Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
Also known as: SCD · Breaking the Vicious Cycle diet
A grain-free, low-sugar diet with a devoted following in IBD communities. It improved symptoms in a 194-person trial, but no more than a Mediterranean diet.
Clinically studied. Tested head-to-head against a Mediterranean diet in a 194-patient randomised trial, with similar results. There was no untreated comparison group.
What it is
The SCD removes grains, most sugars (honey is allowed), starchy vegetables such as potatoes, and most dairy except long-fermented homemade yogurt. It was developed by Dr. Sidney Haas and popularised by Elaine Gottschall’s book “Breaking the Vicious Cycle”.
Why it might help
The idea is that complex carbohydrates that are poorly digested feed harmful gut bacteria. Allowing only simple, easily absorbed sugars is meant to starve them.
Highlights
- In the DINE-CD trial, 46.5% reached symptom remission at week 6, statistically the same as the Mediterranean diet (43.5%).
- It has a large, active following, and many forum members credit it with long-term symptom control.
- It is more restrictive and expensive than a Mediterranean diet, which matters over months and years.
What the research shows
| Study | Design & population | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis 2021 Mixed result | Randomised trial comparing two diets for 12 weeks (DINE-CD) 194 adults randomised · Crohn’s disease with mild-to-moderate symptoms | Symptom remission at week 6 was similar: 46.5% on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and 43.5% on the Mediterranean diet. Inflammation markers improved in about a third of patients in each group, and CRP response was uncommon. |
Randomised trial comparing two diets for 12 weeks (DINE-CD) · 194 adults randomised · Crohn’s disease with mild-to-moderate symptoms
Symptom remission at week 6 was similar: 46.5% on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and 43.5% on the Mediterranean diet. Inflammation markers improved in about a third of patients in each group, and CRP response was uncommon.
Practical tips
- An IBD dietitian can help keep it nutritionally complete, especially calcium and fibre.
- Homemade 24-hour-fermented yogurt is the traditional dairy staple of the diet.
Cautions
- Restrictive diets can lead to weight loss and nutrient gaps, which people with Crohn’s are already prone to.
- Diet changes don’t replace prescribed treatment unless your gastroenterologist agrees.
Sources
-
Lewis JD, Sandler RS, Brotherton C, et al. · Gastroenterology · 2021
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