Fungi are known human parasites. They can enter our body in many ways, including inhalation and by eating foods with fungus in them, which is not uncommon. Several fungal species in our air and food supply that make poisons substances called mycotoxins. The study of fungal poisons is a relatively new field of science. Its genesis occurred in England in the early 1960s when thousands of turkeys died from eating peanut meal that was impregnated with a mycotoxin (aflatoxin) known to cause illness and death in both humans and animals.
In the 1970s, when I began studying fungal diseases, I soon realized that peanuts were not the only foods that were contaminated with poisonous mycotoxins. As a matter of fact, some of the most common foods, such as wheat, corn, and beer, are mycotoxin-contaminated foods. From the scant literature on mycotoxins that existed in the 1970s, I developed a diet that minimized exposure to fungal poisons.		Pathogenic fungi actually cause us to crave the foods
Today, we know significantly more about the link between our diets and fungal exposure, and this knowledge is presented in The Kaufmann 1 and Kaufmann 2 Diets. The premise for avoiding foods that feed fungi is quite simple; avoid yeast foods like baker’s yeast and brewers yeast, avoid foods that are contaminated with fungal mycotoxins like grains and alcoholic beverages, and avoid eating fungi, itself, in the form of mushrooms, quorn, and other foods. The premise has remained the same for decades in my books and diets. Advancements in our understanding of how internal, pathogenic fungi actually cause us to crave the foods (sugars/carbohydrates) required for their own survival and of foods that are either contaminated with or that feed fungus continue to this day. This 2018 update represents current information on my understandings of these advancements. Additionally, the diets consider food allergies and food addictions that many people have. If you are sick, always work with a healthcare professional when initiating dietary changes. If the underlying reason you are sick is linked to fungus, The Kaufmann Diets (although initially causing a die-off reaction called a Herxheimer’s reaction in some people for a short time) may have you feeling significant improvement within a few weeks.

The Kaufmann Diets

Fungi are known human parasites. They can enter our body in many ways, including inhalation and by eating foods with fungus in them, which is not uncommon. Several fungal species in our air and food supply that make poisons substances called mycotoxins. The study of fungal poisons is a relatively new field of science. Its genesis occurred in England in the early 1960s when thousands of turkeys died from eating peanut meal that was impregnated with a mycotoxin (aflatoxin) known to cause illness and death in both humans and animals.

In the 1970s, when I began studying fungal diseases, I soon realized that peanuts were not the only foods that were contaminated with poisonous mycotoxins. As a matter of fact, some of the most common foods, such as wheat, corn, and beer, are mycotoxin-contaminated foods. From the scant literature on mycotoxins that existed in the 1970s, I developed a diet that minimized exposure to fungal poisons.

Today, we know significantly more about the link between our diets and fungal exposure, and this knowledge is presented in The Kaufmann 1 and Kaufmann 2 Diets. The premise for avoiding foods that feed fungi is quite simple; avoid yeast foods like baker’s yeast and brewers yeast, avoid foods that are contaminated with fungal mycotoxins like grains and alcoholic beverages, and avoid eating fungi, itself, in the form of mushrooms, quorn, and other foods. The premise has remained the same for decades in my books and diets.

Advancements in our understanding of how internal, pathogenic fungi actually cause us to crave the foods (sugars/carbohydrates) required for their own survival and of foods that are either contaminated with or that feed fungus continue to this day. This 2018 update represents current information on my understandings of these advancements. Additionally, the diets consider food allergies and food addictions that many people have.

If you are sick, always work with a healthcare professional when initiating dietary changes. If the underlying reason you are sick is linked to fungus, The Kaufmann Diets (although initially causing a die-off reaction called a Herxheimer’s reaction in some people for a short time) may have you feeling significant improvement within a few weeks.

Sugar/Sweeteners
	Allowed: Stevia and xylitol (either derived from corncob or birch tree bark) Excluded: No added sugar is allowed while following the Kaufmann 1 Diet, including honey, agave, or other “natural” sweeteners. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are not allowed on the diet.
Fruit
	Allowed: Green apples, berries, avocados, fresh coconut, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and tomatoes Excluded: Virtually all other fruits are excluded from the Kaufmann 1 Diet, usually due to the higher fructose content.
Meat
	Allowed: Virtually all fresh, minimally processed meats are allowed on the Kaufmann 1 Diet. These include beef, lamb, bison, turkey, chicken, pork, venison, etc. Also included are fish such as salmon, tuna, and shellfish. Wild-caught fish and organic, grass-fed or pasture-raised meats are always preferable. Avoid conventionally raised meat and farmed fish, whenever possible, as added antibiotics and/or hormones may affect fungal proliferation. Excluded: Beware of meats that have been cured using sugar, processed meats or deli meats which often contain sugar and/or ingredients such as wheat, corn, etc. Avoid breaded meats, as well.
Eggs
	Allowed: All eggs are allowed, but pastured eggs are best, when possible. Free-range chickens or chickens raised in the pasture have a more natural diet and environment, which affects the nutritional quality of the eggs in a positive way. Excluded: Egg substitutes.
Dairy
	Keep in mind that dairy foods are often allergy foods. Dairy products can also be mucous-producing. As a general rule, the dairy foods chosen on the Kaufmann 1 Diet are high in fat and low in milk sugar (lactose). As you consider eating dairy products while on the Kaufmann 1 Diet, consider also that dairy products can be addicting, and these diets are meant to assist you in breaking those addictions. Do you eat dairy products daily? Most of us do! If you are not allergic to dairy foods, and you are not over-consuming them currently, you can enjoy them minimally while on the Kaufmann 1 Diet. Allowed: Butter – Butter is a high-fat dairy product, and as such, contains only tiny amounts of lactose. Ghee – Ghee is clarified butter. Yogurt – Goat yogurt, in moderation, is permitted. Live cultured dairy probiotics contain relatively little lactose. Look for high-fat or full-fat yogurt with live bacterial cultures. Heavy Cream – The fat skimmed off the top of milk creates heavy cream; it is about 37% fat. It contains almost no lactose. Whipping Cream – Only unsweetened varieties are permitted. This can be made by whipping heavy cream. Sour Cream – There are now many suppliers of lactose-free sour cream. Look for varieties made from real cream. Cultured sour cream is preferred since beneficial bacteria are used in the process. Vinegars are used in non-cultured sour cream. Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is a low lactose cheese. There are now many suppliers of lactose-free cream cheese. Hemp Milk -A superfood dairy substitute, rich in nutrition. Avoid: Milk, other cheeses, margarine, or other butter substitutes. Avoid rice or soybean substitutes. Kefir and Kombucha Kefir “grains” and Kombucha “scobys” are fermented products like yogurt, but whereas yogurt utilizes bacterial fermentation, kefir and kombucha both use bacteria and yeast in their fermentation process. Saccharomyces, the yeast in these products, is the same yeast that is used to make bread, wine, and beer.  Ethanol and acetaldehyde are produced by Saccharomyces during the fermentation process. Know that acetaldehyde is a known carcinogen, so avoidance is best. Even though ethanol and acetaldehyde are only produced in small quantities in each kefir and kombucha drink, these beverages are currently being heavily promoted for there health benefits, leaving many people to drink kefir and kombucha on a regular basis. I have excluded these products while following the Kaufmann Diets. Dairy Substitutes The list of dairy-free cheeses and milk substitutes grows monthly. There are many on the market now. As a general rule, unsweetened goat, coconut, almond and hemp dairy substitutes are acceptable. Be careful and read labels, as milk can sneak into the product; look out for ingredients like casein and whey. Check for other un-permitted ingredients, as well.
Vegetables
	Allowed: Virtually all fresh, unblemished vegetables are allowed on Kaufmann 1. Greens are heavily encouraged. Juicing fresh (preferably organic) vegetables and spices (ginger/turmeric root) is acceptable. Excluded: Potatoes and sweet potatoes, legumes (including beans, peas, and green beans). Mushrooms and corn are not vegetables and are not allowed.
Beverages
	Allowed: Filtered water, fresh-squeezed vegetable juices, and unsweetened herbal teas. Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, and various other nut milk’s are fine. Making flavored water beverages yourself with proper ingredients seems to be well tolerated, but please enjoy them in moderation. Excluded: All alcoholic beverages are off limits, as are sodas, soft drinks, sports drinks, most fruit and store-bought juices, and energy drinks. A component of The Kaufmann 1 Diet involves avoiding foods and drinks that are addictive. For this reason (and others) coffee and regular black tea are excluded on Kaufmann 1.
Grains
	Allowed: Pseudo-grains, such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, and millet. These are actually seeds and not grains. A Word on Ancient Grains Ancient grains are grains that purportedly have not been altered due to selectively breeding. They are still grains, and that needs to be considered. For educational purposes, it is not just the breeding process that is factored in when deciding on whether to include grains in the diet; rather, the silo process must also be considered, if this was used. The Kaufmann 1 Diet avoids grains for two distinct reasons. First, they are carbohydrates that feed fungi. Second, grains can easily become impregnated with fungi (often while being stored in a silo) and subsequently contaminated with mycotoxins. Excluded: Virtually all grains are excluded. These include corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, spelt and any foods containing these ingredients, including bread, pasta, cakes, crackers, and other processed foods. Keep in mind that sugar is a grain!
Yeast Products and Fungal Foods
	Allowed: None. Be careful of foods that are fermented using yeast. Be vigilant in reading labels, because yeast and its byproducts are sometimes cleverly inserted into labels. Excluded: Virtually all products containing yeast are excluded from the diet, including alcohol, bread, etc. Any type of fungi, such as mushrooms and truffles, or foods that might contain fungus or fungal byproducts, such as certain aged cheeses, mycoprotein or nutritional yeasts, are also to be avoided.
Vinegars/Fermented Food Products
	Allowed: Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. Know that all vinegars are acidic. The fermentation of sugars is used to make vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has been found to have anti-fungal properties against several fungal species, making it allowable. Sauerkraut is a lactic acid product. Lactic acid fermentation creates conditions favorable to lactic acid-producing, beneficial microorganisms, such as lactobacillus. Excluded: Virtually all others, including other vinegars, most salad dressings or sauces, including soy sauce. A Word about Soy Sauce Soybeans are the 2nd largest crop grown in America, following corn. If you must have soy sauce, try to find the 10% of non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) soybeans that exist. The other 90% is GMO soybeans, and according to an educational website, nearly all of that 90% involve the use of a product called Roundup (also known as glyphosate) on the beans––a product known to cause cancer. Know, too, that the darker or thicker soy sauces use molasses or caramel coloring added during the fermentation process. Do your own studies before using soy sauce.
Oils
	Allowed: Many oils are allowed, including olive oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, flax seed oil, etc. Cold-pressed, extra virgin and minimally-processed organic oils seem to be best. Excluded: Most vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils, corn oil, peanut oil, truffle oil and canola oil. A Word About Canola Oil Genetically speaking, scientists make canola oil by integrating rapeseed genes with the canola plant genes. Canola oil is rapeseed oil, from which the most toxic monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid (erucic acid) has been removed through specific breeding. Although rapeseed oil is high in erucic acid, food-grade canola oil is engineered and regulated to contain a maximum of 2% erucic acid in the USA. Europe’s equivalent of the FDA states this about erucic acid: “Erucic acid––a naturally occurring contaminant present in vegetable oil––is not a safety concern for most consumers, as the average exposure is less than half the safe level. But it may be a long-term health risk for children up to 10 years of age who consume high amounts of foods containing this substance.” There are so many great oils we have to choose from. Choose these over others until more is known about their effects on human health.
Nuts & Seeds
	Allowed: Nuts and seeds can be problematic for those who suffer from fungal disorders. Broken seed shells and nutshells expose the nut to the elements, and one of those elements is a fungus. Most nuts and seeds are allowed on the diet, including walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, etc. Try to purchase nuts with their shells intact. Of course, this is impossible when purchasing packaged or pre-chopped nuts. Be vigilant when buying and eating nuts. You will know when you chew a bad one; spit it out and rinse! Be careful of sunflower seeds, as they can be contaminated with fungus. Freshly ground nut butter is fine, but it is always best to see the nuts being used to make the nut butter. Again, many of us know when we taste a food product if it is contaminated or tastes differently. Excluded: Peanuts (including anything made with peanuts or peanut butter). Science has now published that pistachio nuts and sunflower seeds are sometimes contaminated with fungal mycotoxins, so it is best to avoid these, as well.

 

 

The Kaufmann 2 Diet

If your symptoms have improved while on The Kaufmann 1 Diet, your doctor may want to note on your chart that you likely have a food or fungal disorder. Many people begin to notice improvement and then disregard the diet, hoping that relief will continue. Know that improvement does not always translate to a cure, but some people report that following the diet for longer periods of time does help them manage their symptoms.

Although it may have taken you a few months on the diet, once you are definitely feeling better, followers have two choices. They may continue on the Kaufmann 1 Diet, or choose to challenge more foods. The Kaufmann Diets were developed on an excellent nutritional platform and provide the proteins, fats and carbohydrates necessary for great health. For many people, because relief was finally achieved while following the Kaufmann 1 Diet, continuing on the diet just makes sense. Others, however, may have been following the Kaufmann 1 Diet for reasons other than symptom or illness. In these cases, the question often comes up, “Can I have more foods now?” It may be time to “experimentally graduate” to the Kaufmann 2 Diet.

The Kaufmann 2 Diet introduces more foods into your diet. Be cautious when eating these new foods, and know that the Kaufmann 2 Diet might bring back some of your symptoms. Theoretically, this indicates that the fungal condition being “starved” by the Kaufmann 1 Diet has not quite cleared up yet, and even small amounts of some of these carbohydrate-rich foods might awaken underlying fungi and bring back symptoms. Consider also that you may have food allergies and have avoided certain foods you are allergic to while on the Kaufmann 1 Diet, thereby making you feel better, but not related to fungus at all. Reverting to The Kaufmann 1 Diet is easy and should have you feeling better quite quickly as you continue to experiment with new foods.

For many, The Kaufmann 2 Diet means testing common foods that used to be in your diet regularly, like coffee, beans and more fruits. Know that moderation is the key to success. If you find certain foods that bring back old symptoms, for any reason, simply avoid those.

THE KAUFMANN 2 DIET

1. Sugar/Sweeteners

Allowed: On Kaufmann 2, you may experiment with minimal amounts of real Manuka honey in moderation, as a trial. Manuka honey has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, yet some people will be unable to tolerate any honey, or they attempt to challenge it too early in their recovery. When challenging Manuka honey, watch for changes in how you feel afterwards and base moderate continuation on that. You may also use Maple Syrup in small amounts.

Excluded: All others that were excluded on Kaufmann 1

2. Fruit

Allowed: Begin adding more fruits back into the diet on occasion. Again, watch for symptoms. Know that while a red apple once in a while may be a wonderful treat, eating another the next day might cause some symptoms to return. In other words, do not “load” too quickly.

Discouraged: Be cautious of fruit with high sugar content, such as dates, watermelon, pineapple and bananas. Bulk dried fruits are discouraged as they run a higher risk for fungal contamination.

3. Meat

Same as Kaufmann 1

4. Eggs

Same as Kaufmann 1

5. Dairy

Allowed: Lower lactose cheeses are OK to experiment with now.

A Word About Cheese

Cheeses that are very low in milk sugar (lactose) are cheddar, Parmesan (very high protein) and Swiss cheeses. As a general rule, aged cheese is low lactose cheese. Older cheese becomes hard, because it loses its moisture content. With that comes lower milk sugar, therefore hard cheeses have much less lactose in them. Goat cheeses and milks are generally acceptable, but please be vigilant as well-meaning nutritional marketers can give hints of cow milk in their labels.

6. Vegetables

Allowed: On Kaufmann 2, you are allowed to include (or, experiment with) sweet potatoes or yams, and legumes (including beans, peas, etc.) in moderation.  For this reason, you may now have Kudzu.  This is a group of plants from the legume (bean) family. Try to purchase American grown as herbicidal sprays are used when importing Kudzu into America.

Excluded: Although a great source of fiber, regular potatoes are considered “starchy carbohydrates” and are 90% (or more) sugar and starch. Peanuts, while legumes, are still off limits due to mycotoxin contamination. Corn is not a vegetable; it is a grain and also commonly contaminated with mycotoxins. Mushrooms are not vegetables; they are fungi and are excluded on The Kaufmann 2 Diet, as well.

7. Beverages

Allowed: Since coffee is a bean, you may minimally experiment with coffee on Kaufmann 2. Be careful, however, as fungal mycotoxins are sometimes found in coffee beans if their shells crack. Do not go overboard with coffee. If sweetening is desired, use stevia or xylitol.

Excluded: All other beverages that were excluded on Kaufmann 1

8. Grains

Allowed: Experimentation with oats and brown rice is allowed in moderation, because these tend to be less affected by fungus. Again, do not overload on these grains. Revert to Kaufmann 1 should symptoms begin to return.

Excluded: All others that were excluded on Kaufmann 1

9. Yeast Products and Fungal Foods

Allowed and Excluded:  Same as Kaufmann 1

10. Vinegars/Fermented Food Products

Allowed and Excluded:  Same as Kaufmann 1

11. Oils

Allowed and Excluded: Same as Kaufmann 1

12. Nuts & Seeds

Allowed and Excluded: Same as Kaufmann 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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