The Candida Diet requires us to omit many foods and ingredients from our diets that we perhaps have enjoyed our entire lives. It may seem harsh at first to give up so many things that we are so used to but over time, (some things will require more patience than others) I believe we can actually begin to enjoy the new candida friendly foods and ingredients that take place of the old. I can honestly say that I have come to a place where I actually prefer the new candida diet foods over many of the old yeast laden foods. The following is a list of 5 Things that I prefer on the candida diet.
Brown Rice over White Rice
I know the transition from white to brown rice can be a difficult one. My mother is still fighting me on this one and I have been cooking with solely brown rice for over 4 years now. I don’t know if I am just brain washed at this point but I tried eating white rice a few weeks ago and could not do it. It just did not taste good to me. That is when I realized that I had finally crossed over and white rice has become something associated with childhood memories of my mother’s cooking. I realize people may not feel the same way but my suggestion for crossing over is to just pair brown rice with tasty counterparts. I feel it works best with dishes that have a quality sauce or gravy. I bake a lot of chicken and season it with onions, garlic and thyme. The gravy that is made from the chicken and the seasonings is great over brown rice and the kids just devour it. If you are trying to eat it plain than it may be tough. Look for ways to dress it up.
Fresh Herbs over Dried Herbs
The first time that I made homemade spaghetti sauce using fresh basil, oregano and parsley I felt as if I had been cheated my entire life. I had been cheated the experience of tasting real sauce and instead had been subjected to years of using gross sauces out of jars and cans. I had made homemadesauce before with dried herbs but the tast was not in the same vicinity as the one with the fresh herbs. I now exclusively use fresh herbs in my kitchen. This can be difficult as they do spoil quickly but I freeze many of them for later use and they do maintain their powerful flavor for several months in the freezer.
Lemon/Lime Juice over Vinegar
I don’t like the taste of vinegar and it is in so many foods. Replacing vinegar with lemon/lime juice is a change that I welcomed with open arms. This one was easy for me. There may be some vinegars that taste good and consequently are hard for people to give up but give the lemon/lime juice substitute a try because I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.
Soy Milk over Cow Milk
I was never a big fan of cow milk so this was also pretty easy for me to do with out. In my early days of crossing over I preferred the vanilla soy milk to the regular because I had to get used to the taste. After a few months of the vanilla, I was able to switch over to plain. This was not totally compliant with the candida diet as it did contain some sugar but far less than cow’s milk. After a while I was able to move on to unsweetened soy milk and have not looked back.
Homemade Food over Processed or Fast Food
I have learned that there are very few if any foods that taste better in a box or can than they do when I prepare them fresh at home with minimally tainted ingredients. I have recreated many of our boxed favorites with a little time and effort. This transition is a hard one for me and many others. As a single mother of two young girls I understand that so many of us are time famished and feel compelled to grab a meal from a box and/or a can every night. This is not even an option for me anymore because in addition to my being on the candida diet my children have multiple food allergies which eliminates most processed and fast food. After preparing home cooked meals for a while now I know that my food tastes better but I still think about the convenient box and can stuff often. I just try to think of it like this: if the food makes us sick and we are running around to doctors and feeling like crap all of the time how much time am I really saving in the end.
So these are some of the things that I have come to appreciate and prefer on the candida diet. I would love to hear your thoughts and experience with candida diet substitutions for old foods and ingredients.
Tennille
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