There is much debate in the Nutrition World about the best source of carbohydrates to include in an anti-candida programme. Since intestinal yeasts, such as Candida albicans, are fed by sugars in the diet, it is vital to remove all forms of sweetening, and all refined carbohydrates, which break down to sugar very quickly, and thus become a food source for Candida.
At Nutritionhelp we do generally suggest that some whole grain carbohydrates, such as quinoa, buckwheat, millet, oats, and unrefined maize are kept in the diet, along with some starchy vegetables. The quantity each client may consume will vary, depending on their energy requirements, metabolism and tolerance. There are two main benefits in including some carbohydrate in an anti-candida progamme:
How much unrefined carbohydrate a client requires will vary from person to person, but there is a specific type of carbohydrate which is worth regularly including in the diet. This is Resistant starch (RS). Most starches are absorbed quickly in the small intestine, giving a subsequent rise in insulin production. Resistant starch however, resists digestion in the small intestine, moving on to the colon mainly unabsorbed. Because our bodies respond to resistant starch in a similar way to soluble fibre, it has little impact on blood sugar balance and insulin production, while it can feed and encourage beneficial bacteria in the colon.
There are four types of resistant starch from differing sources, some, but not all, are suitable for those on a Nutritionhelp anti-candida diet
RS1 – Physically resists digestion due to a strong outer matrix. Found in seeds, legumes and unprocessed whole grains.
RS2 – Occurs naturally in granular form. Found in raw white potatoes, unmodified potato starch (uncooked), green under-ripe bananas, banana flour (uncooked), plantains (uncooked) and high amylose corn.
RS3 – This is called retrograded starch since it is formed when starchy foods in RS1 or RS2 are cooked then cooled down. Examples high in RS3: white rice (highest of which are parboiled and Basmati), white potatoes, pasta made from rice or potatoes, and legumes. Even if these starches are again reheated after cooling down, the RS3 starch remains intact or even increases. Subsequent cooling after reheating increases the RS3, so “leftovers” are a good source.
RS4 – This is a synthetic form and not recommended. RS4 includes chemically modified starches.
There are two types of food fibre, insoluble fibre, which doesn’t dissolve in water and is not fermented by colon bacteria, and soluble fibre, which does dissolve in water and is fermented in the colon.
Insoluble fibre does nothing to encourage beneficial bacteria in the colon, but is helpful in increasing bulk in the stools and thus reducing the possibility of constipation. On the other hand, as soluble fibre and resistant starch ferment in the colon they have a beneficial impact on intestinal health.
Fermentation of the fibre encourages beneficial bacteria to produce vitamins, serotonin, melatonin, butyrate and short-chain fatty acids. These substances support fat-burning, mental clarity and mood and nutritional status.
NB It is wise to limit rice about 4 servings a week due to the arsenic content. Contact me if you are on a limited diet and need advice in this area.
References:
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2006.tb00076.x/pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15287677
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/1/1/8
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/09/gut-feeling.aspx
http://www.gutmicrobiotawatch.org/gut-microbiota-info/
