Yogurt has long been touted for its probiotic benefit which aides in destroying Candida overgrowth.Yogurt has long been touted for its probiotic benefit which aides in destroying Candida overgrowth.
However, less popular kefir is actually worlds above yogurt according to its probiotic and yeast destroying benefits. Kefir has been around for 1000’s of years and was originally cultured using goats milk.
Nowadays, you can find kefir made from cow’s milk, and even vegan products such as coconut milk.
What’s in Kefir?
A combination of bacterial and yeast cultures are used to produce kefir. These organisms form “kefir grains” which can be strained out and added to start a new culture.
Most Kefir will contain 5 strains of bacteria and two strains of healthy yeast. Unlike yogurt, some of these bacterial cultures can actually colonize in the intestines which retains the probiotic benefit much longer. The yeast cultures actually destroy pathogenic yeast such as Candida albicans.
So not only do the healthy bacteria keep candida in check, but the healthy yeast cultures eliminate bad yeast from the digestive tract.
How to Use Kefir in the Anti-Candida Diet
I simply drink about 100ml of plain unsweetened kefir daily. It tastes a lot like buttermilk to me and is lactose free. It is much thinner than yogurt, but can be used many of the same ways you would use yogurt. Some people make spreads and cheeses from the kefir grains themselves.
Salad dressings, a topping for curry, and on top of oatmeal are all good ways to use it as part of your anti candida diet. Just be careful of the sugar added, fruit flavored varieties as they contain a lot of extra sugar and could be counter productive.
Where can I get Kefir?
Most grocery stores sell kefir in the dairy section or you can make your own by buying a starter culture. Once you have the culture going you can keep it going indefinitely by adding fresh milk or coconut milk. This is the cheapest option.
Kefir can do wonders for your overall digestive health and help rid your system of Candida overgrowth. Since kefir contains yeast, those with yeast sensitivity or allergies probably should use kefir with caution.