Fermented foods have gotten a lot of praise as of late among the natural health community, but is it right for those with candida overgrowth?

In this post, we hope to cover all the benefits and downsides of consuming fermented foods on a candida diet.  However, for those who want the quick version, fermented foods can in fact be beneficial for those with candida.

That being said, there are also some negative reactions that can occur when consuming fermented foods.  It’s for this reason that we highly recommend you educate yourself on both the good and bad of fermented foods.

Luckily, we’ve got all the information you need to make an informed decision as to whether fermented foods are right for you!

What are Fermented Foods?

To put it simply, fermented foods are foods that have undergone an aging process which renders them easier to digest and increases the nutrient availability.  The fermentation process naturally produces high amounts of beneficial bacteria which can be great for those dealing with candida overgrowth.

Also, fermented foods can be stored in the fridge for several months without running into the risk of spoilage.  In fact, fermentation was the process in which all our ancestors used in order to persevere perishable food items.  Before refrigeration, fermentation was the only method in which perishable food items could be stored for long periods of time.

Fermented Foods – Amazing Source of Probiotics

All fermented foods will naturally contain high amounts of live microorganisms.  These live microorganisms serve as beneficial probiotics which can help repopulate the gut and reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria.

Those suffering from candida overgrowth are typically in dire need of healthy probiotics.  This is because candida can naturally overtake the gut microbiome and reduce the amount of good bacteria.  When this occurs, individuals often suffer from chronic digestive problems.

Also, unlike store bought probiotics, the probiotics found in fermented foods are living and able to survive the harsh conditions of the stomach.  It should be mentioned that many store bought probiotics only contain a few beneficial strains of bacteria and often times are not “hardy” enough to survive the body’s stomach acid.

It’s been shown that 1 tablespoon of sauerkraut can contain up to 6 billion live microorganisms and can contain several hundred different strains of beneficial yeast and bacteria.  That being said, if you’re looking to increase your probiotic intake naturally, fermented foods are the way to go!

Some of the best fermented foods include:

• chi cha
• sauerkraut
• kimchi
• pickles
• miso
• natto
• kefir

Always make sure that fermented foods are raw and unpasteurized.  The pasteurization process kills off the beneficial bacteria and renders the food useless.

Can Help Improve Mood

Many are unaware that fermented foods can naturally boost mood levels in the body.  In fact, research has shown that the probiotics contain in fermented food items, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, can help reduce stress levels and combat against anxiety and depression (1).

Those dealing with candida often times are suffering from mood dysregulation and symptoms such as anxiety and depression.  Mental health disorders are so common among those with candida that research has shown a correlation between candida overgrowth in the body and mental health issues (2).

Luckily, due to its high amounts of probiotics, fermented foods can be great for naturally boosting the mood.  As a result, the brain enhancing effects of fermented foods can be great for anyone dealing with chronic candida overgrowth in the body.

Low in Anti-Nutrients

If you’ve read through some of the articles on this website, you know we talk frequently about the dangers of consuming too many anti-nutrients.  However, for those unaware, anti-nutrients occur naturally in all plant foods and are essentially “plant poisons” that help to protect the plant.

Unfortunately, anti-nutrients such as oxalates, lectins, and phytates which occur in vegetables, nuts, and grains respectively, have been shown to have an inflammatory effect on the intestines (3)(4)(5).

The intestinal inflammation that can be caused by these plant foods can make a candida condition much worse.  This is because candida sufferers will already being dealing with high amounts of intestinal inflammation due to the presence of this pathogenic fungus and its toxic byproducts.

Luckily, all plant based fermented foods such as sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, pickles, and natto will all have extremely low amounts of anti-nutrients.  The fermentation process naturally reduces the amount of anti-nutrients present in these plant foods.  As a result, it renders it more easily digestible and less irritating on the gut.

In fact, if you’re going to include vegetables on your anti-candida diet, we always recommend that they are either well cooked or in a fermented form in order to keep intestinal inflammation low.  Fortunately, many of the recipes in our Crush Candida Cookbook are naturally low in anti-nutrients and can be great for both gut health and candida.

Can Help The Body Stay Regular

There is no denying that one of the biggest upsides of consuming fermented foods regularly are their ability to keep the body regular.  Many who suffer with conditions such as chronic constipation, which is very common with a candida overgrowth, report almost immediate relief after introducing fermented products into their diet.

This is because fermented products will provide the body with both probiotics and prebiotics that can help induce effortless bowel movements.  Also, they can help correct bacteria imbalances in the gut that may be contributing to constipation in the body.

Extremely High in Histamine

Here comes the downside of fermented foods; they’re extremely high in histamine.  Now, if you suffer from candida overgrowth, histamine may be a problem.  For those wondering what histamine is, it’s simply a naturally compound produced by the body in order to help the immune system function properly.

That being said, those with candida overgrowth typically have too much histamine circulating in the body.  Research has shown that fungal overgrowth’s such as candida can stimulate the body’s mast cells which in return causes a release in histamine (6). 

It does this because the body is attempting to fight off the candida infection in the body.  Unfortunately, most are eating an incorrect diet and continue to feed this pathogenic fungus.  As a result, the body becomes stuck in a viscous cycle of releasing histamine into the body. It’s for this reason that those with candida overgrowth often times have an overstimulated immune system. 

That all being said, foods that are high in histamine will often cause a negative stimulatory effect in the body in those dealing with excess amounts of histamine.  This often results in the individual developing several different food allergies and intolerances. 

As a result, there is a possibility that those dealing with candida overgrowth may have a form of histamine intolerance.  If this is the case, fermented foods are probably not right for this individual.

The Bottom Line – Should you Eat Fermented Foods

Fermented foods can be a tricky subject when it comes to candida overgrowth.  If well tolerated, they can be an amazing superfood and can help introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut.  However, if an individual is dealing with a histamine intolerance, it’s not uncommon for negative reactions to occur in the body.

In our opinion, fermented foods, whether if they’re well tolerated or not, should always be introduced into the diet slowly.  In fact, we recommend starting out as small as ¼ of teaspoon a day and working your way up to a dose you feel comfortable at.  Many overdo fermented foods thinking they’re doing the body a favor only to find that they begin to experience negative side effects.

Also, although fermented foods can be great, we truly believe that high quality animal foods, such as the ones outlined on our Candida Diet Protocol Page, have the most beneficial effect at combating candida!