What foods help detox from mold? Also, when looking for foods for mold illness, what should you eat and what should you avoid?
Hang tight as we go over the 22 best mold detox foods and the 11 foods to avoid to help with mold illness recovery.
Ready to learn how a low mold diet can help you detox?
Low mold foods are some of the best foods that kill mold in the body because they don’t contribute to the high burden of toxins that are already present in the body.
While there is limited evidence that food can directly kill mold, certain foods are known for their antifungal properties, which may help you reduce toxic mold from lingering in your body and build a healthy immune system. Additionally, anti-fungal foods can help reduce unwanted fungi in the body that may impair our ability to detox mold effectively. Let’s dig in.
Table of contents
Top 22 Best Foods to Detox From Mold Exposure
The best place to start for an effective mold detox diet is by consuming a wide variety of anti-fungal foods that are foods that kill mold in the body.
These anti-fungal options are low mold foods and the best foods to detox from mold exposure.
6 Best Anti-Fungal Foods
Here are foods commonly considered to have antifungal properties:
- Garlic: Garlic is very antifungal! It contains allicin, a compound with antifungal properties that may help inhibit the growth of fungi. Pure garlic has been shown to have high antifungal effects![1]
- Coconut oil: Coconut oil contains caprylic acid, which has been studied for its antifungal properties. It is often used as a natural remedy for fungal infections as well.[2]
- Ginger: Ginger has demonstrated antifungal activity in some studies and is known for its immune-boosting properties.[3]
- Turmeric: We all love turmeric for fight inflammation, but it’s also great as an antifungal. The active compound in turmeric is curcumin, which has antifungal properties and is supportive of the immune system!
- Oregano oil: Oregano oil is believed to have antifungal properties due to its high content of carvacrol. It is sometimes used as a natural remedy for fungal infections.
- Green tea: Green tea contains a special component known as EGCg. EGCg has been shown to have antifungal effects against yeast and other fungi. [4]
7 Best Glutathione-Rich Foods
Some of the best foods to detox from mold exposure are foods high in glutathione. As we have discussed, glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that plays a significant role in detoxification processes.
Glutathione is arguably the most powerful and most important anti-oxidant in the body!
Incorporating foods that are naturally rich in glutathione may help boost levels that can get depleted with high levels of mycotoxins in the body. These glutathione-rich foods will boost liver detox capabilities, help remove and kill mold in the body, and support human health overall.
Here are some foods that contain or support glutathione:[5]
- Spinach
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Okra
- Almonds
- Turmeric
- Broccoli
While we love the concept of “food first,” getting to the therapeutic amount of glutathione needed to significantly impact mold detoxing can be a challenge…
Because it is challenging to consume enough glutathione through food to help with detoxing, a concentrated dose of glutathione in supplemental form may be necessary to help recover from mold exposure. In this scenarios, it is essential to ensure you are taking the best glutathione supplement out there.
>>>Read our research and personally-tested results of The Best Glutathione Supplements.
Now, with any supplement, we don’t want to take it willy-nilly. This supplement is powerful, so it’s important to know what to avoid when taking glutathione to ensure you prevent doing more harm than good.
9 Best Vitamin and Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh fruits and veggies are some of the best foods to detox from mold exposure. They are packed with fiber to help keep bowel movement regular (more pooping = more toxins removed from the body!!), AND they are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help fight inflammation and toxins naturally.
But how?
When liver detox is impaired by high levels of toxic mold, yeast, and impaired digestion, bowel movements can become sluggish. Trust, us, we’ve been there and we’ve worked with many clients who have been to.
👉We need 1-2 bowel movements DAILY to consistently and effectively remove toxins from our body.👈
This is especially problematic if we’re taking binders to help pull toxins out. If we aren’t eliminating toxins every day, they can build up in the body and recirculate. When this happens, you will #FLG…Feel Like Garbage!
In addition to drinking lots of fluids, here are some of the most nutrient-dense fresh fruits and veggies that will help keep your digestion moving, boost your antioxidants, and qualify as low mold food!
- Blueberries
- Citrus fruits
- Cauliflower
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Red cabbage
- Garlic
- Sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash
These fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins C, A, and K, have a plethora of antioxidants, and have a variety of minerals that will support a healthy immune system. These low-mold foods give our cells the extra support they need when pathogens come into the body and detoxification is not functioning properly!
We also have to consider starchy veggies like potatoes and squash!
“Sweet potatoes and butternut squash are disgusting!” … said nobody EVER!
These foods are delicious AND full of fiber, anti-inflammatory vitamins, and minerals like potassium and magnesium to help fight the effects of toxic mold.
What Foods Should You AVOID if You Have Mold Sensitivity?
If you have been exposed to mold, there are certain foods in our food supply that may make symptoms even worse.
Not all of these foods are unhealthy foods, but, if many of them commonly have higher amounts of mold that other foods which can really stress your immune system and ability to detox.
For example, fermented foods such as kefir or sauerkraut can be incredible for helping keep your gut healthy but supporting the gut with good gut bugs. However, if you’re suffering from toxin overload or mold illness, fermented foods, which naturally will have higher mold counts in them vs other foods, will make you FLG (remember, Feel Like Garbage?)
Trust us on this one; we’ve been there and helped countless clients. You will feel better if you remove the below foods during and after up to 6-12 months post recovering from mold illness.
Why Certain Foods are High in Mold
Some foods, such as grains, because of sitting in storage bins and warehouses where there is higher humidity, are prone to growing mold. Dark, moist environments, with material such as grains that mold can feast on, is a breading grown to mold growth.
Other foods, such as peanuts, are naturally higher in mold due to the environments they’re grown in.
Fermentable foods are susceptible to more bacterial growth due. to the fermentation process and can increase allergic reactions and other symptoms of mycotoxin exposure.
Under normal circumstances where mycotoxin exposure isn’t an issue, and one is not suffering from mold or mycotoxin illness, low levels of mold exposure from many of the foods on this list are typically well-tolerated and do not need to be avoided.
However, when toxic mold levels are high in the body, more mold from food can irritate the digestive tract and throw the immune system even more out of whack!
Don’t believe us?
If you think you’ve been exposed to mold or are suffering from mold illness and haven’t done a urine mycotoxin test, here is a simple way to see if you may have mold toxicity… Go ten days avoiding the foods on our list and see how you feel.
Nine times out of ten… maybe even 99 times out of 100, if you’re suffering from mold illness, you will feel dramatically better when you eliminate these foods.👌
Why?
Because your body will have a dramatically lower amount of mold it is battling, and your immune system burden will be reduced.
Top 11 High Mold/Highly Fermentable Foods to Avoid WIth Mold Illness
- Vinegar
- Fermented veggies (i.e. kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut)
- Soy sauce
- Dried fruit (apricots, mango, raisins, etc.)
- Nuts (peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, and brazil nuts)
- Cheese
- Dairy
- Berries
- Packages/smoked meats (deli meat, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, corned beef, pastrami, smoked fish, ham)
- Cereal and grains
- Alcoholic beverages
***Some people do okay with gluten-free grains even while on a low mold diet. Things like wild rice, quinoa, and oats tend to be tolerated better than wheat and other gluten-containing foods.
Pro Tip: If you’re a nut lover, focus on consuming almonds and keep them in the fridge. The fridge will reduce mold growth and is great for all nuts when you reintroduce them in the future.👌
How Do You Detox Mold From Your Body?
If you suspect that you’ve been exposed to toxic mold spores and haven’t used a mycotoxin test to identify high levels of mycotoxins, consider getting tested first to identify how much and what kinds of mold you may have been exposed to.
Knowing what you’ve been exposed to and how high levels are in your body will help you know what you have to detox.
Common symptoms of biotoxin illness or signs you may have been exposed to mold and could benefit from a detox and low-mold diet include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Congestion
- Brain fog
- Joint pain
- Gut issues
- In some cases, even chronic inflammatory response syndrome, also known as CIRS (we’ve been here before and overcome it; Contact us for a nutrition coaching package to fix this if you’re ready to commit to your health.)
We know that mold exposure can cause a range of health problems, and detoxification may not be a straightforward process, so let’s discuss how to detox mold from your body in addition to using foods that kill mold in the body.
Also, if you want. to go deep and in depth in on how to remove mycotoxins from your body beyond the highlights below, we wrote an entire post on How to Get Rid of Mycotoxins based on her personal experience and success with clients.
Step 1: Remove Yourself From the Source of Mold
We can take all the binders, live in the sauna, and eat all the foods that kill mold in the body, but if you’re living in an environment where black mold has grown or there is ongoing water damage, it’s likely you’re going to continuously re-expose yourself to the mold growth.
Until the mold is completely removed and volatile organic compounds are gone from the air, mold will continue to be released in the form of mycotoxin spores, and our overall health will struggle.
Step 1 is to identify what types of mold you’ve been exposed to and eliminate the source of mold in your home or working environment.
Make sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect your living or working space!
Sometimes, it can be as simple as swapping out old carpet or improving ventilation, but in some cases, you may need to go as far as fixing leaks or replacing a leaking roof.
We understand it can be hard, but some people will need to find a new living or work space or completely relocate.
Whatever you need to do, get out of that environment!
>>>Read More: How to Clean Mold Contamination and Prevent Cross Contamination
Step 2: Support Your Immune System
With toxic mold exposure comes a highly depleted immune system! We highly recommend doing everything in your power to support immunity, such as:
- Consuming a diet rich in unprocessed foods
- Eating low mold foods and foods that kill mold in the body
- Loading up on foods that support liver detoxification, such as leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and dark pigments fruits and veggies (i.e. bell peppers, blueberries, carrots)
- Regularly exercising to produce sweating and enhance detoxification
- Quality sleep (If possible, use a sleep tracker such as a Garmin watch or Aura ring to measure HRV and sleep scores)
- Eat glutathione-rich foods such as spinach, avocados, asparagus, and okra
All of these are the cornerstones of having healthy immunity!
Step 3: Fluids are Much More Critical Than You Realize
We can’t forget about our fluids!
Hydration is absolutely key when detoxing from mold. Not only should you be drinking plenty of water to help flush toxins from your body, but ensuring mineral intake is sufficient is also important.
We’ve had countless clients who felt dramatically better when they increased their hydration, especially those who were taking binders. If you’re taking binders or other mold detox supplements, you need to focus on hydration every day.
When hydrating, be sure to focus on getting electrolytes too. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium!
Some of our favorite hydration beverages to boost mineral intake include LMNT packets and the Nooma Sports Drinks, which are free from artificial ingredients and high fructose corn syrup. Use code FWDfuel if you want 20% off when you try NOOMA.
>>>Read more: Best Electrolyte Water Brands
Step 4: Sauna Therapy
In case you haven’t noticed yet, we LOVE sauna around here. We especially love infrared sauna for detoxing mold, as well as many of the other benefits of infrared saunas.
Mold thrives on a body that isn’t sweating regularly because those toxins build up more easily. Sweating regularly is crucial for mobilizing and removing toxins like toxic mold from the body!
We have a special discount for our readers for infrared sauna blankets, which is the most affordable way to get the benefits of a sauna.
Use code FWDFUEL50 at checkout for $50 off when purchasing your sauna blanket from Sun Home Saunas.
It’s crucial to note that detoxing the body from mold is complex and often takes months to fully clear from the body. Symptoms can vary widely among people, and the time it takes to fully remove the mycotoxins will be different from person to person. We recommend going into the process with patience and commitment to the long-term goal of feeling great!
>>>Need More Details on How to Detox From Mold at Home? Read the Full Post on How to Remove Mycotoxins from Your Body
Step 5: Work with a Healthcare Professional Who is Experienced With Mycotoxin Detox:
While there are a lot of basic things you can do to safely detox from mold, such as a low-mold diet, eating foods that kill mold in the body, and clearing yourself from the moldy environment, some aspects of the detox process are more advanced.
It would be beneficial to be under the care of a qualified health practitioner to measure baseline amounts of mold in your body, confirm what types of mold you’ve been exposed to, and guide you through the detoxification process.
Thankfully, we have a team of dietitians who have all lived the experience of detoxing from mold and have helped hundreds of clients with it as well. Just check our Google Reviews.
We can guide you through the process safely and get you quicker results than you can on your own. 👉Schedule your complimentary 15-minute strategy call today👈 to work with our team.
Step 6: Smart Supplementation
We wrote an entire post on the best mold detox supplements but below are a couple of highlights.
- You need a powerful protocol that includes binders, energy support, and minerals
- A quality liposomal glutathione supplement boosts detoxification.
- A quercetin phytosome supplement can support the immune system and reduce CIRS
Keep in mind that smart supplements will not work if you’re eating an unhealthy diet and have not removed yourself from the mold exposure.
However, if you’ve already taken these steps, mold detox supplements can supercharge your recovery and dramatically increase how fast you improve.
What Should I Take After Mold Exposure?
As mentioned, supporting the immune system through eating lots of foods that kill mold in the body and eating foods that are rich in glutathione, antioxidants, and vitamins & minerals is key.
Of course, sweating regularly in a sauna, moving the body through exercise, and hydrating are also crucial after being exposed to mold.
BUT, your mold detox protocol should include additional supplements.
It’s tough to fully heal from mold exposure without adding some additional supplements that can fast-track the mold detoxification process.
Mold Detox Binders
In addition to eating low mold foods and foods that kill mold in the body, binders are extremely effective for mold detoxification! They can enhance your body’s natural detoxification process, which is already operating at a deficit…
Something many people deal with when it comes to mold exposure is gut issues. This could be frequent bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea. The WORST! This is because the mycotoxins can colonize the gut microbiome and cause imbalances in the good and bad bacteria.
Binders can be super helpful for supporting overall gut health during the mold detox process.
One of the most effective binders out there is the Cellcore Biotoxin Binder. It is truly one of the best tools on the market in terms of mold detoxification, followed closely by the more advanced mold binder, Carboxy by Cellcore.
Some other binders practitioners will recommend include
- Activated charcoal → a porous substance that can bind to various substances, including some toxins like mold.
- Bentonite Clay → a natural clay known for its ability to absorb and bind to toxins
- Chlorella → a green algae that binds to heavy metals and other toxins
Disclaimer: Use of these binders should be used in conjunction with your doctor or qualified health practitioner.
Immune-Supporting Quercetin
Quercetin is a phenomenal addition to the mold detoxification process, and we often recommend it to our clients that we guide through mold detoxification!
As we have mentioned in our previous post on how to get rid of mycotoxins, quercetin is not directly responsible for removing mycotoxins from the body, but it supports the immune system, reduces allergic reactions, positively impacts the gut microbiome, and supports the liver in detoxifying mycotoxins.
People who are exposed to mold develop allergy-like symptoms and mast cell reactions, so this is where quercetin is especially useful for helping manage these symptoms.[6]
We have all the details you’re looking for in regards to quercetin, so read more in our recent article all about the Best Quercetin Supplements.
Detox-Supporting N-acetylcysteine
Something about mycotoxins is that these byproducts can create inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress basically causes damage to your cells! Not only is cell damage going to further weaken the immune system, it’s going to impact your body’s ability to methylate.
What the heck is methylation? Let’s break it down into simple terms.
Methylation is essential for basically every system in the body to function. It helps turn the vitamins from your food into the form needed to “do work.” Methylation is super involved in helping your body detox toxins like mold.
N-acetylcysteine is actually used to keep the process of methylation running smoothly, and therefore, support detoxification!
A BONUS of n-acetylcysteine is that glutathione is made from it, so more N-acetylcysteine means more glutathione. We know glutathione is our body’s TOP anti-oxidant that fights against toxins or anything else posing a threat to the body.[7]
Summary
The best foods to detox from mold exposure to supplements work together hand in hand with other lifestyle hacks like sweating often and hydrating to support this process of mold detoxification.
It is absolutely crucial to combine all elements together to get a quick recovery. Missing one component such as hydration or smart supplementation, will make they journey much longer.
Get started eating all the foods provided in this post, while avoiding the high-mold foods and hydrating with electrolytes to get on track starting today!
We totally understand that this process can be overwhelming to tackle by yourself. Which is why we are here to help you! We have a team of dietitians who have all lived and breathed the process of mold detox and can guide you through the process effectively! Schedule your complimentary 15-minute strategy call today to work with our team!
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10241316/
- https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msphere.00020-15
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8828847/
- https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/53/2/225/850536
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464614003636
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7227109/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6215273/
