Natural Antifungal - The Complete Guide to Antifungal Foods and Herbs

Natural Antifungals

Natural antifungals are plants, herbs or foods with medicinal properties known to kill or inhibit the growth of fungus. Natural antifungals have been studied extensively by the medical community due to the spread of drug resistant strains of fungus, and the need to find effective alternatives (source 1 , source 2).

Using natural oral antifungals or natural antifungal creams is preferred by many people and health providers who do not want to use synthetic antifungal drugs. Using natural antifungals however, doesn’t mean they are always safe. In fact, natural antifungals are known to cause many side effects and issues when not used properly.

In this experts guide we cover the most effective and safe ways to use natural antifungal foods, herbs, supplements and remedies along with the top critical mistakes to avoid. The

We hope this information will help you to get the many health benefits of natural antifungals while minimizing their potential side effects and risks.

Table of Content

1 The problem with antifungals.
2 Natural antifungal foods.
3 Natural antifungal herbs.
4 Natural antifungal essential oils.
5 Best antifungal drinks.
6 Topical antifungals.
7 Anti fungal diet (pdf).

The Problem with Antifungals

The idea is quite simple – Using antifungals for candida can directly or indirectly kill candida and yeast in your body, which can be very beneficial in cases of excess yeast in the body.

There’s however a catch:

When candida starts to die during the treatment, your body needs to eliminate the dead yeast and its released toxins. When the amount of toxins released by the dying candida is more than what your body can safely handle, you may experience a healing crisis (also known as candida die off symptoms). Common symptoms usually include flu like symptoms often with fever, joint, muscle and body pain along with other discomforts.
Learn more

Are the symptoms you have related to candida die off?

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compare your symptoms against common candida die off symptoms.
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Take the test and find out!

Many people use natural antifungal foods, herbs, supplements and remedies in order to artificially “kill the yeast” where what you really want to do is to restore the natural balance in your body, so your body can safely eliminate the excess yeast naturally – two completely different things.

Natural Antifungal Foods

Many foods that are recommended for the anti candida diet have naturally occurring anti fungal components in them. These natural antifungal foods should be introduced into your diet gradually, so you can learn how your body responds to them, while minimizing the risk of getting a healing crisis or an unwanted reaction.

Coconut oil is a great example: it is actually one of the most known foods that kill candida due to its anti-fungal properties. Caprylic acid, a fatty acid found in coconut oil is responsible for its strong antifungal properties, and can be found in many anti-candida supplements as well.
If you have candida overgrowth, and are not used to coconut oil…taking as little as 1 tablespoon (15ml) of coconut oil at once can cause a strong herxheimer reaction and die-off symptoms. The lesson with natural antifungal foods is simple – in order to enjoy their benefits, always start with a small serving size, one food at a time and see how you feel.

Here is a summary of the most common antifungal foods and spices and how to use them:

Natural Antifungal Foods	Best uses and preferred source
Apple cider vinegar (ACV). See: apple cider vinegar for candida.	Use raw unfiltered unpasteurized form with the mother. Preferred source: Bragg organic raw apple cider vinegar with the mother. Great as detox drinks on an empty stomach: overnight toxins flush. Use in foods as salad dressing with lemon juice.
Algae.	Highest food source of natural chlorophyll. Ideal for gentle detoxification and nutrients support. Preferred source: E3live fresh blue-green algae. Use 2×3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Black tea (source).	Use in moderation as coffee alternative. Can cause die off symptoms for some people.
Cayenne Pepper.	Consume with healthy fats. Great for improved circulation. Do not use if you have leaky gut. Watch for food sensitivities, especially as nightshades allergy.
Cinnamon.	Stabilizes blood sugar, good when taken with foods. See cinnamon apple recipe for candida breakfast. Good as cinnamon tea with organic stevia or xylitol as natural sweeteners.
Cloves.	Good with foods, desserts as well as with cinnamon tea. Ideal for parasite cleanse.
Coconut oil & butter (Caprylic acid). See: coconut oil for candida.	Great energy source. May cause die off symptoms or diarrhea. May cause diarrhea when taken on an empty stomach. Preferred source for foods: Sacred Foods coconut butter. Start with 1 teaspoon (5 ml).
Garlic. See: garlic for candida.	Most potent in raw fresh form. May cause die off symptoms. Start with 1 garlic clove with healthy fats.
Ginger (source).	Mild antifungal. Great as digestive aid. Good as candida tea, detox drinks or added to foods. Great for liver cleanse, see: liver cleanse juice.
Green tea (source).	Use in moderation as coffee alternative. Can cause die off symptoms for some people.
Lemon juice lime.	Great as detox drinks on an empty stomach: overnight toxins flush. Use in foods as salad dressing.
Olive oil.	Very mild antifungal. Great for salad dressings with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Great for liver cleanse, see: liver cleanse juice.
Onions (source).	Weak antifungal activity. Good for cooking or to add flavor to meals.
Papaya seeds.	Strong antiparasitic action. May cause die off reaction. Use: later phases of candida cleanse or parasite cleanse, after colon cleanse. How to use: as a part of a antiparasitic smoothie.
Pumpkin seeds.	Mild antifungal activity. Very good source of vegan protein and zinc. Was raw organic sprouted for easy digestion. See pumpkin seeds soup recipe: golden detox energy soup.
Rutabaga.	Weak antifungal activity. Use roasted rutabaga as a lower carb alternatives to potatoes.
Seaweed.	Good source of minerals. Add Umami flavor to meals. Preferred source: raw nori sheets as salads wraps, dulse with salads. Source need to guarantee heavy metals purity. See seaweed recipe: living vitality salad.
Turmeric (curcumin) (source).	Mild antifungal activity. Strong anti-inflammation. Great as teas, soups, detox drinks and added to meals. For detox drinks, use alcohol free liquid extract. Preferred source, organic: Dr. Group organic liquid turmeric. Poor absorption & bioavailability. To improve: use with healthy fats. See turmeric soup recipe: golden detox energy soup.

For a complete antifungal foods list and antifungal diet foods, see our Candida diet grocery list.

Natural Antifungal Herbs

Most natural antifungal herbs and herbs for candida have additional health benefits besides killing yeast, so you may find them in natural products that are not designed for candida and yeast issues. Common examples include teas, immune boosting supplements, digestion formulas and general health herbal remedies.

It is important to be aware of this fact to avoid taking too many antifungal ingredients at the same time.
Many people that experience healing crises and unnecessary discomforts are surprised to learn that some of their general health non-candida remedies and teas had strong natural antifungal herbs in them.

The safety of natural antifungal herbs is also a very important factor that should be considered. Some natural antifungal herbs have gentle or mild antifungal properties, while other may be more potent and even aggressive. For this reason, it is critical to use formulas that are specifically designed for candida and yeast infections that come from a trusted source that guarantees both their safety and effectiveness. A good example is Mycozil, which has been a part of our protocol for candida for a very long time, showing to be very effective yet gentle and safe.

Herbs for candida

The list of natural antifungal herbs for candida may include:

Aloe vera (source).
Anise seeds (source).
Astragalus (source).
Black Walnut.
Cinnamon.
Cloves.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis, source).
Echinacea.
Garlic (allicin, aqueous garlic extract, garlic oil, source).
Ginger.
Goldenseal.
Grapefruit seed extract (source).
Jatoba.
Licorice root.
Olive leaf.
Pau d’arco bark (tabebuia avellanedae).
Western sweetroot (Osmorhiza occidentalis).

The Natural Antifungals Protocol
To learn more about natural antifungal herbs, supplements, and other natural oral antifungal, see our Antifungals protocol:
It is designed to help you prevent & minimize candida die off symptoms and make the most out of natural antifungals for candida; we covered must-know guidelines such as correct dosing protocol, antifungals rotation, natural vs. synthetics review, safety concerns and many others. Most people are not aware of these critical factors.

Essential Oils with Natural Antifungal Properties

Another common group of natural antifungals are essential oils. Essential oil are oils that are extracted from plants that have medicinal properties, using a process that separates the oils from the plant. The end result is a concentrated oil that contains high percentage of the plant’s active ingredients, typically with a strong aroma (which is why they are also called aromatherapy oils).

Using essential oils for excess yeast and candida issues can be very beneficial when done properly, since many of these essential oils have strong anti fungal properties. The most popular examples include tea tree oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil, oregano oil, lemon grass oil, lavender oil, thyme oil and others.

It is very important to remember however, that the fact that you can safely consume the original plant (such as cinnamon bark, lemongrass, clove) does not mean that using the essential oil orally or topically is safe. These oils are typically very strong, can cause irritation, some such as tea tree oil can be toxic when swallowed.
For this reason, our recommendation is to not use essential oils as a part of a DIY (Do it yourself) natural antifungal treatment, unless you are using a proven safe formula that was prepared by professionals.

Best Antifungal Drinks

Natural antifungal drinks are very common and can be a wonderful tasty addition to your candida treatment. As you can see from the list of the antifungal herbs and foods, there are many spices and ingredients that can be used to make yummy healthy drinks, teas, juices and salad dressings. Here are a few examples:

Non Dairy Vegan Golden Milk / Golden Paste

Heat (medium heat) coconut milk together with turmeric root (you can use powder powder as well).
It should be hot enough for you to drink, but do not bring to a boil.
Add stevia, himalayan salt and black pepper to taste.
Many like to add a little cinnamon as well.

You can also make your own homemade coconut milk by blending coconut meat or coconut butter with water. This is also a great way to control how thick your drink is by adding less water. We have received many comments (thank you all) from people that created a paste by using very little water and coconut butter. This healthy all natural antifungal golden paste can be added to many dishes and foods and really boost their flavor and antifungal potential.

For more details on making coconut milk from coconut butter, see our famous Coconut Chocolate Chia Mousse Miracle recipe.

Natural Antifungal Salad Dressing

This easy to make salad dressing is very tasty and can turn an average salad into a wonderful experience:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed organic lemon or lime juice.
2 cloves minced garlic.
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (raw organic unpasteurized with “the mother”).
4 tablespoons of extra virgin organic olive oil.
1 teaspoon of Bragg liquid aminos or Coconut secret organic raw coconut aminos.
cayenne pepper powder (optional).
himalayan salt (optional).

Instructions

Mix all ingredients using a blender or a shaker.
Add himalayan salt and cayenne pepper to taste (optional).

For more ideas and recipes of using natural antifungal foods and herbs for candida in your diet, see our candida recipes section.

Topical Antifungal

If you have candida skin rash, dry/itchy skin, eczema, athlete’s foot or other skin issues, or if you need a relief from an itchy vaginal yeast infection, you may want to look into ozonated olive oil. Ozonated olive oil is olive oil that had ozone added into it. Ozonated olive oil has been extensively studied with a large number of published human studies on its effectiveness and safety for candida, vaginal yeast infections and other fungal infections of genitals, skin and mouth. Unlike many topical antifungals that can cause irritation, ozonated olive oil has a unique ability to fight the fungal infection on one hand, but also accelerate the healing of damaged skin and inflammation in the mouth at the same time (see links to studies).

Anti Fungal Diet

Anti fungal diet (commonly known as candida diet) is a diet that is designed to naturally reduce the excess yeast in your body.

The candida diet is one of the most important parts of the the candida treatment. It is well known for its effectiveness but also for its challenges and common misconceptions, especially when it comes to the foods to eat and the foods to avoid while on the candida diet:

In most cases, it is far more important to avoid certain foods such as sugars, processed foods or foods you may be sensitive to, than consuming antifungal foods. In fact, in many cases eating the wrong foods is the root cause and the reason behind the yeast issues!

A well formed candida diet usually have 3 parts:

Limit foods that overfeed candida or weaken your immune system
Consume antifungal foods that help your body to naturally balance the yeast overgrowth
Provide the body with optimal levels of needed nutrients so it can heal and repair the damage done by the yeast overgrowth

To learn more about the candida diet, see our candida diet experts guide.
This guide covers all the facts you need to know, so you can enjoy a candida diet that meets your body’s specific needs and also satisfies your taste buds and lifestyle. Feeling satisfied after a meal is as important as getting the health benefits from it.

For your convenience, download the candida-diet handbook

Natural Antifungal – The Complete Guide to Antifungal Foods and Herbs