For thousands of years, our ancestors leaned on antifungal herbs and spices like cinnamon, thyme, and oregano for preventing spoilage of food. These herbs were traded and renowned worldwide for their antimicrobial and antifungal properties – and now they’re coming back around, full circle in the healthcare industry for the same reasons.
If you’re reading this, chances are you or someone you care about has been navigating the frustrating symptoms that often accompany yeast overgrowth or mold-related challenges—bloating, fatigue, brain fog, diarrhea, skin breakouts, recurrent infections, or simply feeling “off.”
Please know you’re not alone, and that there are safe, natural, and effective treatment options available. (As a functional dietitian, gut health nutritionist, and clinical herbalist, I’ve walked alongside hundreds of clients through this terrain!)
In this article, we’ll highlight ten antifungal herbs and spices, plus two standout bioactive herbal constituents (berberine and caprylic acid) shown to have antifungal properties.
I’ll also share some of my fave professional-grade herbal supplement products, and unpack some little-known (but very important) tips and insights related to safety and best-practices.
Disclaimer: The information in this post was written for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Antifungal herbs should never be taken without clinical guidance and supervision from a qualified healthcare professional! Consult your healthcare team before beginning any new supplement regimen, especially if pregnant, nursing, or on medications.
Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links* (not for supplements though). As an Amazon Associate, Whole-istic Living may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
First things first: Let’s talk about fungal overgrowth
Yeast and fungal overgrowth are a type of functional imbalance in which there are abnormally high or excessive levels of fungal cells and yeast cells, in any area of the body.
It can be tricky to identify, because certain “opportunistic” strains of fungus (such as Candida albicans) aren’t inherently bad– and can actually be beneficial for us), when they’re present in smaller quantities– but they become problematic for us when they start to grow out of control.
Common symptoms
In my world of gastrointestinal (GI) nutrition, my clients often uncover yeast and fungal overgrowth are underlying culprits of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acne, and many other issues – including but not limited to:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Gas
- Malabsorption
- Inflammation
- Brain fog
- Skin rashes
- Depression
- ADHD
- Lots of food allergies/sensitivities
- Histamine overload
- Headaches
- FODMAP intolerances
- Histamine intolerance
Yeast and fungal overgrowth can occur in the colon, or in the small intestine (this is called small intestinal fungal overgrowth/”SIFO”) (1). They may also be systemic, or in some cases, colonized in the lungs (following inhalation of mold spores).
Since fungal overgrowth often co-occurs with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), it adds a layer of complexity (and an explanation for why some holistic SIBO treatment plans don’t work as well as in other cases).
What causes it?
Fungal exposure is everywhere in our environment. Those of us who are most susceptible to fungal overgrowth typically have reduced gut/immune resilience. (This means your body is less equipped to keep certain fungal strains/pathogens from over-growing out of control, for one reason or another.)
In addition to being common with SIBO, I’ve also found in my clinical practice that fungal overgrowth seem to be more prevalent among the immunocompromised, people with low gut diversity (a functional gut imbalance that follows modern-day environmental events such as too many rounds of antibiotics), and in those who spent too much time on medications that reduce stomach acid production.
Regardless of the type of fungal overgrowth you’re dealing with or how you got it, the good news is there are lots of antifungal herbs that can help to treat it!
(Just keep in mind that what works well for some people may not be what works best for others with fungal overgrowth, due to our biochemical individuality and variations in fungal strain sensitivity/resistance to the herbs.)
Antifungal herbs and spices list
Antifungal herbs and spices are medicinal plants which have been shown (in vivo or in vitro) to inhibit the growth of certain strains of yeast and fungus.
These herbs may be taken internally (most commonly as herbal tinctures or capsules), incorporated into culinary dishes, or applied topically in some cases, for treating fungal infections naturally.
Many of the following herbs contain aromatic bioactive constituents and volatile oils that conveniently prove to be an adaptive survival mechanism, helping to deter predators from destroying these plants in the wild:
- Cinnamon
- Pau d’Arco
- Grapefruit seed extract
- Garlic
- Holy basil
- Oregano
- Olive leaf
- Oregon grape root
- Black walnut hull
- Thyme
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)
The cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon works by disrupting fungal cell membranes and inhibiting Candida spp. biofilm formation (2).
Pau d’Arco (Tabebuia impetiginosa)
The bark of Pau d’Arco is extracted and traditionally used in South America for yeast and fungal infections. While the mechanism isn’t yet understood, Pau d’Arco is said to be generally safe and effective as an antifungal herb, as summarized in a 2020 comprehensive review (3).
I prefer this herb to be integrated synergistically, in tandem with other herbs versus as a stand-alone intervention, since the research is so limited.
Grapefruit seed extract (Citrus × paradisi)
A 2021 in-vivo study concluded that grapefruit seed extract demonstrates strong activity against various Candida spp. species and their biofilms at relatively low concentrations, with no adverse effects (4).
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Garlic has strong antifungal properties, especially against Candida albicans due to a sulfur-containing constituent in garlic, called allicin.
How it works: when you crush, chop, or extract garlic, it releases allicin. Allicin attacks fungus in several ways (5):
- It damages the yeast’s outer membrane so the cell leaks and dies.
- It blocks important enzymes the fungus needs to survive.
- It stops the yeast from forming long threads and sticky biofilms that would make fungal infections harder to treat.
A 2023 lab study evaluated pure extracts of garlic, onion, and lemon for antifungal properties. Only garlic worked: it created a clear “no-growth” ring around it that measured about 5 millimeters wide (while onion and lemon had little to no effect on Candida growth).
Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum)
The eugenol and ursolic acid in holy basil (“tulsi”) provide antifungal effects while offering adaptogenic stress support, making it a wonderful dual-action herb.
A 2024 in-vitro study concluded that holy basil was significantly more effective than cinnamon, garlic, and lemongrass at eradicating various strains of Candida spp. (6).
Dr. Jill Crista also notes in her book Break the Mold* that holy basil can be helpful as a synergist in mold treatment, by dispersing key constituents from other antifungal herbs to cells throughout the body more efficiently and effectively.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
In addition to being a potent antimicrobial herb for treating bacterial infections (such as SIBO), oregano has specific antifungal properties due to its carvacrol and thymol.
These aromatic constituents are shown to deliver potent, broad-spectrum antifungal action in a variety of fungal infections (7, 8).
Olive leaf (Olea europaea)
While more human studies are needed, an in-vitro study from 2024 found that olive leaf extract effectively inhibited the growth of Fusarium proliferatum, a fungal pathogen known to be harmful to plants and human health (9).
Oregon grape root (Mahonia aquifolium)
Oregon grape root (native to Oregon in the Pacific Northwest) is a well-known plant source of berberine, a key bioactive constituent with antimicrobial and antifungal properties (10).
Black walnut hull (Juglans nigra)
Isoquercitin, a key antioxidant constituent in black walnut hull extract, has been shown to have antifungal properties (11), making it a helpful addition to natural yeast treatment protocols.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
The thymol (an aromatic volatile oil constituent) in thyme leaves has been shown to completely inhibit the growth of various fungal species and mold spores, even at very low doses (12).
Key bioactive herbal constituents
Berberine
Berberine is a special alkaloid constitution (bright yellow in color), found abundantly in the roots of antimicrobial, antifungal herbs like Oregon grape root, bayberry, barberry, and goldenseal.
Recent studies have revealed that berberine has potent antifungal activity, by inhibiting biofilm formation and disrupting gene transcription in fluconazole-resistant strains of Candida albicans (13, 14).
Caprylic acid
This constituent is an 8-carbon medium-chain fatty acid derived from coconut.
Caprylic acid is effective at disrupting biofilms, targeting virulence factors, and inhibiting cellular pathways for Candida species. A 2017 study concluded caprylic acid should be considered a natural treatment option for these types of yeast infections commonly seen in humans (15).
Professional-grade product picks
Generally, I prefer herbal blends over single extracts of herbs, since we’re more successful when we can hit an infection from multiple angles (versus just one angle).
There are MANY options to choose from, and the product should be customized to whatever you’re trying to eradicate.
A few of my fave antifungal herbal products I’m currently using in my clinical practice (in no particular order) include – but aren’t limited to:
- Para-3 (CellCore)
- Candicid Forte (OrthoMolecular)
- Myco-Zyme (Apex Energetics)
- Fungal Defense (Garden of Life)
- Candidastat (Vitannica)
If you’re navigating mold spores (following a mold exposure), I’ve had personal and clinical experience and success using and recommending Xlear nasal spray (alongside other interventions for mold detox).
Best-practice tips & tricks: Lessons learned
There are certain lessons I learned the hard way, when I first started out working with antifungal herbs in clinical practice. Let me pave the way for you!
Start low and slow
At this point in my career, I often advise my clients to begin at ~10 to 30% of the goal therapeutic dose for the first week, gradually increasing every day (or every few days) only as tolerance allows. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of a Herxheimer (die-off) reaction.
Reach a true therapeutic dose
One thing I wish I knew earlier on in my career is that the label dose for antifungal herbs isn’t usually strong enough to eradicate a fungal infection.
- For example, when working with Candicid Forte, many of my clients have needed 3x the label dose (alongside other interventions) in order to eradicate their fungal infection successfully.
Consistency at the right dose for long enough (for example: ~12 weeks, generally speaking) – but not too long, so you don’t wipe out the microbiome – is key!
Consider detox binders
When you kill off fungal infections (like Candida spp. or mold), they tend to spill out toxins like lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or mycotoxins, respectively.
Detox binders (such as activated charcoal, immunoglobulins, bentonite clay, BioToxin Binder, or modified citrus pectin) can help escort released toxins and mycotoxins out of the body instead of allowing these toxins to get reabsorbed into our blood through the gut lining.
Leverage biofilm disruptors
Many fungal organisms hide inside protective biofilms, which can- and should- be “busted” or disrupted with certain constituents such as:
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
- Specialized enzyme blends (InterFase Plus, Candex)
- Xylitol (for mold specifically)
Support detoxification pathways
The infamous “Herxheimer” reaction happens when your gut, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and other detox organs can’t clear out the toxic substances being released from “die-off” quickly enough before they start to burden your gut, skin, and brain.
Consider looking into integrating bile-moving, liver-loving, lymph-moving herbs like:
- Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
- Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
- Dandelion leaf & root (Taraxacum officinale)
- Burdock root (Articum lappa)
- Cleavers (Galium aparine)
- Herbs for constipation (as needed) to get those bowels moving!
You may also want to try out holistic lifestyle practices such as dry skin brushing, Epsom salt baths, infrared sauna therapy, etc. for extra detox support during this time. (A tall order, I realize! But it doesn’t have to be “all or nothing” – just enough to keep things moving.)
Don’t overlook foundational lifestyle practices
Antifungal herbs work synergistically with, but NOT in place of:
- A balanced, low-added-sugar, nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet
- Mindful eating (chew your food well!)
- Consistent 7–8+ hours of restorative sleep
- Regular movement and stress management
- Adequate hydration with minerals
- A regulated nervous system that allows you to feel safe in your body & environment
When all of these pieces come together, most people notice steady, sustainable improvement without overwhelming die-off symptoms.
(If you find you or your clients are experiencing adverse reactions to antifungal herbs or feeling like they aren’t working, consider the above!)
Recommended reading
If you found this article helpful and informative, you may also like to check out:
- Antimicrobial Herbs: List & Guidance
- How to Make Fresh Ginger Tea (2 Ways)
- Tea for Constipation Relief
- Best Types of Tea for Diarrhea & Upset Stomach
- Natural Prokinetic Herbs & Supplements: List & Guidance
- Best Herbs for Leaky Gut
- Best Supplements for Leaky Gut
Recap and final thoughts
You (or your clients, if you’re a fellow health prof) deserve to feel clear, energetic, and fully yourself again. Antifungal herbs offer hope for a natural resolution to stubborn fungal overgrowth, as long as they’re integrated as part of a holistic and customized treatment plan (versus as a stand-alone intervention).
When working with antifungal herbs, make sure to go low-and-slow, and to reach a therapeutic level but don’t stay there too long. 😉 And don’t skip the foundations or the detox support!
These time-tested plants, combined with thoughtful therapeutic dosing and proper support, have helped many of my clients reclaim their vitality and gut freedom—and hopefully they can offer the same for you (or your clients). 🙂
Next steps
For clients
If you’d like personalized guidance or lab-based protocol design, please don’t hesitate to reach out and apply for my 1-1 client waitlist here!
Health professionals
On the other hand, if you’re a fellow impact-driven dietitian or other health/nutrition professional, I invite you to download my downloadable PDF list featuring the 10 best online herb stores for RDs and other healthcare providers, here!
XX- Jenna
