A common complaint among those suffering with candida overgrowth in the body is undigested food in stool.  Many are confused as to why this phenomenon is happening and are oftentimes left without a solution to this problem.

Watery and poorly formed stool is also a common symptom in those suffering with candida overgrowth.  In fact, it’s not uncommon for candida sufferers to frequently change between constipation and loose stools.

With that all being said, how can this problem be fixed and what are some possible solutions to this problem?  Also, how can the gut be corrected so that the body can experience better overall digestion?

Luckily, we’ve answered all these questions and more in our post below.  By the end of this post you will have a better understanding as to why you’re suffering from poor digestion and possible solutions you can put into place that may help the problem!

Candida and Poor Digestion – What you Need to Know

It’s important to understand that the overgrowth of candida can cause several different health problems in the body.  In particular, this pathogenic fungus is notorious for wreaking havoc on its hosts digestive system.  In fact, it’s well known that those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), oftentimes also suffer from a colonization of candida in the gut (1).

For those unaware, candida will actually burrow itself into the intestinal lining of its host.  This can create high amounts of inflammation and causes issues such as gut permeability, or leaky gut.  This pathogenic fungus will actually create microscopic holes in the intestinal lining which can allow undigested food particles to pass into the bloodstream.  It’s for this reason that those suffering from gut permeability issues often have various food allergies and food intolerance’s (2).

That all being said, the main reason candida causes undigested food particles in stool is because of its effect on stomach acid.  This fungus will actually release several different toxic byproducts into the body, one of which is ammonia.  This release of ammonia naturally raises the PH of the stomach and reduces stomach acidity.

Stomach Acid  for Digestion and Health

Maintaining healthy stomach acid levels throughout one’s lifetime is a critical for optimal health.  Unfortunately, as mentioned before, those with candida overgrowth often have a stomach that is too alkaline.  Undigested food particles in the stool is a clear indication that an individual is suffering from low levels of stomach acid.

A healthy stomach should have a PH of around 1.5 to 2.0.  This acidic environment helps to breakdown the food in which we eat and extract all the nutrients needed for optimal health.  The stomach acid also acts as a sterilizing agent and helps to keep the gut free from pathogens.  In fact, as well as candida, it’s well known that pathogens such as H. pylori also release ammonia in order to neutralize stomach acid production.  It would seem that many of the pathogens that have plagued modern society prefer an alkaline environment.

Those with weak stomach acid will not be properly breaking down their food and getting the required nutrients needed for optimal health.  Undigested food in the stool is a clear indication that adequate vitamins and minerals may not be getting obtained in the diet.  As a result, those suffering from weak stomach acid levels are going to be more prone to developing vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the body.

Low Levels of Zinc and Poor Digestion

It’s well known that zinc deficiency can cause the gut to be more permeable and can cause negative shifts in the gut microbiota (3)(4).  Interestingly,  it has been shown that zinc deficiency enables the growth of a hyperactive form of candida yeast (5).

However, zinc plays a very important role when it comes to digestion.  This is because zinc has powerful anti-viral properties that can help inhibit the growth of various pathogens that may be present in the digestive tract.  It’s for this reason that zinc is often referred to an immune boosting mineral due to its positive effect on the immune system (6).

That being said, most do not consume enough zinc rich foods in their diet.  This is mainly due to poor food choices and absorption issues.  Also, a plant heavy diet will be more prone to zinc deficiency due to the high amounts of nutrient inhibitors present in plant foods.

That all being said, we don’t advise supplementing with zinc unless proper blood work has been done confirming that the individual is in fact deficient.  Although supplements can be useful, they tend to cause imbalances in the body when used long term.  As a result, we always encourage individuals to focus on proper diet for proper nourishment.

The Best Diet for Improving Digestion

When it comes to digestive health, diet plays a very important role.  Most are eating a diet that actually promotes poor digestive health.  Diets high in processed foods, sugar, wheat, and starchy carbohydrates can be disastrous for anyone suffering with symptoms such as undigested food in stools.

These diets naturally lower the body’s ability to produce adequate levels of stomach acid and are big reason for candida overgrowth in the first place.  For those unaware, sugar is the main fuel source of this pathogenic fungus.  As a result, diets high in sugar and processed foods can naturally contribute to candida overgrowth and have a negative effect on stomach acid levels.

Furthermore, it actually requires minerals to remove sugar from the body!  It’s for this reason that sugar should be avoided by anyone dealing with nutritional deficiencies or by anyone seeking optimal health.

That being said, the best foods that stimulate stomach acid production in the body are high quality animal foods.  Unlike plant foods, animal foods require the body to produce a strong stomach acid in order to breakdown.  They also do not contain anti-nutrients which can contribute to intestinal inflammation and poor digestive health.

In fact, high quality animal foods play a very important role in our Candida Diet Protocol.  We highly recommend our readers to take advantage of our free program that reveals easy to follow eating strategies for candida overgrowth.

The Power of Bitter Foods

Bitter foods are going to be your best friends if you suffer from poor digestive health.  This is because bitter foods naturally stimulate the production of stomach acid in the body.  In particular, bitter foods stimulate the vagus nerve on the back of tongue which signals to the brain and gut to produce more stomach acid.

Interestingly, some cultures still serve a bitter beverage after or with a meal.  Unfortunately, due to the modern diet, most due not consume enough bitter foods.

It should be mentioned that we have taste buds for sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent, and pungent.  Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing system, claims that all six of these flavors play an important role in overall health and need to be consumed in balance.  

That being said, the modern diet focuses primarily on sweet and salty which can cause imbalances in the body.  Good examples of bitter foods are dandelion, ginger, fennel, andrographis, gentian root, and bupleurum foot.

For best results, brew a small (6 ounce) bitter tea before or after meals.  This will help facilitate in the digestion process, help the body produce more stomach acid, and can be beneficial in ensuring that all food gets digested properly.

Conclusion – What Now?

Having undigested food in your stool is a signal that your digestive system is not working properly.  This can mainly be due to the overgrowth of candida in the body, but it can also be caused by poor diet.

As mentioned, high quality animal foods should be consumed by anyone dealing with digestive issues.  This alone will help in the production of stomach acid and can help improve digestion.  Plant foods should be kept low until the digestive system is properly healed.  It’s important to remember that all plant foods contain anti-nutrients that can contribute to intestinal inflammation.

Also, consuming small amounts of bitter foods is a great way to naturally facilitate the production of stomach acid.  This can naturally help in the break down of food and can help improve overall digestion.

Lastly, for those interested, be sure to check out our Crush Candida Cookbook for delicious and mouthwatering recipes that are candida friendly.  We’ve included over 20 different recipes that we know you will love!