Starting any diet can be daunting, especially not including grains, refined sugar, processed foods, or potatoes. Welcome to SCD, a life-changing, hope-giving, way of eating designed for those with IBD, Celiac disease, Autism, and Diverticulitis. You may be asking yourself what exactly is SCD? Well, it stands for The Specific Carbohydrate Diet and was originally created by Elaine Gottschall for her daughter who was suffering from severe Ulcerative Colitis. Her bestselling book ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle’ explains the scientific reasons that people with these diseases cannot break down certain multi-chain carbohydrates called polysaccharides. The way the body breaks down foods on a molecular level is the key to the SCD diet. But don’t worry, even if science isn’t your strong suit, Elaine makes it easy to understand.
Elaine found that these harmful polysaccharides stay in the intestinal tract not digested, and build up over time. This undigested food will start to ferment in the gut, causing bloating, gas, fungus and yeast overgrowths, and active disease. By simply removing all the foods that contain these polysaccharide carbohydrate chains from the diet, the intestinal tract can start to heal and get rid of all the built-up undigested food and bacteria. This book is the most important cornerstone in your toolkit for SCD. I highly suggest reading over the information yourself for a better and more scientific understanding. It also contains a list of foods that are allowed and not allowed and basic recipes. I have been strictly following the SCD diet for about 17 months now, so I have moderate experience with the rules and foods. Since starting a diet can be one of the hardest parts, I wanted to provide you with some easy swaps for beginners to SCD.
- Milk for Coconut Milk/ Almond Milk:
This first swap is an easy one. Fluid milk (dairy) is not allowed on SCD but can be simply replaced with coconut or almond milk. There are quite a lot of options in the dairy aisles these days, just be sure to stay away from oat milk or any other grain base. Also, be sure to read the ingredients! Many pre-made dairy-free kinds of milk contain carrageenan or thickeners like sunflower lecithin, guar gum, and even refined sugar. Simply Almond Unsweetened is what I typically purchase if I am going to buy pre-made dairy-free milk from the store. Making it at home is easy too! I generally make my coconut milk at home as I have not been able to find a brand 100% SCD compliant. To make homemade almond milk, simply switch out the coconut for whole unroasted and unsalted almonds. Follow the coconut milk recipe procedure, but soak the almonds in room temp water overnight. These dairy-free kinds of milk can go in everything from smoothies like my Turmeric Ginger Smoothie to baking like my Blueberry Scones. Cheers!
2. Pasta for Zucchini or Butternut Squash Noodles:
Pasta is a weekly staple in most American households and it can be disheartening to have to give that up. While grains of any kind are not allowed it takes away pasta as you may usually think of it. However, an easy and affordable swap is zucchini or butternut squash noodles. You can buy these already spiralized, or you can do it yourself with a spiralizer. Relatively inexpensive, this will be one of your best friends for making ‘pasta’. Another easy swap is spaghetti squash. As the name implies, this squash is similar to spaghetti in shape, although a bit smaller. Try pairing zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash with My Tomato Sauce and Meatballs. You can also try out my Cashew Basil Pesto with butternut squash noodles for an easy weeknight meal. Enjoy!
3. Crackers for Almond Flour Crackers:
Crackers are great to munch and crunch on when you’re wanting a light snack. They seem to go with almost everything and can complete the perfect bite when enjoying a cheese board or dips. Normal store-bought crackers have all sorts of not allowed grains, as well as preservatives and sometimes even sugar. The good news is that my Thyme Almond Flour Crackers are simple to make and only require five ingredients. They have such a great nutty flavor and crunch you won’t miss your old crackers anyway! Try pairing these with my Spinach Artichoke Dip or with my Lemon Thyme and Cranberry Cashew Goat Cheese next time you’re entertaining. Bon appetite!
4. Mashed Potatoes for Cauliflower Mash:
Mashed potatoes have always been a comfort food for me. Warm, smooth, and creamy I always looked forward to my Nana’s mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving or my mom’s version alongside her meatloaf. Since potatoes of any kind are not allowed on SCD I was determined to recreate this holiday classic. I have done just that with my Cauliflower Garlic Mashed ‘Potato’ recipe. Just as creamy and delicious as you remember, the texture and plain flavor of the cauliflower lend themselves well to this favorite side dish of mine.
5. Refined Sugar for Honey:
Sugar is in just about everything these days. It comes in many forms and is in many foods you probably don’t think of. From corn syrup to refined sugar you’ll find this gut killer in anything from baked goods to pizza crust and beyond. Many things we think are healthy have added sugars that make them harmful. Things like fruit juices and salad dressing are some examples. Again, be sure to read all labels! So, sugar is out. What are you supposed to use to sweeten things? Honey is your hero. Used for thousands of years, honey can be used anywhere you would have used refined sugar. It is also generally a 1:1 ratio making it easy to substitute. Be sure to get real honey from a reliable source as some of the kinds of honey sold in chain grocery stores are not pure and can contain additives not listed on the label. Try swapping out sugar for honey in baking. My SCD Angel Food Cake or my Easy Grain-Free Waffles are an easy place to start! Happy baking!
I hope that these easy swaps give you a good starting point for implementing SCD into your life. It has made all the difference for me in leading a virtually symptom-free life and helping to start healing my body from the inside out. If you have not read the book “Breaking the Vicious Cycle” or the bio I have written about Elaine Gottshall on my site I encourage you to do so. I have taken my skills as a Professional Chef and made all SCD recipes with you, the home cook, in mind. Easy to understand with step-by-step instructions I hope these recipes resonate with you and make your transition to SCD a breeze. Don’t see your favorite recipe? Have a question about the ingredients or procedure? My inbox is always open! Find my email on my website under contact. Happy SCD cooking friends!
Note: * This is NOT an affiliate post. I do not receive anything for promoting or recommending things. *