Have you ever heard of teff flour? I hadn’t either until I started experimenting with gluten-free flours to use in the candida diet. Teffgrass, botanical name Eragrostis teff, is an ancient grain that can thrive in a variety of extreme weather conditions, making it a very reliable grain choice. Teff grass is native to Ethiopia, where it has been used for centuries as livestock feed and as a component of building materials. Teff is the smallest grain in the world, but despite its small size, it is an extremely versatile grain. In Ethiopia today it is ground into flour and used to make a flatbread called injera, porridge, and as an ingredient in alcoholic beverages. Although teff has proven to be a reliable grain, it has not been recognized or used in North America until now.

Increased awareness of medical conditions such as celiac disease, autism, gluten allergies/sensitivities, and candidiasis where eliminating gluten from the diet is necessary or may be beneficial, has led to non-glutinous flours such as teff at the forefront in North America. As we search for alternatives to our staple gluten-filled grains, wheat, barley, and rye, we are beginning to search the world over for useful alternatives. The use of teff flour as part of your diet to treat these conditions is of particular interest because teff flour has a very impressive nutritional profile compared to other flours, both glutinous and non-glutinous. Teff flour contains a large amount of bran and germ, making it an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, and iron. Teff is also a good source of calcium. Since teff flour is gluten-free, a nutrient powerhouse, and slightly lower in carbohydrates than other grains, it’s an ideal choice for the candida diet, also known as the yeast-free diet.

The candida diet is used to treat candidiasis, an overgrowth of yeast in the intestinal system. This is why it is often referred to as the yeast-free diet, as the goal is to eliminate all yeast-containing foods and ingredients, and ingredients that feed yeast, in order to reduce the amount of yeast in the intestinal system. The biggest culprits are usually sugar, processed foods, fast-acting carbs, vinegar, and fermented foods. Many candida diet resources also suggest giving up glutinous grains like wheat, rye, and barley because not only are they hard to digest, putting an added burden on an already compromised digestive system, but gluten is too. You can directly contribute to the yeast overgrowth problem by feeding the yeast. Symptoms of yeast infection include, but are not limited to, digestive problems, brain fog, PMS, depression, eczema, and acne.

The cornerstone of yeast infection treatment is the candida diet. The candida diet is the most important part of the treatment but it can be the most difficult part due to the amount of food that is eliminated. Having options like teff flour opens up new possibilities in the candida diet. Using teff flour along with other non-glutinous flours can help the candida dieter create a variety of yeast-free dishes. You can substitute teff flour for about a quarter of the flour called for in a recipe.

For more information on living yeast-free on the candida diet, visit Yeast-Free Living.