No matter what type of diet you’re trying to follow, most diets will require you to give up or severely limit the foods you love most. The candida diet is no exception. The candida diet is a cornerstone of treatment for a condition called candidiasis. Candidiasis is an overgrowth of the normally benign yeast, Candida albicans, in the digestive tract. This condition is often caused by many external factors but the main reason is overuse of antibiotics, birth control, steroids and a diet of high sugar and processed foods. These external factors cause an imbalance in the digestive system and the candida diet helps restore this balance. The candida diet excludes sugar and yeast-rich foods, sticky cereals, fruits, cheese, and processed foods, which are believed to aggravate candidiasis. There are also many other foods that have been removed from the diet. So is it possible to still enjoy your favorite foods on this diet with so many restrictions? With a little creativity, you can definitely do this.
Tacos are one of my favorite foods that are traditionally made that don’t work for the candida diet. Many traditional taco ingredients, from taco shells to shredded cheese toppings, are downright offensive to a candida diet. So how do we make a delicious taco that is yeast free and therefore suitable for this diet?
The first step is to make or find yeast-free gluten-free taco seasoning. There are many taco seasoning packets in stores but most of them contain ingredients that are not allowed in the diet, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), yeast extract, citric acid and sugar. Read the label carefully if you want to use store-bought taco seasoning packets. You can find yeast-free varieties at your local health food store or Whole Foods. I’ve found it very easy to make my own taco seasoning mix using yeast-free spices from my pantry. A mixture of chili powder, cayenne, sea salt, black pepper, onion powder works just as well as any store-bought variety.
The second step is to make or find gluten-free yeast-free tortillas. There are different types of gluten free tortillas available in the market. These are usually available at your local health food store, Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. The most common type that is both yeast-free and gluten-free is the brown rice tortilla. However, in my experience these don’t work as well for tacos, as they tend to break too easily under the weight of the taco filling. There are other gluten-free options as well but these usually contain yeast or some other ingredient that is off limits for candida dieters. I found it easiest and tastiest to make my own. There are some great recipes online for gluten free tortillas. Research and be sure to use yeast-free ingredients in place of any problematic ingredients.
The third step would be to prepare a yeast-free gluten-free taco fixing. This is the easiest and most fun part. Once you’ve got the meat and a taco shell ready, you’ve got a pile of toppings to go with. Although things like cheese and sour cream are off limits, you can still put together a great taco. Some of my favorite yeast-free taco ingredients are tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, homemade salsa, plain unsweetened yogurt, and organic canned beans.
For more information on Living yeast free Switch to yeast free living by following the candida diet.
Source by Tennille Jordan
