What is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet?

Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Diet and Nutrition
"Often, patients have questions regarding The Specific Carbohydrate Diet ™ (SCD), popularized by Elaine Gottschall, M.S., author of Breaking the Vicious Cycle. At this time, the SCD is supported only by patient testimonials, not by systematic studies. With diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the only way to see if any treatment has widespread value is by appropriate, rigorous testing.The diet itself is not particularly unbalanced, but many patients find it particularly onerous to maintain. Decreasing poorly digestible carbohydrates may decrease symptoms of gas, bloat, cramps, and diarrhea in patients with IBD, but that is not the same thing as decreasing the inflammation, or affecting the disease process. Unlike the gluten-free diet for celiac sprue, which has a well-researched basis, and well-demonstrated track record for affecting the underlying mechanisms at work in the disease process, the SCD does not. Bottom line: it may be worth a try (there are plenty of other diets being touted in the marketplace), but do not abandon your conventional treatment, and keep in touch with your doctor."