Everything You Need to Know about Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

Have you ever experienced bloating, discomfort, or irregular bowel movements after having a meal?

If yes, consider getting yourself checked for any gastrointestinal issues. These medical conditions are becoming increasingly common, making people search for better treatment options.

There is a significant inclination towards treating such health conditions through healthy diets, which has brought the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) into the limelight.

SCD is a popular restrictive diet plan that aims to alleviate common symptoms related to ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. Those who cannot entirely follow this diet can take the help of SCD supplements.

Although there are no one-size-fits-all solutions to treat digestive problems efficiently, gaining a better understanding of SCD can be a valuable step toward improving gut health.

If you have been recently diagnosed with irritable bowel disease, autoimmune disease, or any gastrointestinal disease, you may consider following a specific carbohydrate diet for improvement.

Since it is a restrictive diet, we recommend following it after consulting a licensed healthcare professional. If you’re curious to learn more about SCD, this guide will answer all your questions, helping you make informed decisions.

What is a Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)?

Simply put, SCD is a popular elimination diet that removes specific types of carbohydrate-rich food items from one’s diet. The food items are removed based on their chemical structure.

The primary governing theory behind SCD is that consumption of complex carbs can encourage the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria in the gut or small intestine, leading to reduced nutrition absorption in the digestive tract.

If people continue to consume high-carbohydrate food, the unhealthy bacteria in the gut can grow to dangerously high levels. These increased bacteria produce byproducts that can eventually promote inflammation and aggravate gastrointestinal problems.

SCD is known to inhibit bacterial growth essential to restoring digestive functions. Although this diet prohibits many carbohydrate-dense food items, it does permit items with single, unbound sugar molecules. People that cannot strictly adhere to this diet often take the help of SCD supplements.

Food Items Restricted in Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

As the name of the diet suggests, people following it can only take certain types of carbohydrate-rich food items. The diet prohibits any item containing two or more sugar molecules chemically linked to each other. In scientific terms, food items having polysaccharides, disaccharides, or oligosaccharides should be avoided in this diet.

Although the list of banned or prohibitive carbohydrate-rich food items is extensive, the following are commonly restricted items:

• Most legumes
• Potatoes
• Processed foods
• Processed meat or additives-laden meat
• Processed sugar, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols
• Dairy, except homemade yogurt
• Canned food items
• Chocolates and candy
• Canola oil
• Seaweed

Most items listed above constitute a regular meal for most people, so following SCD can seem impractical for many. It is where taking SCD supplements can help. We recommend taking personalized consultations from your doctor to devise a more achievable SCD plan.

Food Items Allowed in Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

The long list of prohibited food items may make it challenging to create a nutritious meal, but with the right guidance, it isn’t impossible. If you’re planning to develop a customized SCD plan, you can include the following:

• Unprocessed, fresh fruits
• Eggs
• Certain legumes
• Nuts and nut butter free from sugar or added starch
• Herbs and spices
• Fresh vegetables
• Filler-free meat

Since limited options are allowed in the SCD diet, we recommend taking a professional’s help to keep your meals balanced and nutritious. You can also add SCD supplements to your daily diet to avoid getting devoid of essential nutrients.

Potential Risks of Taking Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

The specific carbohydrate diet requires people to follow a very regressive and restricted diet that their bodies may not instantly adapt to. Additionally, since this diet advocates removing many nutrition-dense food items from the meal plan, people following it may be exposed to some potential risks.

If the meals are not properly planned, people may develop several nutritional deficiencies in the long run and also be subjected to malnutrition-related problems.

So anyone considering following the SCD diet should make efforts to make it wholesome, balanced, and safe. We recommend consulting a qualified and licensed professional that can help create customized SCD plans based on your health condition. SCD supplements can also be taken to avoid facing potential risks.

Should You Start Following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)?

Although SCD has improved irritated bowel disorder symptoms in some cases, there is no such guarantee that it will work for everyone. Conditions like these are complex and require personalized interventions for better results.

A well-designed SCD may be worthwhile for people who want to lower the long-term risks of gastrointestinal diseases that may require surgery or long-term medication. Talking to a certified health professional can give you better clarity on whether you should proceed with this diet and what major lifestyle changes should be adopted for better results.

Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD): Making Informed Choices

A diligently-planned special carbohydrate diet offers much relief and hope to people diagnosed with numerous gastrointestinal diseases. This diet advocates eliminating high-carbohydrate food items featuring two or more chemically linked sugar molecules for improving gut health.

SCD requires removing many commonly consumed food items from the regular diet, so it is best to consult a licensed professional before beginning this plan. You can also ask the professionals to recommend the best SCD supplements for better results. Doctor’s consultation is a must for people with any pre-existing medical conditions. Now that you’ve understood the fundamentals of SCD, you can make a more informed choice.