Salt and the Candida Diet
Salt is the mother of all spices. You have never heard of a paprika shaker have you? It is so well known and widely used that it is even worthy of its own adjective; salty. Salt if used in moderation is excellent at enhancing the flavor of your food. Salt however often comes under attack because when used in excess it can be a contributory factor to high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to other serious health problems. While I believe that a moderate amount of salt in your diet is not harmful and makes eating much more enjoyable using salt can be problematic for those on the Candida diet.
The Candida Diet is used to treat a condition called candidiasis. This condition is characterized by an overgrowth of yeast (Candida) in the intestinal system. Candida is typically a benign microorganism that is an integral part of a healthy intestinal system but external factors help turn this benign microorganism in an opportunistic one. When Candida becomes opportunistic it causes a wide array of seemingly unrelated health problems throughout the body. Numerous external factors, such as overuse of antibiotics, birth control, diets high in processed/sugary foods and stress all contribute to candidiasis. An imbalance is actually created by these external factors which often eliminate the friendly bacteria in the intestinal system that keep the Candida in check. Coincidentally, while the friendly bacteria are being eliminated, the Candida is being fed by poor dietary choices and continues to flourish. The goal of the Candida Diet is to restore the body’s delicate intestinal balance by significantly reducing the Candida’s food supply. This causes the Candida to die and friendly bacteria can be reintroduced via probiotics. The Candida Diet eliminates processed/sugary foods, all forms of sugar, glutinous grains and even fruit in the early stages. Salt causes problems on the diet due to the additives it usually contains.
When I say salt I am referring to common table salt. This always makes me think of the container of Morton’s Salt we always had in the cabinet as a kid. This salt can be problematic for the Candida dieter because it contains dextrose which is a form of sugar. Additionally, dextrose is usually derived from corn. While corn is allowed in moderation on the diet many candidiasis sufferers also have food allergies/sensitivities and if corn is one of them continued use of salt is not beneficial. So is all salt off limits on the Candida Diet? The answer is no. The diet recommends using sea salt with no additives. Label reading is a must when choosing sea salt because many varieties contain the very same prohibited ingredients as found in common table salt. You are looking for a brand who’s only ingredient is sea salt. I don’t believe that sea salt is necessarily better for you than common table salt but the fact that it does not contain additives makes it a better choice for the Candida Diet. Even sea salt should be used in moderation, so remember just because it is a Candida Diet friendly alternative to common table salt does not mean that it should be used excessively.
For more information on the Candida Diet visit Yeast Free Living.