Chances are if you’ve landed on this page you’ve heard all the negative side effects that can come from eating grains.  In fact, you’ve probably been told that you should follow a gluten free diet if you suffer from candida.

In regards to gluten, we must agree; most modern day glutinous grains are going to cause more problems than good in those dealing with candida overgrowth.

However, what about non-glutinous grains, should they be avoided as well if you suffer from candida overgrowth?  Or can they be incorporated into the diet in those dealing with this pathogenic fungus?

Luckily, we’ve got the answers to all your questions below.  In fact, by the end of this post, you will be able to make a better decision as to whether or not you should include grains into your anti-candida diet!

Why you Should Avoid Gluten

Many are confused as to why they should avoid gluten.  In truth, many are completely unaware as to what gluten even is!

For those unaware, gluten is a nutrient inhibitor that occurs naturally in most grains.  It’s produced by the seed in order to protect itself from predators.  It’s important to understand that plants can’t run or move away from a predator.  As a result, they use a form of chemical warfare to help fend of unwanted pests.

Gluten is on the many byproducts produced by plants such as grains in order to protect themselves.  However, grains also produce other nutrient inhibitors such as phytic acid.

Research has shown that both phytic acid and gluten can contribute to intestinal inflammation and gluten is on of the main causes of intestinal disorders such as celiac disease (1)(2)(3).

That being said, it wasn’t always this way.  There was a time when special preparation methods were used in order to reduce the amount of anti-nutrients present in grains.  In fact, centuries ago, fermentation was almost always used in order to reduce both phytates and gluten in grain products (4)(5).  This resulted in a sourdough bread that was more easily digestible and much lower in gut irritating anti-nutrients.

The Problem with Modern Grains

Here’s the problem with most grains; a large percentage of the wheat grown today is either overly hybridized or genetically modified.  As a result, the grains that are being consumed today would have never been consumed by our ancestors.  In fact, most modern wheat doesn’t even come close to resembling the ancient wheat varieties.

Also, as mentioned before, gluten is an anti-nutrient produced by the plant in order to fend off predators such as bugs and insects.  Consequently, wheat has been selectively bred to contain more gluten than the original wheat.  This is because higher gluten content means less chance of the harvest being lost to insects and pests which means a higher profit.

That all being said, this higher gluten content can put high amounts of stress on the digestive system and can contribute to intestinal inflammation.  The last thing those who are suffering with candida overgrowth need is more intestinal inflammation.  It’s well known that this pathogenic fungus burrows itself into the intestinal lining which can create high amounts of inflammation in the gut.

In our opinion, most modern wheat products should be avoided by anyone with candida overgrowth, or looking to improve overall health.

Pre-Packaged Bread and Grain Products

Those dealing with candida will want to avoid store bought breads at all costs.  These bread products are typically filled with synthetic ingredients, white flour, and sugar.  As a result, it can make a candida condition much worse.

Also, since most of these products are mass produced, you can guarantee that the manufacture is not using special preparation and processing methods in order to remove the anti-nutrients in the grain.  As a result, most store bought bread and grain products are going to be very irritating towards the intestines.

Ancient Grains for Candida

To say that all grains are bad and should be avoided at all costs is a bit ill-advised.  Grains have been a part of the human diet for thousands of years.  In fact, many cultures used grains as a “staple food.”  Most notably would be Asian cultures high intake of white rice.

Now, we will be the first to admit, the majority of individuals do extremely well by eliminating all grains from the diet.  In fact, grains are not required for survival; just as many cultures who incorporated them into the diet, there are an equal number of cultures who did not use grains in their diet.

However, if you have a candida overgrowth and would like to incorporate grains into your diet, you should always make sure that you use an ancient variety.  Grains such as rice, barley, millet, oats, spelt, teff, amaranth, and einkorn are all good choices.

That being said, you’re going to want to refrain from consuming store bought wheat and grain products.  Most will contain high amounts of sugar, white four, and synthetic ingredients that can make a candida condition much worse.

Make Your Own Sourdough Bread

If you’re going to include grains into your diet, we highly recommend you make your own sourdough bread.  It should be mentioned that sourdough bread should only be made with grain products that contain gluten.  Grains such as rice do not contain gluten and only need to be soaked and cooked to remove most of the anti-nutrients.

However, for those craving bread, sourdough bread is the way to go!  In fact, sourdough bread made from ancient wheat is the only way we recommend you consume bread if you’re suffering from candida overgrowth.  Interestingly, the fermentation process actually increases the nutritive value of the wheat and increases many of the vitamins and minerals all while lowering the overall anti-nutrient content.

Making your own sourdough bread at home is very easy.  Although, you’re going to need an ancient wheat flour before you start.  An organic flour of Einkorn, spelt, freekeh, bulgur, farro, emmer, barley, teff, and oats are all good options.  Once you’ve got your ancient flour, use the video(s) below for clear instructions on how to make your own sourdough bread at home!

Use Grains as a Supplemental food

In our opinion, if your going to consume grains, they should be used as supplemental food items and not as staples.  Although there have been cultures who have used grains as staples for thousands of years, there is no denying the fact that most individuals do extremely well when all grain products are removed from the diet.

In fact, we always recommend candida sufferers to put a higher emphasis on high quality animal foods. Animal foods contain no anti-nutrients or sugar and provide the body with all the nutrients it needs for repair and regeneration in the body.  In fact, animal foods such as broths and gelatinous cuts of meat can be very soothing on the intestines.

For those interested, we highly encourage you to check out our free Candida Diet Protocol Page.  Here you will find everything you need to know about the best foods to be eating if you suffer from candida!

The Verdict – Should You Eat Wheat and Grains?

Many individuals find that grains and wheat are one of the hardest food items to give up in their diet.  As a result, if you must have grains or wheat in your diet, we always recommend you choose an ancient grain or wheat variety.

Also, if consuming wheat, it can be extremely beneficial to make your own sourdough bread.  The fermentation process naturally lowers the amount of phytates and gluten in the grain and increases the digestibility of the wheat.

For non-wheat grains that do not contain gluten, soaking and cooking is typically enough to remove most of the anti-nutrients.  For best results, always soak overnight in a solution of both water and sea salt.

Lastly, be sure to check out our Crush Candida Cookbook for delicious recipes that can be great for anyone dealing with candida overgrowth!