The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) Developed by Dr. Sidney Haas (1870-1964), a pediatrician, as treatment for celiac disease. Elaine Gottschall wrote about the specific carbohydrate diet and proposed a mechanism for the cause of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) removes grains, starches, complex carbohydrates, disaccharides (like table sugar and lactose), and most dairy products.

Research shows that 45–66% of patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis go into remission on the SCD [1–6].

Incomplete digestion –>Growth of improper GI flora –> Irritation of the SI mucosa –> Decreased production of enzymes from the SI (disaccharidases) –> Incomplete digestion –> More improper flora–>More incomplete digestion–> etc.

Can the Specific Carbohydrate Diet Help IBS and SIBO?

Because the SCD targets bacterial overgrowth and carbohydrate fermentation, many practitioners trained in natural healthcare have found it useful for a wide variety of digestive conditions. IBS and SIBO may respond to the diet (in some individuals), likely due to changes in the microbiome and reduced fermentation of poorly digested carbohydrates. Some practitioners have also observed improvements in GERD symptoms.

There is a modified version of the SCD (higher in antioxidants and lower in allergens) available on Whole Health Web. It is called the Roadmap to Health (edited for IBD sufferers). In order to better help you to follow the SCD, Whole Health Web has many recipes.

Bottom Line

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet is designed to reduce poorly digested carbohydrates that may feed undesirable bacteria in the digestive tract. By altering the intestinal environment, it may influence the microbiome and support digestive function in some individuals, particularly those with inflammatory bowel conditions.

  1. Suskind DL, Wahbeh G, Cohen SA, et al. Patients Perceive Clinical Benefit with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Dig Dis Sci 2016;61(11):3255-3260.
  2. Kakodkar S, Farooqui AJ, Mikolaitis SL, et al. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Case Series. J Acad Nutr Diet 2015;115(8):1226-32.
  3. Braly K, Williamson N, Shaffer ML, et al. Nutritional adequacy of the specific carbohydrate diet in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2017;65(5):533-538.
  4. Suskind DL, Wahbeh G, Gregory N, et al. Nutritional therapy in pediatric Crohn’s disease: the specific carbohy- drate diet. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2014;58(1):87-91.
  5. World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Feb 14;22(6):2111-7. Response to strict and liberalized specific carbohydrate diet in pediatric Crohn’s disease
  6. Cohen SA, Gold BD, Oliva S, et al. Clinical and muco- sal improvement with specific carbohydrate diet in pediatric Crohn disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2014;59:516–521.