Following dietary therapy can be challenging. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet has evolved over the years since Dr. Sydney Haas first reported on it. Since then we have learned much but there is still much more for us to learn. Below are foods that are allowed (legal) and foods that are not allowed (illegal) based off of Dr. Sydney Haas's initial description of the diet and Elaine Gottschal's Breaking the Vicious Cycle and our current research. In addition this food list includes up to date evidence based information on current research in foods.
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| Type of Food | SCD Approval | Explanation | NiMBAL Research |
| Oats | Illegal | A type of grain which doesn’t contain gluten. | Oat fiber did not reduce colitis nor improve gut permeability when given to an IBD animal model. |
| Okra | Illegal | No okra (bhindi) or drumsticks, since they are a mucilaginous food, they are illegal. | No research has been conducted examining the effects of okra on IBD. However, while multiple studies have found mucilaginous foods to be beneficial for IBD, more research needs to be done. |
| Olive oil | Legal | Contains healthy fats, highly recommended. | Olive oil has been shown to prevent colon cancer and reduce pro-inflammatory molecules in an IBD mouse model. |
| Olives | Legal | Olives are legal if they do not contain illegal ingredients; read the labels carefully. | According to this review, olives contain antioxidant polyphenols, and olive oil can attenuate IBD through a variety of mechanisms. |
| Onions | Legal | Use fresh onions. Onion powders have starch added as an anti-caking agent. You may also make your own onion powder from fresh onions by dehydrating them and grinding them. |
Onions contain quercetin, a polyphenol which has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown in this study to shift the gut microbiota to a healthier, more anti-inflammatory profile. |
| Orange juice | Legal | Fresh orange juice that does not have sugar added is allowed. While diarrhea is active, avoid having orange juice in the morning. We use Tropicana's Original Orange Juice, as it has been checked out and does not have sugar added. | No research has been done on the effects of orange juice on IBD. However, oranges contain many anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer components according to this review. |
| Oranges | Legal | A sweet citrus fruit. | No research has been done on the effects of orange on IBD. However, oranges contain many anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer components according to this review. |
| Oregano | Legal | An herb eaten fresh or dried, often found in Italian cuisine. | A blend of oregano and thyme was shown to reduce colitis in an animal model. |
