What to Know About Eggs for the Candida Diet
Eggs are so so so great! Eggs are probably one of my main staples and super good for you! They are also generally perfect for the candida diet as they are a high quality protein, can be used in many dishes, and contain high amounts of anti-inflammatory omega-3s. And they definitely will not feed a candida overgrowth (unless you have leaky gut and are reacting to eggs). However, the type of egg that you’re purchasing is actually super important. Read on to learn more!
A quick word of caution on eggs.
While good for most people, eggs can also be one of the foods that people are easily sensitive to. If you suspect you may have a range of food sensitivities, it’s probably best to get a food sensitivities test to make sure you’re not reacting to them, or try eliminating them for a time and adding them back in after a period to see if you experience any negative effects. It’s also likely a good idea to not go overboard on eggs and eat them every day. I’ll usually alternate between eggs and chia bowls for my daily breakfasts.
The type of eggs you buy actually does matter.
Many people may already know this, but the type of egg you’re purchasing is actually very important and probably even more important for those with a Candida overgrowth. The multitude of egg options these days can also be challenging to navigate and cause further consumer confusion. Hopefully this helps set the record straight for you!
Pasture-raised eggs take the cake.
While more expensive, pasture-raised eggs are full of carotenoids, anti-inflammatory omega-3s, and have much higher amounts of vitamins and minerals than regular eggs. This can be seen in the yolk, which is a bright orange color vs the pale yellow of caged eggs. Pasture-raised hens are free to roam and forage for their natural diet of seeds, green plants, and insects, which leads to their superior nutrient content. Caged or traditional commercial eggs meanwhile are laid by hens that are usually locked in warehouses and fed a diet of soy and grains. As a result they contain high amounts of inflammatory omega-6s. If you’re trying to heal from chronic illness, having something that is anti-inflammatory (pasture-raised eggs) vs potentially adding fuel to the fire (caged eggs) could make a big difference in your healing trajectory. And although these eggs are more expensive, it definitely seems worth it to be buying and eating something that is health enhancing vs potentially health damaging.
Also, I haven’t done a direct taste comparison myself, but I’ve heard that in addition to being much more nutritious, these eggs actually taste a lot richer, so this is another plus!
If you want to go one step further on the egg spectrum, organic pasture-raised eggs are the pinnacle of egg quality that you can buy as the diet of pasture-raised eggs can still be supplemented with grain but unless you’re at Whole Foods or your local natural grocer you may have trouble finding these.
What to do if you can’t get pasture-raised.
If you find yourself having understandable sticker shock from the notably higher price of pasture-raised eggs or they are unavailable at your usual grocery store, then omega-3 enhanced eggs are the next best option. The hens that lay omega-3 eggs are fed with flax seeds to boost the heart-healthy omega-3s in the yolks.
Important note: Free-range eggs are NOT pasture-raised ones. The term these days is pretty much meaningless so be careful of misleading marketing.
With this post I hope you’re now more informed regarding the types of eggs out there. I hope you’ll share this post with a friend or someone who may be unaware. Here’s the infographic on this from my Instagram story. The paler, yellow eggs as labeled were actually the ones from a typical carton my boyfriend brought over and the darker orange were the ones from my pasture-raised carton. We had a quick chat about which types of eggs are best to buy.
