I have had candida for some time now, and every day is a battle. If you haven’t heard my story, you can read more about it here.
The symptoms that I have each day are always the same – bloating in my gut, sinus infections galore, and muscle pain. It’s not pleasant, but I am fighting back like a champ.Â
I have been on the candida diet before and did see some great results. The last time I went on the Candida Diet, my candida was so bad that I’d lost almost 40 lbs. My gut was crying out for some help, and I went on a strict candida diet to try to bring my gut back to normal.It worked well. Could I have gone on the Keto Diet and gotten the same results? Maybe. It wasn’t just the candida diet that helped.
Related: What’s the Difference Between Success and Failure on the Keto Diet?
I was on antibiotics for almost a month, and it messed me up real bad. I had leaky gut, and could barely get out of bed. At that point, I was ready to try anything.
Things are different now.
Now I am a little overweight and still have mild candida symptoms. Instead of going on the candida diet this time around, I decided to use the Keto diet instead.
It’s a change that I’m looking forward to. But what are the main differences between the candida diet and the keto diet? Let’s take a look at what I learned.
Keto Diet Allows Cheese, and The Candida Diet Says NO!
If you have candida, it’s probably not a good idea to eat a lot of cheese. Cheese has dairy sugar (lactose) that will feed candida. On the Keto Diet, you’re allowed to have cheese. Cheese is fat, and it’s encouraged.

How do I balance that? I am careful about how much cheese I eat. I don’t sit down and eat a block of cheese, even though I probably could. I keep calm and balance it out.
I’m not going to lie. I have eaten some cheese. I wife made an incredible keto cheese quesadilla that I loved. At the end of the day, I try to limit the amount of cheese that I eat. If I began to feel sick or have increased candida symptoms after eating cheese – I would just stop eating it.
Candida Diet Frowns on Fruit, and The Same is True With the Keto Diet
One similarity with the Keto Diet and the Candida Diet is that they both frown on overeating fruit. Fructose isn’t good for candida, and it’s not good for losing weight.
At first, I wouldn’t say I liked this. I mean, isn’t fruit good for you? I believe that it is. I’m not a doctor, but it’s better for me than a chocolate bar.
It’s no use what I think or say, fruit is a no-go.
LEARN THE STEPS I TOOK TO CURE MY CANDIDA
After several years of being really sick, I discovered that I had Candida. Candida makes you feel terrible, and can rob you from the joy of living your life. I set out to build a blueprint to cure my candida for good. You can learn the exact steps that I took with the Candida Warriors program.
Stay clear of fruit on the keto and the candida diet.
If I absolutely can’t do without. some fruit in my life, then I balance it out. I say that a lot, but I believe that it’s the answer to the Keto and the candida diet. Here is an example:
Instead of an orange, I will eat a tangerine. If I’m craving fruit, I will try to get satisfied with some berries which are lower in sugar and taste great.
Absolutely No Sugar Substitutes, Except These Ones . . .

So, here is the deal. The Candida Diet forbids sugar alcohols, and its the same with the Keto diet. Don’t take aspartame either, even if you’re not trying to eat well. Aspartame isn’t food; it’s a chemical that pretends to be food.
With both of these diets, it’s good to lean on sugar substitutes that are tried, tested, and true. Stevia is a good one. I do find that stevia can leave a little after taste, but that may be just me.
Try xylitol as a good substitute for sugar. This is, by far, my favorite. I do not find that it leaves an after taste, but again, that maybe just me. I heard on the Keto diet people using monk fruit with great success. You can also buy products that blend xylitol and monk fruit together to make a super blend of sweetener.
Both diets are simalar in that sugar is a big no no, and if you want something sweet, then you’re going to need to get a substitute.
My wife made some really good blueberry muffins the other day with coconut four. I have to say that I was weary at first, but she made a believer of me – or should I say a blueberrier out of me.
Keto isn’t as Strict, But it’s Still Strict
The bottom line is that the foundation for the Candida Diet and the Keto Diet are similar, but there are differences. To me, the Candida Diet is a lot more strict, and that may be a good thing.
When I was on the Candida Diet, I felt like the only things that I could eat were air and water. I do not think that way on the Keto Diet. Don’t get me wrong; the Keto Diet has plenty of restrictions – just not as much.
The Keto Diet allows you a small allowance of carbs each day, where the Candida Diet was [he shouts in a loud voice] no carbs allowed. Even though those on the Candida Diet eats carbs – even though we try not to.
Killing Candida is More Than Diet
Killing your candida is more than just your diet. In order for you to finally beat candida, you’re going to need to battle it from all four corners.
Exercise is important. Dealing with stress, drinking lots of water, and taking vitamins are all a part of an excellent strategy for beating candida.
I am currently taking a Greens+ supplement every day, along with being on the keto diet for added support. I have taken berberine for months(which is great for killing the candida), and a complex vitamin B supplement. I added Amazon links above with the products that I took to direct you to the right product.
All of it has a place, and dieting is just a small part of the overall plan. Drinking lots of water each day to cleanse your digestive tract is also important. You can’t just focus on one part and hope for success. It’s the big picture trying to see.
Which One Will Work Better?
I believe that both of these diets are similar with the candida diet having more restrictions.
I did see some success with the Candida Diet when I was really sick, but I am also seeing some results with the Keto Diet. I guess, it all comes down to which ones works for you.
Just remember. It’s more than your diet.
Conclusion
You have to find what is best for you and create a balanced plan. Cut out your refined sugars, get rid of the carbs and drink lots of water is an excellent place to start.
Don’t over complicate things – life should be that hard.
Hi there,
Just found your website and wanted to thank you for the practical advice. Did you do a candida cleanse when you started? I have the symptoms so I’m going to try it out.
Best,
Kate Bruster
Yes. I used a Candida cleanse. You can click here and read my entire story.
https://thehealthydad.com/my-candida-story-answers-at-last/