Candidiasis Diet

Based on their clinical experience and on very preliminary research, several doctors have suggested that certain dietary factors may promote the overgrowth of Candida albicans. The most important of these factors are high intakes of sugar, milk, and other dairy products; foods with a high content of yeast or mold (e.g., alcoholic beverages, cheeses, dried fruits, and peanuts); and foods to which individual patients are allergic. However, few clinical trials have investigated whether these dietary factors affect people with conditions for which Candida is the causative agent.

One study compared levels of various sugars in urine of healthy women with levels found in women with chronic vaginal Candida infections. Urine sugar levels correlated with dietary intakes of sugar, dairy, and artificial sweeteners. Among women who reduced their intake of sugar, 90% reported no vaginal yeast infections during the following year. These researchers reported a “dramatic reduction” in the incidence and severity ofvaginitis caused by Candida as a result of reducing intake of dairy, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.

Many apparently healthy people have some Candida in their gastrointestinal tract. In one trial, high-sugar diets given to healthy people had mixed effects on the concentration of Candida found in their stool, though some subjects did show an increase in Candida after eating more sugar. These preliminary reports suggest, but do not prove, that diet might affect the ability of Candida to infect the body...