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 |
| Xanthum gum | Illegal | Xanthan gum is an emulsifier. | Xanthan gum in formula caused colitis in infants. |
| Xylitol | Illegal | Sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol are all sugar alcohols and are not SCD legal. They fall under the category of indigestible carbs and sugars, and so allow companies to label things 'sugar free', even though they are providing nutrition to the bacteria that live in your digestive tract. | Consumption of sugar alcohols can lead to an overgrowth of bacteria, which can be harmful for patients with IBD. |
