What is the SCD Diet?
So 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 Chron’s, Colitis, Diverticulitis, Celiac Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, and Chronic diarrhea can not 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. 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 overtime causing bloating, gas, fungus and yeast overgrowths, and active disease. This serves as a catalyst for active intestinal diseases as well as their symptoms. 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, as well as basic recipes.
*Important Note: SCD is not meant to be followed forever. After remission is reached, in addition to medication or diet alone, one should slowly reintroduce food groups. This is known as mSCD (modified SCD) and should be done under supervision of your Doctor, or RD (registered dietitian)*
Is SCD Right for Me?
The Specific Carbohydrate diet is not for everyone, and that’s okay! Everyone with IBD may tolerate foods differently so what works best for one person won’t work for everyone.
You should always speak to your healthcare provider before starting any sort of diet to make sure it is appropriate for you. For instance, for those who have had an eating disorder, choosing a restrictive diet may not be the best option.
It is always best to work with an IBD focused RD (registered dietitian) to make sure you are getting sufficient nutrients and maintaining overall health.
Did you know that there is more than just SCD for medically approved therapeutic diets for IBD? Find all the options and information about them using the button below!
What Can I Eat?
Now to the good stuff! Below you can find a full list of legal and illegal foods, as well as any notes about specific restrictions. (ex: orange juice is allowed, but must be not from concentrate, and may not be had in the morning if having diarrhea.)
I suggest you keep this page bookmarked on your phone, or print it out for easy access as you will be referencing it a lot in the beginning!
Elaine Gottschall: What makes her qualified?
Elaine received her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Biology at Montclair State College. She then entered the Department of Graduate Studies in Nutrition from the State University of New Jersey. She then moved to Canada and joined the Department of Cell Science at the University of Western Ontario. She spent four years there solely studying the effects of sugars on the digestive tract. She received a Masters of Science from that department for her groundbreaking work. The following year she studied the changes on the bowel walls that occur with inflammatory bowel disease. Elaine has helped countless people overcome chronic illness through the power of choosing the right foods with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and has left a lasting legacy in the world of IBD.
