Yogurt is often claimed to be the perfect food for those with candida.  It has the perfect balance of fats, carbohydrates, and sugars that can be used by the body for repair.  It also contains a high amount of probiotics which are said to be beneficial for repopulating the gut.

However, there is a dark side to most commercially sold yogurt that often does not get talked about.  In fact, if you’re a frequent consumer of yogurt products, there is good chance that you are overloading your body with sugar.  A quick look on the back of most yogurt products reveals that most contain astoundingly high levels of sugar.

Anyone who knows anything about candida knows that sugar is the worse thing you can put into your body if you suffer from this pathogenic overgrowth.  It’s well known that this opportunistic yeast/fungus uses sugars in order to survive and replicate in the body.

That being said, can yogurt be a good option for those suffering with candida overgrowth?  Also, what forms of yogurt are best for combating this pathogenic fungus?

In our experience, quality yogurt, if well tolerated, can be a good option for those dealing with candida overgrowth.  Luckily, by the end of this post you will have a better understanding of yogurt and if it’s right for you!

What is Yogurt?

It seems strange, but, many are unaware of what yogurt even is.  Most do not know how milk from a cow turns into yogurt.

To keep it simple, yogurt is a byproduct of a long fermentation process.  During this fermentation process, lactic acid bacteria ferments the sugar (lactose) in milk.  The result is a thick tangy substance that we call yogurt.

Most commercially bought yogurt does no rely on wild fermentation during their yogurt making process.  This simply means that they purposely introduce probiotics during the fermentation process so that a consistent product can be made time and time again. 

If relying on wild fermentation, no one batch of yogurt will ever taste quite the same.  However, yogurts that rely on wild fermentation will be much more diverse in their beneficial bacteria profile than yogurt that has been created under controlled fermentation.

Also, most commercially sold yogurt products will add sugar to the final product.  This is so the bacteria have something to feed on during the time the product is packaged and reaches the consumer. 

Unfortunately, this can cause problems in those with candida overgrowth.  As mentioned before, sugar is the main fuel source of this pathogenic fungus.

Commercially Raised Cattle – A Big Problem

Unless you’re buying grass-fed, organic, and pastured raised, chances are that your yogurt is highly inflammatory.  This is because all commercially raised cattle are fed an unnatural and inflammatory diet of wheat, corn, and soy.  These animals do not have the digestive capability to break down these foods and inflammation is often the result of eating such foods.

It’s well known that if a cow is fed an unnatural diet and is suffering from high amounts of inflammation the milk will be tainted.  In fact, one study found that cows suffering from high amounts of inflammation actually passed candida yeast into the milk (1).

It’s important to understand that when animals are fed the incorrect diet, they too can develop fungal overgrowth’s such as candida.  As a result, we highly urge anyone who may be suffering from candida overgrowth to stay far away from non-organic and low quality yogurt products.  Cows need to be fed a diet of grass in order to produce high quality and non-inflammatory dairy products.

Furthermore, it’s well known that most cattle are given high amounts of hormones in order to increase milk production.  Many of these synthetic hormones can make their way into the milk and into the consumers body.  Again, always buying organic and grass-fed cannot be emphasized enough if you chose to include dairy products such as yogurt into your diet.

Lactobacillus and Yogurt

One of the main reasons yogurt is recommended for those with candida overgrowth is due to its high amount of the beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus.  Even yogurts that have undergone controlled fermentation will typically have high amounts of this bacteria.

Lactobacillus is unique in that this beneficial bacteria will actually release small amounts of hydrogen peroxide (2).  Research has shown that hydrogen peroxide is effective at inhibiting the growth of fungal pathogens such as candida (3).  As a result, yogurt is often recommended for those trying to get their candida levels under control.

It is also a great source of several other beneficial strains of bacteria such as Streptococcus and Bifidus. This combination of beneficial bacteria in yogurt can help to balance out the gut microbiome.  Those suffering from candida overgrowth oftentimes have a gut dysbiosis.  This simply means that they have a bacterial imbalance in the stomach.

That being said, if well tolerated, yogurt can be a good option for increasing the amount of probiotics in the diet.  It’s also a rich source of lactobacillus which has anti-candida properties.

Great Source of K2, D3 and B12

Again, quality is always of the utmost importance whenever dealing with dairy products.  However, high quality grass-fed yogurts are going to be a great source of vitamin K2, D3 and B12.

More and more research is pointing towards the synergistic effects both D3 and K2 have in the body.  Both are needed for proper absorption and are important for several different biological functions in the body.

In particular, research has shown that both D3 and K2 play a very important role in the health of the immune system (4)(5).  Candida suffers oftentimes have immune system dysregulation due to the negative effect candida can have on the gut.  It’s important to understand that the majority of our immune system is dependent on the health and integrity of our gut (6).  If gut health is suffering, our immune system oftentimes follows suite.

Also, D3 and K2 play an important role in helping to prevent calcification in the body (7).  Vitamin D3 helps to free up the calcium in the body, while vitamin K2 helps to transport it into the bones where it belongs.

Furthermore, grass-fed organic yogurt will naturally be a good source of B12.  Vitamin B12 is important for maintaining proper energy levels in the body (8).  Consuming B12 rich foods is important for those suffering with this pathogenic fungal overgrowth since candida can naturally drain energy levels in the individual.

Kefir – Make Your Own Yogurt at Home!

If you going to include yogurt into your candida diet, we highly recommend you try making your own at home!  In particular, Kefir, which is the true original yogurt, can be beneficial for those suffering with candida.  This ancient probiotic milk beverage originated from the Caucasus Mountains and has been used for centuries in order to make milk more digestible and to increase its overall nutritive value.

Like yogurt, kefir undergoes a fermentation process that naturally reduces the amount of lactose (sugar) in the milk.  Interestingly, kefir is much higher in overall probiotic content than plain yogurt.  This is because “kefir grains” as well as wild fermentation are used to create milk kefir.

Kefir grains are a small symbiotic culture of beneficial yeast and bacteria that are used to ferment the milk.  No one is quite sure where these grains came from, but there are several different legends surrounding the subject.  However, once you obtain them, you never have to purchase them again.  This is because they naturally multiply in the milk and reproduce.  In fact, back in ancient times, it wasn’t uncommon for kefir grains to be passed down from several different generations.

To use, simply place ½ teaspoon of milk kefir grains in a glass mason jar and add desired amount of milk.  Cover with a cheese cloth and let ferment until sour.  This usually takes 2-3 days.  Once complete, strain out the grains and repeat this process for the next batch.

If possible, use a high quality raw organic grass-fed milk.  If that’s not available, look for a quality grass-fed milk that is well tolerated.  Also, milk kefir grains can be purchased online from several different sources.  Just make sure the grains have been fed a high quality milk.

Beyond Yogurt – Importance of Diet

Although yogurt is great, it’s been our experience that most individuals do much better once all dairy is removed from the diet.  This has a lot to do with an individual’s overall heritage and some actually tolerate dairy very well.  As a result, it’s important to experiment in order to figure out if dairy is right for you.  Simply remove it from the diet for a short period (1 week) and see how you feel.

Also, we highly encourage you to check out our free candida diet eating strategy.  We’ve laid out the best foods to be eating if you suffer from candida overgrowth.  This can all be found on our Candida Diet Protocol Page.  Don’t pay for an expensive candida diet eating protocol when you can get it for free!