Tinea Versicolor Diet: Foods to Eat & Foods to Avoid

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

Tinea Versicolor Diet
Credit: iStock.com/daisy1344

Tinea versicolor is a fungal infection of the skin caused by excessive amounts of the yeast that naturally grows there. In this article, we’ll take a look at the tinea versicolor diet—from which foods you should avoid, to which foods can actually help you out.

This type of infection usually results in a discolored rash on the skin. But luckily, there is a direct connection between tinea versicolor and diet. By the time we are done, you will better understand the way certain foods and their by-products work to either worsen or improve what can be an unsightly rash on your skin.

Foods to Avoid with Tinea Versicolor

If you are suffering from tinea versicolor, there are a number of foods that promote the fungal yeast that grows on your skin and turn it into a rash. The following foods are to be avoided if you are trying to get your tinea versicolor under control:

1. Sugar

Simply put, sugar can fuel the fungus that is causing tinea veriscolor. The hard part is avoiding sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) and the seemingly endless number of foods they’re present in. Everything from the obvious (candy) to the less evident (breads and processed soups) will contain sugar.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol is kind of a double whammy when it comes to tinea versicolor. The first problem is the sugar. Many alcoholic beverages have high sugar content, which, as we’ve already covered, you want to try and avoid. The second is that a significant portion of alcoholic drinks is fermented in yeast. This microscopic fungus used to convert sugar into carbon dioxide can help feed the fungus on your skin as well.

3. Vinegar

Vinegar is a very similar to alcohol, as it is produced by the fermentation of yeast, which means you want to avoid not only vinegar but other foods that contain vinegar. Ketchup, for example, has vinegar (it also contains a fair amount of sugar, so definitely avoid ketchup).

4. Nuts

Nuts of all varieties do occasionally carry mold. In a lot of ways, this mold won’t really do anything for or against you. But, for those suffering from tinea versicolor, this mold can help promote the growth of the fungal infection.

5. Fruits

This probably seems counter-intuitive because fruits are so much a part of a healthy diet, but in this case, it might be wise to drop fruit from your diet—at least for a few weeks. This is mainly due to the fact that most fruits have a good concentration of simple, natural sugars, which can help encourage the fungal infection.

While there is some food that you need to avoid, there are a number of foods that can help you fight the fungal infection.

Foods to Include in Tinea Versicolor Diet

There are many foods that should be included in a diet for tinea versicolor. These are foods that can help your body get rid of the fungal infection that causes tinea versicolor. These foods can include:

1. Yogurt

Yogurt is great for tinea versicolor due to the type of bacteria it contains. The good bacteria in yogurt can help fight off the overgrowth of the yeast that is causing you the issue.

2. Low-Carb Foods

Carbohydrates are, for all intents and purposes, sugars. Going on to a low-carb diet can help you avoid sugars or at least minimize the amount of sugars that you are taking in. Broccoli and green beans are great examples of foods to be added to your diet.

3. Protein-Rich Foods

Foods like meats, fish, poultry, and eggs are high in protein but are also low in sugar, and healthy proteins aren’t carrying substances like mold that can help inspire the growth of fungal infection.

4. Garlic

Garlic contains ajoene, a compound that has a number of anti-fungal properties. This means garlic could help out clean out the fungal infection of tinea versicolor. Just eating a few cloves of garlic a day may help, but you can also add garlic to many different meals.

Tinea Versicolor Diet: Easy in Theory, Harder in Practice

A tinea versicolor diet is fairly easy to research and understand. Quit sugar, don’t drink, and avoid nuts. But actually following through with the diet can be difficult. Sugar can be found in nearly everything (natural and processed), so eliminating it can be easier said than done.

Now, there is a bonus to all of this. Maintaining a tinea versicolor diet also carries the possible side effect of weight loss. If you look closely at our suggestions, they aren’t too far from what many weight loss diets recommend. Just be sure to speak with a doctor who is familiar with your medical history, including possible allergies and nutritional deficiencies, before adopting any new diet. You could treat your rash and lose some weight; it might be worth a shot.

Related Articles:

Coconut Oil for Yeast Infections

Symptoms and Natural Treatments for Candida Overgrowth



Sources:
Jackson-Michel, S., “Foods to Avoid If You Have Tinea Versicolor,” Livestrong, June 04, 2015, http://www.livestrong.com/article/341334-foods-to-avoid-if-you-have-tinea-versicolor/, last accessed July 31, 2017.
“9 Diet Tips for Tinea Versicolor,” Find Home Remedy, http://www.findhomeremedy.com/diet-tips-for-tinea-versicolor/, last accessed July 31, 2017.
“Foods To Avoid If You Have Tinea Versicolor,” Tinea Versicure, http://tineaversicure.com/foods-to-avoid-if-you-have-tinea-versicolor/, last accessed July 31, 2017.
Ranjan, R., Reddy, T., “Tinea Versicolor: Treatment, Diet and Home Remedies,” mTalva Health Pie, May 17, 2016; https://www.mtatva.com/en/disease/tinea-versicolor-treatment-diet-and-home-remedies/, last accessed July 31, 2017.
“Tinea Versicolor,” Web MD; http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tinea-versicolor-cause-symptoms-treatments#1, last accessed July 31, 2017.
“Role of Yeast in Production of Alcoholic Beverages,” University of Hawaii – Botany; http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wong/BOT135/Lect14.htm, last accessed July 31, 2017.
“Sugar,” Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar, last accessed July 31, 2017.