Yeast could be problematic for you, especially if you have an excessive amount of yeast (fungi) in your digestive system. Candida is probably the most well-known yeast that can overgrow in your intestines, but it is not the only one. As with SIBO, a yeast overgrowth can ferment some of the food you eat, especially starches and sugars, and induce bloating, abdominal pain, changes in your bowel movements, recurring vaginal infections, brain fog, joint pain, sinusitis, asthma, skin problems, and other systemic symptoms commonly associated with a leaky gut.
Although the topic of Candida overgrowth is controversial, it is one of the many possibilities you should consider when dealing with chronic GI symptoms. Some researchers from the Netherlands even hypothesize that Candida may be a trigger in the onset of celiac disease (and possibly non-celiac gluten sensitivity) since some of its proteins are very similar to gluten, as published in 2003 in the journal Lancet. You can determine whether you have a candida overgrowth with a stool test.
According to the theory, eating food that contains yeast or mold could contribute to worsening a Candida or yeast overgrowth. Whether or not you have a candida
overgrowth, it’s also possible to be sensitive to yeast, molds, and mycotoxins (toxins produced by yeasts and molds) in the same way you can be sensitive to gluten, dairy, or soy. The most common sources of yeasts and molds are found in Table 41. Many supplements, especially B vitamins, are also made from yeast. Mycotoxins are usually found in the same foods commonly contaminated with yeasts and molds. They are very resistant and can survive digestion, cooking, or freezing.
Table 41: Yeasts, Molds, and Mycotoxins
Yeasts, Molds, and Mycotoxins
• Grain products containing baker’s yeast
• Nutritional yeast
• Alcoholic beverages
• Vinegars (with the exception of apple cider vinegar)
• Many condiments
• Fermented foods (sauerkraut, miso, soy sauce, tamari sauce, cheeses)
• Some fruits (berries, melons, grapes, dried fruits)
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Aged and cured meats (sausage, bacon, ham)
• Refined vegetable oils
• Some nuts (cashews, pistachios)
• Peanuts (including peanut butter)
• Citric acid
• Yeast extracts
• Overripe produce
• Yeast spreads (Vegemite or Marmite)
• B vitamins and other supplements made from yeasts
Alcohol
Not alcohol, too? Yes, I know. So many foods have been crossed off your list already, but if you really want to succeed and conquer your digestive problems,
alcohol should stay out of your diet for a little while. It’s a well-known fact that alcohol can irritate your intestines. A paper published in the journal Alcohol in 2008 even reported that alcohol can promote the growth of bad bacteria and contribute to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), as well as slow down your immune system.
You should avoid alcohol completely for at least the first three to six months, if not longer, to allow your gut to heal fully and prevent a breakdown of your digestive health. If you keep drinking alcohol, it can also prolong a leaky gut, making you sensitive to many foods and preventing you from increasing your food variety. Beer should already be out of the picture because of its gluten. Sugary alcoholic beverages (cocktails, port wines, and sweet wines) are also a big no-no because of their high sugar content that can feed a bacterial overgrowth. Although wine, liqueurs, and spirits are usually low in sugar and gluten free (if the liqueurs and spirits are distilled properly), the presence of alcohol alone could still be hindering your efforts. Give your digestive system a chance to recover and enjoy sparkling water with a twist of lime juice instead. You can have fun even without alcohol.
Caffeine
Do you typically start your day with a cup of coffee, an energy drink, or a mug of black tea? Maybe it’s time to let go of this habit for now. It’s no secret that caffeine is irritating to the digestive system. It can also make your digestive system overactive;
one study showed that coffee can induce a bowel movement within four minutes in some people. The same findings indicate that a cup of java has the same stimulatory effect on your colon as a 1,000-calorie meal! Decaffeinated coffee induces a similar response, so it’s not just the caffeine, sadly. The stimulatory effect of coffee is definitely not a good thing if you are prone to diarrhea. If you’re prone to constipation, caffeine may help you have more regular bowel movements, but it’s not a long-term solution.
Caffeine also keeps your intestines inflamed and irritated, preventing them from healing and recovering their normal function. One study showed that drinking only six ounces (200 milliliters) of coffee per day can increase the levels of multiple inflammatory markers in your blood (interleukin 6 or IL-6, C-reactive protein or CRP, tumor necrosis factor alpha or TNF-alpha, and white blood cells). With your current digestive problems, you certainly don’t need more inflammation in your body.
One of the reasons people like caffeine so much is because it raises cortisol levels, making you more awake and alert. The problem is that your cortisol levels are probably already elevated, from the physical and emotional stress of living with
digestive problems, in addition to all the other stresses of modern life. Forcing your body to produce more cortisol by drinking caffeine can exhaust your adrenal glands and put your body in a constant “fight-or-flight” mode. When your cortisol levels are high, your body switches to your sympathetic nervous system, in which digestion stops and stomach-acid production is inhibited, so you won’t absorb as much of the nutrients you eat. It can also expose you to food-sensitivity reactions, put you at higher risk of all kinds of infections, and worsen your gut dysbiosis.
When in sympathetic (“fight or flight”) mode, your body allocates all its resources and energy to address the emergency it thinks it is facing. Your body believes it is in a life-threatening situation and that it doesn’t make sense to waste energy on digesting your food. Instead, your survival instinct prepares you to either fight the danger or flee from it.
If you want your digestive system to work properly, you need to feel calm, relaxed, and happy to activate your parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest-and-digest”
mode that’s the opposite of the “fight or flight” response. It’s only when you’re in a relaxed, calm state that your body can digest, heal, and repair itself—and you can help this by cutting out caffeine. Chapter 7 has more tips for managing your stress.
You may already be consuming more caffeine than you realize. Table 42 lists the caffeine content of different beverages and foods. Rooibos tea, green tea, and herbal teas can be safely consumed during the first phase of your elimination diet. Buy whole leaves if possible. If you buy tea bags, always read the ingredients to make sure your tea doesn’t contain any added inulin, chicory root, or sweeteners that could compromise your digestive health.
Table 42: Caffeine Content of Various Foods
Food Serving
Size
Caffeine Content
Espresso 1 oz / 30 ml 40-75 mg
Brewed coffee 8 oz / 240
ml 95-200 mg
Decaffeinated coffee 8 oz / 240 ml
2-12 mg
Black tea 8 oz / 240
ml 14-61 mg
Green tea 8 oz / 240
ml 24-40 mg
Rooibos tea 8 oz / 240
ml 0 mg
Herbal teas (with the exception of yerba mate, guayusa, yaupon, and guarana)
8 oz / 240
ml 0 mg
Cola (regular, zero, diet) 12 oz / 355
ml 27-47 mg
Energy drinks 8 oz / 240
ml 70-80 mg
Dark-chocolate-coated coffee beans 10 pieces 120 mg
Dark chocolate (70-85% cacao) 3.5 oz / 100
g 70-90 mg
Also keep in mind that caffeine-rich foods like coffee and chocolate belong to the seed family, which means that they contain proteins that can trigger food sensitivity reactions. If you have digestive problems, you’re very likely to have a leaky gut, which in turn puts you at risk for multiple food sensitivities. Gluten, eggs, dairy, nuts, and seeds like coffee and caffeine are common triggers and should be avoided during
the elimination phase.