The specific carbohydrate diet, or SCD, aims to relieve the gastrointestinal symptoms of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease by restricting complex carbohydrates. The SCD relies on the premise that sugars or starches consisting of more than one molecule promote the overgrowth of harmful intestinal bacteria. Table sugar, or sucrose, is a double-molecule sugar and a refined food, both of which are considered "illegal" foods on the SCD. Clinical studies have not confirmed that the SCD is an effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.
The Basics
Elaine Gottschall, a biochemist, refined and popularized the SCD in the 1990s after the diet eliminated her daughter's severe colitis symptoms. Although clinical evidence has not confirmed that the SCD can reduce the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, the diet has acquired a following among people who suffer from Crohn's disease, colitis or other inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions. According to SCD guidelines, you should restrict all complex carbohydrates in order to deprive harmful intestinal bacteria of nutrients. Advocates of the diet believe that these destructive bacteria flourish on the starches in sugars in grains, some fruits and vegetables, dairy products and most sweeteners. As bacteria digest complex carbohydrates, they produce by-products that damage the lining of your intestinal tract.
Dietary Restrictions
Although the SCD may reduce abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and other digestive complaints in some people who suffer from IBD, the diet's numerous restrictions may make it difficult to follow. Rice, wheat, corn, oats, starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn, some legumes, most dairy products, canned or processed foods and sweeteners are included on the diet's "illegal" list. By restricting complex sugars and starches and encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria with homemade yogurt, proponents of the SCD believe that you can restore the balance of healthy microbial flora in your digestive tract. The SCD restricts disaccharides, carbohydrates whose basic structure includes two molecules, and polysaccharides, carbohydrates whose structure consists of a chain of molecules. Monosaccharides, or single-molecule carbohydrates, are considered "legal" on the SCD.
Sugars
All sweeteners except for saccharin and honey, which consists primarily of the simple sugar fructose, are excluded from the SCD. Table sugar, or sucrose, is a disaccharide, composed of two simple sugars, fructose and glucose. According to the SCD's interpretation of digestive processes, sucrose and other double-molecule sugars are more difficult for your system to break down than single-molecule sugars like fructose. As your body attempts to digest double sugars, bacteria produce enzymes and acids that damage the intestinal lining. Lactose, a sugar that occurs in milk products, maltose and isomaltose are also excluded from the diet.
Considerations
Although table sugar is a more refined sweetener than some forms of honey, honey and sugar are nutritionally similar, so replacing table sugar with honey may not provide significant nutritional benefits. Some people who suffer from IBD may have trouble digesting foods that are high in fructose. If you have an intolerance to fructose, eating honey may make your abdominal pain, gas or bloating worse. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America cautions that although the SCD is generally a healthy diet, this eating plan should not replace other medical treatment, and you should follow the diet under your health-care provider's supervision to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
References
- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America: The Specific Carbohydrate Diet: Does It Work?; Debra Gordon; 2009
- Breaking the Vicioius Cycle: The Science Behind the Diet
- American Dietetic Association: Question of the Day: Is Honey More Nutritious than White Sugar?
- MayoClinic.com: Fructoswe Intolerance: Which Foods Should I Avoid?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; April 1, 2009
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Disorders of Carbohydrate Metabolism: Hereditary Metabolic Disorders, Lee M. Sanders, M.D.; February 2009
Member Comments