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What is Specific Carbohydrate Diet?
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet is a nutritional regimen, developed by Elaine Gottschall, which restricts the use of complex carbohydrates and eliminates refined sugar, gluten and starch from the diet. It is promoted as a way of reducing the symptoms of IBS, Crohn’s disease and also autism. See also Can Bad Bacteria and Parasites Make You Fat? Infectobesity Examined.
Gotschall’s theory is that the human body cannot properly digest complex sugars, and this results in dysbiosis, which is the overgrowth of harmful bacterial in the digestive system. Her theories have not been scientifically proved, however her clients do provide testimonials for its effectiveness.
A full explanation of the specific carbohydrate diet can be found in her book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet. Here is a brief outline of the main concepts behind the diet:
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- When we consume complex carbohydrates (disaccharides or polysaccharides) we often struggle to digest these properly and therefore thay are not absorbed properly.
- When a person does not break these substances down properly, there is an increase in undigested materials which cause bad bacteria to flourish (Infectobesity).
- Bacterial overgrowth is then followed by a significant increase in the waste and other irritants they produce, causing all manner of digestive problems, including weight gain and IBS.
- Irritation in the lining of the digestive tract results in the overproduction of mucus and injury to the digestive tract, which in turn causes malabsorption and makes it even more difficult to maintain proper digestion. Thus the vicious cycle has started.
The purpose of the diet is to break the ongoing cycle caused by an overpopulation of harmful bacteria in the gut. When the body is able to absorb the proper nutrients from simple sugars and other carbohydrates that are easy to digest, the inflammation and other complications caused by many auto-immune diseases can be lessened. The goal is to rid the body of complex saccharides so that the gut will be able to heal itself and enable further healing to occur.
The method of the diet is to keep the bacterial flora well balanced and to allow the gut to digest all of the food it is given, thereby starving out the harmful bacteria.
Certain foods, such as commercial syrups and sugars, starchy vegetables, and dairy products are not allowed while on the diet. Other foods, such as fruits, greens, animal protein, and nuts are allowed.
The diet forbids certain foods. Common substitutions include:
- Nut Flour: Nut flour is one of the substitutions for conventional flour made from grains. (Most flours are not allowed such as flours made from grains, tapioca, etc because they contain complex carbohydrates.)
- Honey: Honey is one of the permitted sweeteners. Saccharin is also allowed. Other forms of sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup, are not allowed.
- Yogurt: Commercial yogurt is not allowed on the diet. Homemade yogurt made from milk fermented at 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit for 24-29 hours, rendering the yogurt virtually lactose-free, is permitted.
- Cheese: Some Cheese is allowed: cheddar, havarti, brick, colby, gruyere, Swiss and dry curd cottage (regularly). Cheese must be aged at least thirty days with the exception of the dry curd cottage cheese. Cheeses with high lactose content are not allowed on the diet, these include mozzarella and ricotta.
This diet is very similar to the methods suggested by doctors who have been researching Infectobesity. Probiotic and prebiotic foods need to be consumed to give the healthy bacteria a greater chance of competing with the bad bacteria that builds up over time in our bodies.
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2 Responses to “What is Specific Carbohydrate Diet?”
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Please can you help with a way to make Specific Carbohydrate Diet Yoghurt. I do not have a yoghurt maker.
Hi Kerry, there is a yogurt recipe on the Specific Carb Diet website.
If that does not help let me know and I will dig a little deeper.