Herbs, Spices & Condiments: The YES List
| Apple Cider Vinegar | Basil | Coconut Aminos |
| Coriander | Lemongrass | Marjoram |
| Rosemary | Sage | Black Pepper |
| Cumin | Mint | Sea Salt |
| Cayenne | Curry | Mustard Power |
| Tarragon | Chilies | Dill |
| Nutmeg | Thyme | Cilantro |
| Cinnamon | Garlic | Ginger |
| Oregano | Paprika | Turmeric |
| Cloves | Lemon Juice | Parsley |
Most herbs and spices are OK to eat during your Anti-Fungal Diet. In fact, we generally recommend that you eat as many as possible. They are a delicious way to spice up your foods and add lots of extra nutrition by way of their phytonutrient and antioxidant content. Now that you have stopped eating processed and sweetened foods, one of the keys to completing a successful Anti-Fungal diet is to make your meals as varied and interesting as possible, and this list of herbs and spices is the best way to do that.
When you’re buying herbs and spices, try to avoid the cheapest in your supermarket. Many herbs and spices are irradiated to make them more resistant to spoilage, and many more are grown in China where agricultural standards tend to be questionable. Any specialty herb and spice shop or health food store are generally your best options, although there are some great brands available online too.
You may not have heard of coconut aminos before, but they are a wonderful alternative to soy sauce for anyone following an anti-fungal diet. As well as being a tasty addition to any Asian-inspired or sautéed dishes, they contain caprylic acid and lauric acid, both potent antifungals that can help to get your Fungus overgrowth under control.
We have listed sea salt (or ideally, Himalayan sea salt) as one of the condiments to use during your Anti-Fungal diet. This is better than regular table salt because it retains the trace elements that are removed from purified table salt. In fact, real sea salt is only 86% sodium chloride, and the remaining 14% consists of magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other helpful minerals. But that’s not the only reason to choose a better salt. Table salt manufacturers are permitted to include up to 2% of additives in their salt. This includes a man-made anti-caking agent named “anti-caking agent (554),” or otherwise known as sodium aluminosilicate. There is absolutely no good reason to consume this if you don’t have to. Table salt also contains iodine, which is added to prevent iodine deficiency, but that shouldn’t be a problem for you if you are eating lots of green vegetables like kale, cabbage, broccoli, and Swiss chard.
Herbs, Spices & Condiments: The MAYBE List
Coconut Vinegar
Herbs, Spices & Condiments: The NO List
| Barbecue Sauce | Chili Sauce | Ketchup |
| Mayonnaise | Pickled Vegetables | Relishes |
| Sriracha Sauce | Steak Sauce | Hoisin Sauce |
| Mincemeat | Salad Dressings | Tamari |
| Horseradish Sauce | Mustard Sauce | Salsa |
| Tomato Sauce | Hot Sauce | Nutritional Yeast |
| Shrimp Sauce | White Vinegar | HP Sauce |
| Oyster Sauce | Soy Sauces | Worcestershire Sauce |
Condiments can often be a place where many people unknowingly slip up. They often don’t realize that many of these foods are loaded with sugars, additives, and other carbs that can lead to inflammation, feed a fungus overgrowth infestation, and more. Below is a shortlist of foods that you should be extra careful with. Most importantly, make sure to read the ingredients list carefully. If sauces are sugar-free, such as many types of mustard, you should be OK. On the other hand some, such as ketchup, almost always have sugar added.
Look closely at all of these items for any added sugars. Remember also the many names for sugar that we’ve already reviewed and that appear in the Appendix. Avoid food if anything ‘sugary’ pops up on the ingredient list.
Now, a quick note about vinegar. Vinegar, except those that are fermented (and preferably unpasteurized) such as Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, are generally best avoided. Many people many find lemon juice with a little soda/seltzer water can be a nice substitute for vinegar if your recipe or salad dressing requires it.