungal properties and noticed improvement straight away. So, I guess this was the final trigger to jump on board.

Why Was I So Reluctant to Start the Vegan Candida Diet?

I hadn’t done much research by then, but I knew that all fruits, especially dried fruits would be off the list. And there I was having fruit smoothies for first breakfast, muffins that were sweetened with bananas and dried fruits, snacking on fruits, and of course banana ice-creams as after dinner dessert. Not thinking about it too deeply, it felt like everything would have been taken away from me. It all just seamed too overwhelming and too much to deal with.

However, then I thought that this was exactly what I’d felt when I changed my diet to whole food plant-based in 2012. Also back then the change seemed crazy and overwhelming. However, I did it nevertheless because my health was more important than any short-term inconvenience.

The key is to concentrate on what you CAN eat rather than wasting your time on thinking about things you’d miss. Overcrowd your menu!

How I Got Started on Vegan Candida Diet

Firstly, I did my research. I read many related websites and found a very good book by Linda Allen, Yeast Infection No More. Yeast Infection No More is also available in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German.

In 2018 I stumbled upon the ultimate guide to beating yeast infection – a very thorough 700-page book The Candida Crusher by naturopath Eric Bakker from New Zealand. He has successfully treated thousands of patients over the past 25 years and I found great value from his book.

Furthermore, I was also looking for vegan Candida Diet Meal Plans, but failed to find any. So, I did the same as with switching to plant-based diet in 2012 – I created my own balanced plant-based meal plans using the help of an online nutritional program. I’d insert every food I ate and recipe I created making sure I was getting all the necessary nutrients. By the way, I’m still doing that from time to time as I’m living Candida free. It’s important to monitor what you eat to keep your blood sugar stable and have that Candida under control.

The Five Main Principals of Vegan Candida Diet

There are five main principals to follow if you want your Candida diet to work:

1. Eat foods that don’t feed Candida and don’t eat those that do feed Candida.

Foods to Avoid on Candida Diet Cleanse:

• Fruits – all sweet fruits and berries, including dried, fresh and canned + fruit juices.
• Starchy vegetables – potatoes, beet, yams, sweet potato, corn, peas, parsnips, carrots.
• Refined grains and corn – any products made of white flours and white rice as well as corn.
• GMO soy products. Non-GMO, unsweetened soy products are fine. Prefer them fermented, i.e. natto, tempeh, miso.
• Some nuts – cashews, peanuts and Pistachios as they may contain mould.
• Alcohol – any beverages containing alcohol.
• Sugars – all syrups and artificial sweeteners, except stevia and xylitol.
• Additives and preservatives – citric acid, anything you don’t know.
• Some beverages – coffee, black tea, any drinks that contains sugars, i.e. any drinks other than plain water, herbal tea or chicory.
• Condiments – read the labels really carefully and look for sugars or any other additives that you don’t know. As a rule, it’s not possible to find a suitable condiment from a store when on Candida Diet. You can check from organic stores for natural products or make your own.
• Vinegar – all vinegars except apple cider vinegar.
• Yeast – brewer’s, baker’s and even nutritional yeast.

Foods to Eat on Candida Diet

• Non-starchy vegetables – asparagus, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, raw garlic, kale, lettuce, olives, onions, rutabaga, spinach, summer squashes, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips.
• Gluten-free grains – millet, buckwheat, quinoa, brown rice, gluten-free oats and oat bran.
• Nuts and seeds – almonds, coconut meat and milk, flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, poppy seeds.
• Legumes – non-GMO and unsweetened soy products (milk, tofu, tempeh) without any unwanted additives.
• Yogurts and plant-based milks – anything unsweetened based on non-GMO soy, coconut, hazelnuts, almonds, quinoa, millet.
• Seaweed – nori, kelp, wakame, dulse, sea lettuce.
• Herbs, spices and seasoning – apple cider vinegar (organic), basil, black pepper, cardamom, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, lemon and lime, juice, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sea salt, thyme, turmeric.
• Mushrooms were in the “avoid” list previously. However, new evidence has emerged. Candida likes sugar and refined, simple carbohydrates. Mushrooms are neither of these. The only thing you need to be careful about is moulds. So, if you make sure your mushrooms are mould-free, go ahead and enjoy them!
• Beverages – water, chicory root coffee, herbal teas.
• Sweeteners – stevia and xylitol. Go easy on those two though – don’t eat only sweetened meals.

Foods That Most People Tolerate Also During Candida Cleanse Diet:

• Low-glycemic fruits and berries (blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, green apples) – in some cases low glycemic fruits and berries would be fine if eaten separately on an empty stomach away from fatty foods. Read more from my post Living Candida Free After the Cleanse.
• Legumes – most people tolerate lower glycemic legumes also in the cleanse stage. Go for unhulled lentils, mung beans, black beans, peas, and chickpeas. Soak and cook them yourself as canned versions tend to have higher glycemic load. If you possibly can, sprout all legumes before cooking. Apparently sprouting decreases carbohydrate content and increases protein and soluble fibre content of grains and legumes. I created recipes like Mung Bean Porridge and Vegan Paleo Brownies to enjoy sprouted legumes.
• Grains that contain gluten and glutinous foods – rye, wheat, spelt, barley, kamut, farro. If you don’t have gluten intolerance, you should be fine consuming small amounts of whole grains containing gluten. The key is not to go overboard here!
• Starchy vegetables – many people might tolerate potatoes, sweet potatoes, and winter squashes in small amounts, but it’d be better to avoid those foods for at least 2-3 weeks because people tend to overeat them compensating all the sugary foods that have been cut out. Having lower glycemic load, carrots and beetroot are better tolerated. However, prefer them raw, steamed or stir-fried as baking and boiling increase GL.

NB! Should you decide to continue with the items in grey area and don’t get better, cut them out completely for at least 2-3 weeks. Some people might need even few months. (updated in July 2018)

Finally, it’s not only about what you eat, but also HOW you eat! My main suggestions:

• chew your food properly as digestion begins in mouth;
• concentrate on eating, be mindful;
• don’t be engaged in other activities while eating (TV, phone, iPad, book, emails etc.);
• don’t eat if you’re not hungry and stop eating when you’re almost full.

2. Taking Supplements

Anti-Fungals

Anti-fungals help kill candida. Start anti-fungal therapy at least a week after the beginning of Candida Diet, otherwise you can experience severe candida die-off symptoms.

Natural and more commonly found anti-fungals are aloe vera, cinnamon, cloves, coconut oil/meat/milk, garlic (2-4 raw cloves a day), onions, seaweed, ginger, olive oil/olives, lemon and lime juice, pumpkin seeds, rutabaga, cayenne pepper, grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract, oregano oil, turmeric.

Also, try my Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Fungal Shot

The best all-in-one clinically studied supplement is Canxida Remove that is anti-fungal, anti-parasite as well as anti-bacterial.

CanXida Remove is a unique high-potency, sustained-released, anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-parasite formulation for candida yeast infection.

It contains 12 of the most potent anti-fungal herbs:

• Garlic 2% allicin
• Caprylic acid
• Undecylenic acid
• Betaine HCL
• Grapefruit seed extract
• Black Walnut Hull Extract
• Pau D’arco 4:1 extract
• Neem 4:1 extract
• Berberine HCL
• Clove 4:1 extract
• Biotin
• Oregano oil

Repeated CDSA testing (Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis testing) before and after taking CanXida Remove has confirmed the clinical efficacy of this potent broad-spectrum formulation.

Buy Canxida Remove here – use code nele5 for 6% off.

In case you only need anti-fungals or wish to address parasites separately there’s:

Mycozil is a unique, all-natural formula designed specifically to support the body’s natural balance of yeast and fungal organisms. It’s made with potent herbs and enzymes that work with your body’s internal defenses to protect against the spread of harmful organisms.

Paratrex (anti-parasite) is a unique formula designed to help create an environment that’s hostile to invading organisms while promoting a natural cleansing of your body. It’s made with a blend of herbs [Organic Black Walnut (green hull), Wildcrafted Epazote (leaf), Diatomaceous Earth, Organic Neem (leaf), Wildcrafted Wormwood (leaf/stem), Organic Clove] and other all-natural ingredients, and it’s enhanced with fulvic acid to promote absorption. If unwanted, internal guests are affecting your health, Paratrex can help bring it all back in balance.

• Cleanses Your Body of Harmful Organisms
• Supports Normal Digestive Health
• Boosts the Immune System

Probiotics

Probiotics help maintain healthy balance of gut flora and therefore support your immune system. They also help restore correct acidity in your gut after antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics make your gut too alkaline because they kill the acid-producing bacteria.

It’s important to fill your gut with healthy bacteria, like Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacteria Bifidum, so that there is no room left for Candida yeast.

I’d recommend the following 2-in-1 supplement containing both probiotics and digestive enzymes:

Canxida Restore

CanXida Restore is a unique candida yeast-cleansing formulation designed by Eric Bakker after almost three decades of clinical naturopathic gastroenterology experience. This formula contains 7 enzymes, 6 probiotic strains, 18 billion CFU, is Time Release, & Shelf-Stable. Formula works great for those with candida yeast overgrowth, leaky gut, and SIBO.

CanXida Restore contains:

6 premium probiotic strains:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Lactobacillus casei
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Bifidobacterium longum

7 Digestive and Systemic Enzymes:

• Amylase
• Cellulase
• Glucoamylase
• Hemicellulase
• Invertase
• Protease
• Serratiopeptidase

Buy Canxida Restore here – use code nele5 for 6% off.

In case you only need probiotics and no enzymes, there’s:

Balance One Probiotic:

• 12 probiotic strains.
• 15 billion CFUs per tablet.
• 60 tablets per bottle (enough for 2 months).
• Free of nuts, dairy, gluten. Non-GMO and vegan.

Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on BalanceOne
Use code NUTRISALE for 15% off (valid in both shops).

Again, it is advised to wait at least one week after you start your course of antifungals to avoid severe die-off symptoms.

Probiotic foods – yogurt (non-GMO soy or coconut), fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi. You need to make sure that it is raw and not pasteurized as pasteurizing kills all the good bacteria.

Prebiotic foods don’t contain any good bacteria, but they help the good bacteria to survive and grow. Chicory root contains an excellent prebiotic named inulin – so, have chicory root coffee with almond milk or non-GMO unsweetened soy milk and sweeten it with stevia or xylitol.

Supplement Summary

• Canxida Remove – anti-fungal, anti-parasite, and anti-bacterial. Code nele5
• Canxida Restore – probiotics and digestive enzymes. Code nele5
• Canxida Rebuild – 32 different vitamins, minerals, special nutrients, and 9 herbal medicines. Code nele5
• C-3K Plus – 3000mg vitamin C powder with bioflavonoids. Code nele5
• Mycozil – anti-fungal.
• Paratrex – anti-parasite.
• Balance One – probiotics. Code nutrisale
• Veganzyme – digestive enzymes.

Also, check out my Amazon storefront for a good vegan omega 3, vitamin D and more.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate as well as Global Healing, Canxida, and BalanceOne affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. For every purchase made from the links in this post, you’ll be able to support my work. So you can look after your health, and contribute to my mission at the same time. Thank you!

3. Exercise to Beat Candida Overgrowth

Your body won’t get better if you sit in an armchair all day. So, get out there and at least do your 8 000-10 000 steps daily. Yoga and pilates are also very good choices for you to start with.

Download my FREE Guide to Candida Overgrowth

Learn the Symptoms in Women, Men and Children; Candida Overgrowth Causes, Testing and Treatment.

This comprehensive guide will take you through what is Candida albicans; causes, symptoms, and testing of Candida overgrowth as well as treatment and die-off.

Sign up to download your copy!

4. Stress Management

You can eat the healthiest diet in the world, but you won’t beat Candida overgrowth if you’re stressed out. Incorporate meditation and yoga into your daily regime. Furthermore, deal with negative people as well as activities (it might be the job that you hate).

Finally, sleep is very important part of stress management – if you stay up until 2am, your body will always be stressed and you won’t get better no matter what you do. Aim to go to bed between 10:00-10:30pm or earlier every night. How much sleep anyone needs is individual, but most people require 7-8 hours.

5. Reintroducing Foods Properly

It is crucial to reintroduce fruits and starchy veggies gradually, one-by-one starting from the items that have lower glycemic load. By all means, you can’t rush it or you’ll fall back several steps! Get more information on reintroduction from The Candida Crusher or my Reintroduction Meal Plan.

6. Sticking to Healthy Wholesome Lifestyle

You’re wrong if you think that you can go back to your old ways after feeling better. After all, those where the habits that got you the illness in the first place.

If you truly want to change you lifestyle for good, you’ll find my book Plant-Based Made Easy very helpful as it contains lots of practical tips on transitioning to healthy whole food diet. Be aware that many recipes in this book are not Candida diet friendly. However, most are easily adjustable.

What I Experienced During My First Week on Vegan Candida Diet?

Although I did not start with antifungals and probiotics straight away, I still experienced Candida die-off symptoms:

• Headaches for 4 days starting from the second day. It was quite bad for the first two days, but I still managed to do without any painkillers. On the third and fourth day it already got milder and was quite bearable.
• Dizziness and lack of energy. Part of it was certainly due to the fact that I just couldn’t eat as many calories as I was supposed to. Starches and fruits give a lot of energy, but as these were taken away I needed to get used to new quantities and eating habits. Being already quite thin, I even lost a kilo in the beginning, but gained it back pretty quickly.

On my third week I thought it’d be safe to have some red beans with my lunch, but I was wrong. I experienced some itching the next day, which went away pretty quickly as I didn’t try to reintroduce any new foods. To be on the safe side, I waited until six weeks were up before trying to bring something back onto my plate. In order to learn from my mistakes, I developed a gradual plan to reintroduce foods (see my meal plan that reintroduces foods).

Download my FREE Guide to Candida Overgrowth

Learn the Symptoms in Women, Men and Children; Candida Overgrowth Causes, Testing and Treatment.

This comprehensive guide will take you through what is Candida albicans; causes, symptoms, and testing of Candida overgrowth as well as treatment and die-off.

Sign up to download your copy!

Finally, read on vegan Candida diet meal planning – what exactly, how often and in what order I’ve been eating. More importantly, follow me on Instagram for tricks and hacks on vegan Candida diet and subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook not to miss any posts.

Should you feel that all this is too overwhelming (like I did in the beginning), go and check out my Vegan Candida Cleanse Meal Plan and Vegan Candida Diet Meal Plan Reintroducing Foods

I’m so happy to see people getting real help and relief from my meal plans and I treasure the relationships I’ve formed with many of them! Thank you!

Editor’s note:
This article was revised on Feb 5, 2020.

Disclaimer: this information is based on my own research and personal experience and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Users should seek their own professional counsel for any medical condition or before starting or altering any exercise or diet plan. It is your responsibility to know your health and nutritional needs.