Candida Diet Recipes : Best Staple Foods & Recipes For Candida Cleanse

The main idea behind candida diet recipes is simple: you starve the yeast. You avoid foods that can feed candida.

This is far more important than eating foods that kill candida. According to research, the carbohydrates we eat from the diet are the primary and preferred nutrient sources for candida albicans yeast ^[1].

For this reason, most candida cleanse diet plans and menus restrict high carb foods. There is, however, a catch with this approach that can cause many challenges:

You have to make sure you replace the carbs with enough healthy fats and proteins so you still have the energy and nutrients to support your daily activities, emotional state, and body’s needs.

So you want to starve the yeast, but not yourself. We specifically address this important point in this guide and in all our candida diet recipes.

All our candida diet recipes are: healthy, vegan, vegetarian, keto, paleo friendly, and gluten free. They are all based on whole natural foods you can easily get at your local store.

An important note about the candida diet  & supplements

Based on the many comments and questions we get, here are 2 important things you should know:

Use the candida recipes in this guide to transition into a healthy eating plan you enjoy that doesn’t feed candida. So, you stop candida from keep growing and your body can then start and balance the candida overgrowth.
We spent long months on developing and testing these recipes to make sure they are safe, effective and just as importantly, enjoyable and satisfying.

Do the candida cleanse. In addition to a healthy candida diet, many people will also need to follow the candida cleanse protocol which is designed to restore the candida-yeast balance, heal the gut, and strengthen immune health.

The bottom line: Unfortunately, we keep hearing from too many people that have been struggling with ongoing candida and yeast issues for decades, jumping from one candida diet plan to another.

Recovering from candida issues does not occur overnight. But, it should not become a lifetime struggle either. Be consistent with your candida cleanse, and follow the plan. Most people feel a huge difference in just a few short weeks.

Now, let’s make yummy candida recipes!

Candida Diet Recipes : Table Of Content

Important topics: common mistakes, find your staples.

• Drinks.
• Dr. Minkoff’s Perfect Aminos Drink.
• Tea.
• Breakfast.
• Meals: lunch, dinner.
• Salads.
• Desserts.
• Snacks.

Key Ingredients For Candida Recipes – Summary of Evidence

• Apple cider vinegar.
• Dark chocolate.
• Chia seeds.
• Coconut oil.
• Nuts & seeds.
• Natural sweeteners.

Candida Recipes : Starve The Yeast, But Not Yourself

Based on our 15+ years of experience with candida cleansing, here are the main reasons many people experience challenges with the candida diet.

We specifically address all of these in all our candida diet recipes.

• Cut the carbs but…still consume too much carbs. The research data on this is very clear. Very often, eating carbs can make you want to eat more…carbs. It is a known vicious cycle you want to avoid.
• Still consume foods that can feed candida yeast, such as dairy, gluten, alcohol.
• Don’t eat enough calories, specifically don’t consume enough fats and proteins to replace the carbs.
• Don’t consume enough fiber to support gut health, digestion and satiation.

The result: Many people find themselves constantly hungry, with low energy, feeling miserable. They don’t see enough benefits from the candida cleanse diet, and give up.

Candida Diet Recipes Plan : Find Your Staples

To make the candida cleanse diet work, you need to find your staples. All you need is a few basic candida recipes that agree with your body, that you enjoy, and can easily make.

So you make your staple recipes every day, eat, repeat.
Until you get better.

Focus on candida diet recipes that have:

• Enough calories.
• High fat, high protein, high fiber content.
• Foods that agree with your body.
• How you feel after you eat these: energy, mood, and satiation.

According to research, fats, protein and fiber play a key role:

• Fats and proteins have a positive effect on satiety and appetite. Fats appear to regulate appetite through several mechanisms including the release of appetite hormones ^{[2, 3]}.
• Fiber is also known to increase satiety after meals, decrease hunger, and promote gut health. This is very important considering that in many cases, the root cause and source of candida issues is in the gut ^{[4, 5]}.

This surprises a lot of people, but one of the benefits of the candida diet is that you can eat a lot of healthy fats. High fat meals usually taste much better to most people, are more satisfying and make you feel full longer.

This also means that there’s no need to chase “healthier” carb foods such as grains, legumes, beans, quinoa, buckwheat or sprouted wheat breads that don’t taste good anyway.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Coconut Anti Candida Drink

Main features: antifungal, gut health, digestion, energy, reduce candida sugar cravings.

There’s a reason why we start the candida recipes guide with a drink and not a meal. Sugary beverages! It appears that many people find it hard to give up these during the candida diet.

The apple cider vinegar – coconut drink is designed as a healthy alternative. Drink first thing in the morning and up to four times a day. Always drink on an empty stomach, one hour before or after other meals or drinks.

A few popular add-ons:

• Sparkling water:
  If you like sparkling drinks, you can add ½ cup of pure sparkling spring water. A few studies suggest that sparkling water can have a satiating effect, and may also help with indigestion.^[6, 7]
  The research data on these benefits, however, isn’t consistent. So you may want to see if adding sparkling water made any difference to you.
• Need more energy but still want to avoid coffee?
  Many of our members like to add 1 dropper of Dr. Group’s Ginseng Fuzion just before drinking, which includes adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha and ginseng. Besides its ability to naturally improve energy ^[8], Ginseng has demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida albicans in a few studies ^[9, 10] and is also well known for its ability to naturally boost the immune system function ^[11].

Dr. Minkoff’s Perfect Aminos Drink: Avoid The Candida-protein Catch-22

Main features: Support tissue repair including gut healing, promote energy, reduce cravings, prevent protein deficiencies.

Many people with candida overgrowth also have poor digestion. After all, the source of the infection is almost always in the gut.

This often leads to a catch-22: In order to heal the damaged tissues caused by the candida overgrowth, you need to eat enough protein. But, if your digestion is compromised, your body may not be able to effectively digest and utilize the amino acids from the protein you eat. Hence the problem: how can you heal your gut if you can’t effectively digest and extract nutrients from your meals?

This is exactly where Dr. Minkoff’s Perfect Amino XP Powder can make a big difference when combined with the candida diet. After over 20 years of research, Dr. David Minkoff, M.D. developed a natural amino acids formula that was shown by research to have a 99% utilization rate. There are no sugars, no carbs, with no impact on blood sugar levels at all. Nothing here to feed candida! 

In fact, Dr. Minkoff research showed the body can utilize this formula 3-6 times better than other proteins and even amino acids combinations. Simply put, your body makes no effort at all in order to digest and utilize the Perfect Amino formula. In contrast, other protein sources typically require a complex and significant digestive effort. Even for people with healthy gut function.

Quite remarkable research. In his practice, Dr. Minkoff often prescribed his amino acids formula to patients who suffer from impaired digestion and related conditions such as leaky gut, candida or other infections. It is where the body needs that healing support and tissue building the most. Ironically, in his research, Dr. Minkoff found most of his patients had very low levels of amino acids.

To use Dr. Minkoff’s Perfect Amino XP Powder, simply add 1 or 2 scoops in water on an empty stomach.

To learn more about Dr. David Minkoff, M.D. and his research on detoxification and nutrition, see his: website.

Candida Diet Breakfast

The noatmeal (low carb oatmeal alternative) recipe is one of our most popular candida breakfast recipes. The nutritional profile is exceptional. We gave special considerations to key nutrients that often become lower on the candida diet.

Just to give you a quick example, when you eat one serving of the noatmeal detox recipe, you get:

• 28 grams protein.
• 21 grams of fiber.
• Over 100% of the daily values of: vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Ingredients: flax seeds, hemp seeds, almonds, almond milk, coconut butter, himalayan pink salt, black pepper, chipotle powder, spinach, broccoli.
See the complete recipe.

Candida Diet Recipes : Meals For Lunch & Dinner

The lunch and dinner options for candida diet may change based on your schedule and preferences. For this reason, and to avoid cases where you find yourself hungry during the day without anything to eat, we highly recommend to prepare the meals and snacks in advance.

Here are the most popular options for meals:

Cauliflower Rice Candida Cleanse Recipe

This cauliflower rice recipe has been one of our most popular body cleansing recipes. It makes a perfect fit for the candida diet as well.

The cauliflower rice detox meal brings a healthy exciting culinary experience to the candida diet cleanse, with a superb nutritional profile and potent antifungal properties.

Ingredients: cauliflower, red onion, cayenne peppers, garlic, red bell peppers, carrots, scallions, hemp seeds, almonds, coconut oil, himalayan pink salt, chipotle chili powder, turmeric powder.
See the complete recipe.

The Healthy Detox Guacamole Recipe

Another candida diet recipe staple, especially if you like avocados. This recipe is delicious, super nutritious, naturally detoxes and cleanses your body, promotes healthy digestion, protects the heart and above all, it makes you feel full, satisfied, happy and energized.

Ingredients: ripe hass avocados, jalapeño chili peppers, tomato, red onion, cilantro, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, lime juice, himalayan pink salt, carrots, celery stalks.
See the complete recipe.

The Colon Cleanse Detox Salad

The detox salad recipe was developed after many years of research, testing and collaboration with our partners.

What makes the detox salad unique, is that it is very high in insoluble fiber. This fiber doesn’t dissolve in water, and can pass through the gut largely intact. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool which can help to promote regular healthy bowel movement.

Think about insoluble fiber as rough brooms inside your colon that grabs accumulated waste buildup and toxins on their way out.

Ingredients: cabbage, carrots, beetroot, garlic, cayenne peppers, apple cider vinegar, lemon, olive oil, hemp seeds, pink himalayan salt.
See the complete recipe.

Candida Salad Dressing Recipe

This simple salad dressing recipe combines natural ingredients with very potent antifungal and antiparasitic properties. It also tastes really good, and can bring life to boring salads.

Most of our members like to use it as is, as a base lemon vinaigrette, or add their favorite herbs such as parsley, basil, oregano and others.

Ingredients: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, lemon, garlic, himalayan salt, black pepper, mustard.
See the complete recipe.

Candida Diet Desserts

All our candida diet desserts are very healthy and function also as whole meals. This means that you can eat them by themselves as a meal without the guilt.

This surprises a lot of people, but this is one of the benefits of eating low carb – high fat.

Here are a few of our most popular desserts recipes for the candida diet.

Anti Candida Dark Chocolate – Chia Pudding Recipe

This simple candida recipe has been one of our most popular desserts not only for the candida diet, but also as a part of our other body cleanse protocols.

The high content of fiber, protein and the balanced healthy fatty acids profile, will make you satisfied, full and provide you with sustained energy levels. Many of our members find it very helpful to make the recipe overnight, and eat when the famous candida sugar cravings attack, or when you need a little boost.

We get many comments on the blending topic. Blending may make the consistency smoother. You do not need however, to use a blender for this recipe.

Chocolate Mousse – Smoothie Candida Cleanse Recipe

This recipe is an extended version of the anti candida diet chocolate pudding recipe. The nutrients work together to boost the energy, reduce inflammation, and promote gut health and natural cleansing.

The nutritional profile is exceptional. One serving provides you with 24 grams of protein, 8 grams of omega 3, over 70% of your daily values of vitamin E and fiber, along with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.

Ingredients: almond milk, chia seeds, hemp seeds, hazelnuts, cacao powder, coconut butter, stevia, cinnamon, vanilla extract, himalayan pink salt.
See the complete recipe.

Candida Diet Snacks

Avocado

If you like the way avocados taste like, you may want to buy a few more. Fresh, ripe avocado is the perfect candida snack. You don’t need to refrigerate it, it has an exceptional nutritional profile, and the options to use it are endless.

A study of 26 healthy adults found that one-half an avocado consumed at lunch significantly reduced self-reported hunger and desire to eat, and increased satiation ^[12].

In addition to its high fiber content, versatile nutritional profile, health benefits, avocado is very low in sugars and net carbs. How low? an average size avocado has less than 3 grams of net carbs.

You can eat avocado as is, or for added flavor, add a few drops of fresh lemon or lime juice with himalayan salt to taste. Like a little more spice? add a little chipotle powder to the mix.

Feel like snacking more? use the avocado as a dip with celery and carrots instead of the unhealthy tortilla chips.

Raw Nuts & Seeds

Fresh raw nuts and seeds (unsalted, unroasted) are excellent natural snacks for the candida diet. You can eat them by themselves, or with a salad.

A few important comments about nuts and seeds:

• To improve digestion use raw nuts and seeds, and soak in water for a few hours or overnight before you eat.
• To avoid mold contamination, make sure to get the nuts and seeds that are fresh from a trusted source. It is common to see low quality nuts and seeds at stores. Even at premium health stores. For this reason, if they do not taste good, look or smell weird, chances are they are not fresh.
• Typical serving size: 1-2 oz.

Ideal nuts and seeds for the candida diet include almonds, brazil nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, hazelnuts, hemp seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, walnuts.

Pumpkin seeds are also known for their strong antiparasitic properties ^[13, 14].

Candida And Fruit

We do not consider sugary fruits as staples for the candida diet. We do however, get many questions on this topic. So here’s our take on it.

Eating fruits while on the candida diet has always been a controversial topic. Since most fruits are high in sugars, and sugars feed candida, we can conclude that fruits can feed candida as well. Right?

According to research data, however, there’s not enough evidence.

Based on our experience, fruits consumption on the candida diet can be helpful for some people. How do you know?

• If you eat a small piece of fruit in the morning, and feel great, energized, happy and satisfied, then you may want to continue to do so.
• In case you don’t feel anything positive after eating the fruit, then feel free to avoid sugary fruits while on the candida diet.

If you consider eating fruits, a few guidelines:

• Best fruits for the candida diet: fresh ripe berries. 2 cups in the morning (around 10 grams of net carbs) is a safe serving size.
• Always eat fruits on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning.
• We do not recommend fruits smoothies while on the candida diet.

To clarify – fatty fruits such as avocados are extremely low in sugars, and are allowed on the candida diet. In fact, they are one of the best foods to eat while on the candida diet.

Candida Tea

The candida tea recipe is a great natural home remedy you can easily make at home. Drink it hot or cold, to safely cleanse and detox candida yeast from your body and boost your energy levels.

Ingredients: green tea or black tea, ginger, cinnamon, coconut oil, lemon, stevia.
See the complete recipe.

Candida Diet Recipes Ingredients – Evidence

Below you will find a summary of the evidence and links to the published studies. While there are many additional benefits of course, we focused on the benefits for the candida cleanse.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar on its raw unpasteurized form, is well known for its ability to naturally detox and cleanse the body. It is the only vinegar that is widely accepted as a candida friendly food.

According to research, apple cider vinegar demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida albicans as well as antibacterial action against E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The research data suggests that apple cider vinegar has the ability to destroy the structural proteins and metabolic enzymes of the pathogens tested ^{[15, 16, 17]}.

On its own, apple cider vinegar may not be the strongest candida killer. There are definitely more potent natural antifungal foods and herbs out there. For this reason it makes a great addition to candida recipes along with other natural antifungals.

Another important benefit of apple cider vinegar for the candida diet, is its ability to regulate blood sugar levels and promote satiation after a meal ^[18].

Dark Chocolate & Candida

Many people that experience strong sugar cravings during the candida cleanse, are surprised to learn that dark chocolate may be able to help.

One study had 16 men eat milk or dark chocolate. The researchers looked into the impact of chocolate to appetite. The study found that ^[19]:

Dark chocolate promotes satiety, lowers the desire to eat something sweet, and suppresses energy intake compared with milk chocolate.

This is exactly why chocolate can make such a big difference in the candida diet. This is also the reason that gives chocolate its bad rap. Most of the chocolate products you find at the store contain high amount of sugars, and low quality heavily processed cacao beans.

Chocolate and cacao are not the same. Chocolate is made from the beans and seeds of the cacao tree, together with other ingredients that may not be as healthy. Cacao, on its own, however, is very healthy and has been consumed for many centuries in its natural unprocessed form.

In fact, according to research, cacao has more phenolic antioxidants than most foods. Multiple studies suggest that cacao consumption may help to protect nerves from injury and inflammation, improve satiety, cognitive function, and mood ^[20, 21].

Due to these benefits, many health experts recommend to consume cacao on an ongoing basis. We recommended to use raw organic cacao powder as a part of the candida diet recipes.

Chia Seeds & Candida Recipes

There are a few reasons we consider chia seeds as a staple on the candida cleanse diet. The first, chia seeds are well known to promote satiation. A study that had 24 young women add chia seeds to their breakfast, concluded that chia seed consumption may induce short-term satiety in healthy individuals ^[22].

The second reason, is the nutritional profile of chia seeds. Chia seeds make an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid omega-3 fatty acid (ALA), vegetable protein, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and important minerals. ^[23].

Chia seeds are high in soluble fiber, which can act as prebiotic, a food source for the healthy bacteria in the gut. This means that it can promote the growth of probiotics and contribute to better gut health ^[24].

When you put chia in water or other liquids, they form a gel within 5-10 minutes. This is a very popular way to make poudings, cakes, cookies, ice creams, crackers, pancakes recipes, and also to thicken smoothies and soups. Once in gel form, the body can digests the chia seeds without the need to blend.

Coconut Oil : Candida Diet Staple

Coconut oil is a true staple you see in many candida diet recipes that use oils. Many studies were able to support its antifungal activity against Candida albicans and other pathogens. According to the evidence, capric and lauric acids, two of the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil, are the ones mainly responsible for its ability to kill candida ^{[25, 26]}.

There’s another reason coconut oil makes such a great fit for the candida diet. Coconut oil is an effective alternative energy source to carbs.

This helps with one of the biggest challenges with the candida diet. You have to reduce your carbs as they tend to feed candida. As a result, many people don’t have the energy they used to have. This is where coconut oil can significantly help, as the body can quickly digest and use it to produce energy. Much easier than other fats. This is a well known use of coconut oil you can see in many low carbs dietary protocols such as keto diet, as well as in pre workout recipes.

The research data was able to validate this use as well. According to the evidence, the Medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil (MCT oil), can increase exercise performance ^[27].

Natural Sweeteners For The Candida Diet

Natural sweeteners can play a key role in the beginning of the candida diet. You may find you do not need them, however, as your taste buds get used to the high fat low carb meals. For this reason, it is best to use them in moderation and reduce as your taste preferences change.

So what are the best natural sweeteners for the candida diet?

• Organic monkfruit, also known as Luo han guo.
• Stevia (look for brands that specifically mention they remove the bitter aftertaste).
• Xylitol from non-GMO corn or birch bark.

All of these options have very minimal impact on blood sugar levels. Xylitol actually demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida albicans in one study ^[28].

Taste wise, we find that every person’s preference may be different. Stevia seems to be the most popular one, although not everyone likes its taste.

We like to combine natural sweeteners with a little himalayan salt to balance the overall flavor of the recipe. Always make sure these sweeteners are 100% pure without any additional ingredients.