The tomato, once considered poisonous and grown only for ornamental purposes, is today one of the world’s leading vegetable crops. Tomatoes have always been a part of my diet as I am a huge fan of marinara sauces and salsas. Luckily, tomatoes are allowed on the candida diet that I currently follow. The candida diet, also called an anti-candida or yeast-free diet, is a cornerstone of treatment for the medical condition known as candidiasis. Candidiasis is an overgrowth of yeast in the body that causes a wide variety of seemingly unrelated health problems. Research suggests that a variety of foods and ingredients can aggravate the condition. The candida diet attempts to eliminate or greatly reduce the intake of such foods.
Tomatoes are very well tolerated by most candidiasis sufferers. I believe that using tomatoes allows you to make a variety of delicious meals which is extremely helpful when on a diet that restricts so many foods. Tomatoes are delicious both raw and cooked which is another reason why they are a staple ingredient in so many dishes. Tomatoes are a staple ingredient in many of my favorite Italian and Spanish dishes. Tomato flavor depends on ripeness and variety. Commercially available types of tomatoes include vine, beefsteak, cherry and plum. In addition to their great taste, tomatoes are a great source of vitamins A and C, folate, and potassium. They are also a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that protects against certain types of cancer, especially prostate cancer. It is believed that cooking tomatoes may actually increase lycopene levels.
So how do you incorporate tomatoes into the candida diet? Incorporating tomatoes into your candida diet plan is easy. You can freely use fresh tomatoes in your recipes. I use fresh tomatoes in salads, as a topping for yeast-free sandwiches, and to make yeast-free salsas and sofritos. Sometimes a recipe will call for canned tomatoes or tomato paste and substituting fresh tomatoes won’t work. When you’re choosing canned tomatoes, be sure to choose varieties that don’t contain citric acid or other additives that can cause problems for candidiasis sufferers. Look for canned tomato products that contain only tomatoes. Although tomatoes are extremely tasty and have additional health benefits, they may not be right for everyone. Tomatoes are a common cause of allergy. Many people who suffer from candidiasis have developed allergies and sensitivities to foods over the years and tomatoes can be one of them. Overall I believe tomatoes are a good choice for a candida diet.
Source by Tennille Jordan
