Candida and Raw Chocolate | Is This Superfood Candida Friendly?
With the sudden boom in the superfood movement, many are beginning to experiment with various so called “superfoods” which are said to improve overall health. In particular, many advocates of this movement claim that raw chocolate is one of the most beneficial foods an individual can consume.
The claim is that raw chocolate can help increase longevity, mood, well-being, and decrease stress levels in the body.
However, what about those with candida? Is raw chocolate a good option for them? Or will it make a candida condition much worse?
These are the questions that many with candida often ask when it comes to raw chocolate. Luckily, we’ve answered all your questions about raw chocolate and candida below.
Raw Chocolate – Is it Candida Friendly?
For those unaware, candida is a pathogenic fungus which operates on a sugar metabolism. This simply means it uses sugars in order to thrive and multiply in the body. It also produces small amounts of alcohol and toxic byproducts during the digestion process of these sugars.
That said, depending on what ingredients are present in the chocolate, raw chocolate typically will not feed candida in the body.
However, most raw chocolates are made with sugar. This sugar present in the chocolate can feed candida and allow it to thrive and multiply. As a result, chocolates that are made with sugar are best avoided.
Instead, look for chocolates that are made without the use of sugar and other harmful ingredients. Many raw chocolates on the market add emulsifiers to the product. This is problematic because research has shown that dietary emulsifiers can contribute to inflammation in the intestines, colitis, and can be a contributor to degenerative conditions such as diabetes (1).
In our experience, the best chocolate to buy is 100% cacao with no added ingredients. Some companies have begun to use sweeteners such as maple syrup or raw honey in place of sugar. Both these sweeteners contain anti-fungal properties and are typically well tolerated by those with candida overgrowth.
The Downsides of Raw Chocolate | Anti-Nutrients
Many pushing raw chocolate as a health food fail to mention that ALL raw chocolate is going to contain high amounts of anti-nutrients. In particular, raw chocolate is going to be extremely high in lectins.
Lectins are an anti-nutrient that have the ability to severely disrupt normal gut function and can contribute to intestinal inflammation. In fact, research has shown that lectins can cause tissue damage in the intestines and may promote inflammatory diseases in the body (2). It has also been shown that lectins have the ability to get past the gut wall and deposit themselves into distant organs (3).
As a result, eating large amounts of raw chocolate each day is the quickest way to destroy the health of your gut and possibly promote inflammatory conditions in the body. It should be mentioned that many suffering with candida overgrowth are already under immense amounts of intestinal inflammation.
This is because candida burrows itself into the intestinal wall and can cause high amounts of inflammation in the gut. It also releases toxic byproducts which play a significant role in poor intestinal health.
Consequently, when large amounts of raw chocolate consumption is combined with a candida overgrowth, poor intestinal health often results. In fact, the lectins present in raw chocolate can actually make a candida condition appear much worse.
Stick to “Prepared” Chocolate
There once was a time when we knew as a people that ALL plant foods needed special preparation methods in order to remove plant toxins and to increase their digestibility.
Cooking, fermenting, soaking, roasting, and boiling are all methods that can be used in order to remove anti-nutrients (plant toxins) from plant foods. It’s for this reason that raw plant foods are not recommended for anyone suffering with a candida overgrowth in the body.
By default, most chocolates on the market have undergone an extensive heating process. In fact, the use of heat is mandatory in many chocolate making processes.
However, due to the raw vegan and raw food movement, there has been ongoing demand for a “raw chocolate.” We highly recommend you stay away from such products as these chocolates will contain the most plant toxins and anti-nutrients.
Also, refrain from buying “raw cacao nibs.” These are simply the unprocessed bean of the cacao fruit being sold as a “health food.” Interestingly, natives always understood the importance of preparing cacao in order to make it more digestible. They typically fermented the bean for several days in order to make a refreshing chocolate beverage during the hotter months.
That being said, you typically have to go out of your way in order to find raw chocolate. Most store bought chocolate will have naturally gone through an extensive heating and preparation process.
Make Your Own Candida Friendly Chocolate
In our experience, making your own chocolate at home is easy and much healthier. It allows you to control all the ingredients that go into your chocolate so you know exactly what you’re eating.
To make your own chocolate, you will need the following:
Raw Honey or Pure Maple Syrup (no synthetic ingredients)
To make, heat ½ a cup of cacao butter in a sauce pan. Once hot and liquefied, add ¼ of a cup of raw cacao powder. Adjust flame to medium-low and continue to stir. It’s important that you leave this mixture on the stove for at least 10-15 minutes; continually stirring so it doesn’t burn. This is the heating process and is essential for removing and degrading anti-nutrients present in the chocolate.
Once complete, shut off the heat and keep stirring. Add 3 tablespoons of raw honey (or maple syrup) and stir until completely mixed into the chocolate. Transfer the chocolate into an oiled glass dish (coconut oil works good) and place into the freezer.
The chocolate will be done after 4 hours in freezer and can be cut into small pieces for later consumption!
The Upsides of Chocolate – Magnesium
To be clear, chocolate can be an amazing supplemental food if properly prepared. It has been consumed for centuries by people all over the world. Many claim that chocolate helps improve their mood and helps to calm the nerves when under high amounts of stress.
Interestingly, chocolate is a rich source of magnesium. For those unaware, magnesium is needed for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and is critical for optimal health. Being just slightly deficient in this mineral can lead to serious and chronic health problems in the body.
Those with candida overgrowth will typically have deficient levels of magnesium in the body. This is due to poor intestinal health and gut permeability. Luckily, chocolate, in combination with a gut healing diet, can help naturally increase magnesium levels in the body.
A Longevity Superfood?
There is ongoing debate among the heath community as to whether chocolate can help increase longevity in the body. Many believe that the high amount of anti-oxidants present in the chocolate help to protect against free-radical damage and can help naturally prolong life.
Interestingly, Jeanne Louise Calment, a centenarian who lived to 122 years old, was documented to have eaten over 2 pounds of chocolate a week during her later years! Although this proves nothing, it still makes an interesting argument when it comes to chocolate and longevity!
