Loading up on vegetables is a great diet strategy. Vegetables are full of essential vitamins and nutrients and are a great addition to any healthy diet, but are all vegetables created equal? Believe it or not, some vegetables may not be appropriate for certain types of diets. The candida diet is one of those diets where you have to pay special attention to what type and amount of certain vegetables you eat. To understand which types and why you should eliminate or reduce certain vegetables, you must first understand what the goal of the candida diet is.

The candida diet is the cornerstone of treating a condition known as candidiasis. Candidiasis is a condition in which Candida albicans, a typically benign type of yeast, becomes an opportunistic organism in the intestinal system. Candida albicans is an innate part of the microflora of the intestinal system that will ideally work in concert with the “friendly” types of bacteria to keep the body healthy. Unfortunately, external factors such as overuse of antibiotics, steroids, oral contraceptives, stress, and a diet high in processed foods/sugar foods often cause Candida albicans overgrowth. When this happens, a large number of toxins are released into the body, causing a variety of seemingly unrelated health problems. Symptoms of yeast infection include, but are not limited to, chronic yeast infections, chronic sinus infections, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. The candida diet seeks to cut off the food supply of Candida albicans by eliminating foods that encourage its growth. While the main culprits are sugar, vinegar, fermented foods, glutinous grains, and fast-acting carbohydrates, there are other foods that the candida dietary guidelines suggest consuming in moderation. Complex grains and starchy vegetables fall into this category because, although they don’t break down into sugar as quickly as simple carbohydrates, they do break down into sugar and feed yeast. So which vegetables can we eat freely and which ones do we eat in moderation on the candida diet?

Vegetables to eat freely

bulb vegetables such as chives, garlic, leeks, onions, scallions, shallots, and water chestnuts are all excellent choices for the candida diet. This group of vegetables can be used to add flavor and texture to meals, and onions and garlic in particular have antifungal properties that help fight Candida albicans. inflorescent vegetables such as artichokes, broccoli, broccoli rabe, and cauliflower make excellent garnishes. Spent leafy vegetables such as arugula, brussels sprouts, cabbage, radicchio, cabbage, endive, lettuce, kale, and spinach to complement main dishes and create delicious salads.

vegetable fruit, including avocados, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, bell peppers, and squash will help you create delicious yeast-free dishes. stem vegetables such as asparagus, celery, Swiss chard, fennel and kohlrabi also have a wide variety of uses in the diet.

Vegetables to eat in moderation

The two types of vegetables that you should eat with caution on the candida diet are root and tuber vegetables. Beet, carrot, parsnip, radish, kohlrabi, cassava, potato, sweet potato, and yam belong to this group. You can still enjoy these vegetables on your candida diet, but plan your meals so you don’t overload yourself with these types of vegetables.

For more information on living yeast-free on the candida diet, visit Yeast-Free Living.