What is the best protein powder for the candida diet?
If you are looking for the best protein powder for the candida diet, you have come to the right place. In this article, you will learn how to find a candida diet-friendly protein powder so you can easily increase your protein intake without upsetting your stomach. This article was written by Jack Schrupp.
Protein powder and the candida diet
What is candidiasis?
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by the yeast candida. Symptoms include fatigue, mouth sores, and stomach pain.
Just like mold, yeast is a type of fungus. It is naturally found on the surface of the skin and in the intestines. Normally, good bacteria limit the amount of candida in the gut, but some medical treatments (like antibiotics) reduce the amount of good bacteria, leading to a candida overgrowth.
Candida overgrowth is often blamed for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and some people claim that they feel better when they change their diets to reduce the amount of candida in their gut. This generally involves eating fewer simple carbohydrates like sugar, which yeast feed on.
Although several studies have linked candida to digestive issues, the findings are too weak to be able to draw much of a conclusion. Moreover, there is little evidence that dietary changes have any effect on candidiasis. Instead of a diet, most doctors therefore prescribe antifungal medications to treat yeast overgrowth.
Do not let this stop you from changing your diet, however. Anecdotal evidence suggests that diet may be a great place to start if you have candidiasis, and many people experience fewer digestive issues when on the candida diet. Plus, eliminating refined sugar, gluten, alcohol, dairy products, and processed foods from your diet will almost always make you feel better, even if it does not impact Candida overgrowth. Just be sure to consult your doctor or dietitian before making any significant changes to what you eat.
Is protein powder good for the candida diet?
Candida overgrowth can cause bloating, diarrhea, and other symptoms that make it hard to eat enough. Candida overgrowth may also impair your ability to absorb nutrients from food. Over time, these side effects can lead to malnutrition and weight loss. To counteract this, you must be mindful of your nutrient intake.
One of the most important nutrients to consider is protein. Candidiasis can cause damage to the mucosal intestinal barrier, which is a semipermeable structure that allows you to absorb essential nutrients while protecting you from bacteria and other pathogens. Dietary proteins are essential for the growth and repair of this barrier. Although more research into the role of proteins in intestinal barrier regulation is needed, it is known that some dietary peptides produced by the enzymatic digestion of dietary proteins enhance or protect the intestinal barrier.
How much protein you need will depend on a number of factors, but you certainly need to eat at least 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight per day. Eating this much protein can be challenging for some individuals, especially those with dietary restrictions. This is where protein powder can help. Incorporating a protein powder into your diet is an easy way to fill in nutritional gaps and ensure you meet your daily protein requirements. Not all protein powders are created equal, however.
What is the best protein powder for the candida diet?
Many protein powders are made with ingredients that are not compatible with the candida diet. Among these ingredients are food additives, dairy-based proteins, and protein concentrates and isolates.
Avoid food additives
Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, sugar substitutes, and other additives can not only upset your stomach, but also alter the composition of your gut microbiome – the collection of microorganisms living in your gut. This can lead to gut dysbiosis, which has been shown to promote candida overgrowth. Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:
acacia fiber, acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, ascorbic acid, aspartame, calcium carbonate, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dicalcium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, maltodextrin, mono- and diglycerides, ‘natural’ flavors, rice bran extract, rice dextrin, rice hulls, rosemary extract, silica, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, soluble corn fiber, soy lecithin, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, tocopherols, tricalcium phosphate, xanthan gum, xylitol, zinc oxide
Avoid dairy-based proteins
Dairy-based proteins like whey and casein, although not an issue for everyone, can cause side effects like bloating and diarrhea. This is in part because they contain lactose, a sugar most adults cannot fully digest.
Avoid protein concentrates and isolates
Most protein powders are made from protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and or chemically stripped of everything but the protein, including the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down. As a result, they can cause digestive issues and possibly even disruptions to the gut microbiome.
Finding a protein powder free from food additives, dairy-based proteins, and protein concentrates and isolates is hard. In fact, 99% of protein supplements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients. This is why we created drink wholesome. Keep reading to learn more about why we make the best protein powder for the candida diet.
drink wholesome is the best protein powder for the candida diet
We make the best protein powder for the candida diet because we use a short list of simple ingredients free from food additives, dairy-based proteins, and protein concentrates and isolates.
egg whites, coconut, vanilla, monk fruit
the alternative:
Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain
Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like collagen, egg whites, and almonds. Simple protein sources like these are easy to digest and absorb. They also each bring a unique set of digestive benefits to the table.
Collagen has been shown to reduce bloating and improve digestive symptoms. Almonds are rich in prebiotic fiber and improve the composition of your gut microbiome. Egg whites are alkaline, meaning they balance the pH levels in your gut, and promote the growth of good gut bacteria.
Our customers thus experience fewer digestive issues with our candida diet protein powder than with any other type of protein supplement. Order samples to see for yourself.
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. drink wholesome is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
