What is the best protein powder for the candida diet?

drink wholesome is the best protein powder for the candida diet. 

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

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, bacteria limit the amount of candida in the gut, but some medical treatments (like antibiotics) reduce the amount of bacteria, which can lead 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 an 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 note improvement in symptoms when on the candida diet. Eliminating 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 before making any significant changes to what you eat. 

Is protein powder good for the candida diet?

Candida overgrowth can impair your ability to absorb nutrients from food, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. It is therefore important that you eat lots of protein, at least 1-2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

Eating this much protein every day is challenging for some people, however, For starters, certain high protein foods, including red meat and most dairy products, are off limits for individuals with candida overgrowth. Second, loss of appetite is also a common symptom of candida overgrowth, which can make it hard to simply eat enough food.

This is where protein supplements can help. Adding protein powder to your diet is an easy way to boost your protein intake and ensure that you are meeting your daily protein needs. That said, not all protein powders are created equal. 

First of all, most protein powders are full of emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, sweeteners, and flavors, all of which are associated with unpleasant side effects and long-term gut damage, particularly if you suffer from candida overgrowth. It is therefore imperative that you choose a protein powder made with a short list of simple ingredients. Keep reading to learn more.

Why drink wholesome? 

drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best protein powder for the candida diet is that we do not use food additives. For individuals with candida overgrowth, even small amounts of additives can cause side effects, including bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain.

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:

acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol

The long-term ramifications of eating food additives are even more concerning. Over time, additives have the potential to disrupt regulatory pathways in the intestines, contributing to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other chronic gut issues.

Emerging evidence also suggests that food additives, especially artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, can disrupt your gut microbiome – the collection of microorganisms living in your gut. This is the last thing you want if you suffer from candidiasis.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, maple sugar, vanilla

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

drink wholesome is dairy-free.

Another reason why we make the best candida diet protein powder is that we do not use dairy-based proteins. Many protein powders, on the contrary, are made with whey and casein, which are byproducts of the production of cheese and yogurt. Both are known to cause digestive complications, particularly for individuals with lactose intolerance, which is common among individuals with candida overgrowth.

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best candida-friendly protein powder is that we do not use protein concentrates and isolates. On the contrary, almost all other protein powders contain one or both of these protein sources, which are essentially foods stripped of everything but the protein.

The production of protein concentrates and isolates involves intensive mechanical and chemical processing. In some cases, chemical solvents like hexane are employed to extract the protein. It follows that what you end up putting in your smoothie hardly looks like real food.

Your digestive system is meant to digest unprocessed or minimally-processed real foods, not protein concentrates or isolates. This is why emerging research indicates that processed foods like these can significantly alter the composition of your gut microbiota. Again, an altered gut microbiome is bad news if you already have candida overgrowth.

Our candida diet protein powder is made using egg whites and almonds. Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, real food protein sources like these contain enzymes and natural digestive aids that help with digestion.

Provided you do not have any sensitivities or allergies to eggs, egg white protein powder is a particularly good choice for your gut. Egg whites are low in fiber, low FODMAP, and increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

For those who cannot eat eggs, our vegan almond protein powder is a great alternative. Almonds promote the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome in addition to giving you regular and healthy bowel movements. In summary, our protein powders are perfect for people with gut health issues like candidiasis.

★★★★★

easy to digest

“This is a great option for people with candida overgrowth. I’ve been adding it to my smoothies for several weeks now, and have experienced no side effects whatsoever.” – Tameo

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