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 |
| Papayas | Legal | A fruit rich in vitamin C. | Papaya reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in this study. |
| Papadum | Illegal | They are an Indian snack made from lentils - they're like a chip. Also contains rice flour. | Complex carbohydrates (such as those found in rice flour) act as food for bacteria, leading to excessive fermentation and intestinal permeability. |
| Paprika | Legal | Spice made from multiple varieties of pepper. | While no studies have been conducted on paprika and IBD, paprika contains capsaicin, which can reduce pro-inflammatory signaling pathways. |
| Parmesan cheese | Legal | May be used occasionally. | Consumption of cheese was shown in this study to contribute to health gut bacteria. |
| Parsley | Legal | A green herb sometimes used as a garnish. | Parsley contains apigenin, which can ameliorate UC through a variety of mechanisms according to this review. |
| Parsnips | Illegal |
A light-colored root vegetable. |
No studies have been conducted on parsnips and IBD. |
| Passion fruit | Legal | A tropical fruit with a tart, sweet flavor. | Passion fruit shifted the gut bacteria to a healthier profile in an IBD animal model. |
| Pasta | Illegal | Illegal if the pasta is made from ingredients not allowed on the SCD. Read your labels carefully. | Pasta is loaded with starch, which has been shown to aggravate IBD symptoms. |
| Pau d'Arco | Illegal | Bark tea (Pau d'Arco) contains steroidal saponins and is both an immune booster and a laxative. Goes by many names including Taheebo, Ipe, and Lapacho. | While this study showed Pau d’Arco reduces clinical symptoms in a colitis-induced mouse model, further research is required to understand its full impact on IBD. |
| Pea flour | Illegal | Flour made from ground peas. | While green pea was shown to attenuate colitis in an animal model, the flour form will be high in complex carbohydrates and starches which are harmful to patients with IBD. |
| Peaches | Legal | A fuzzy citrus fruit native to China. | No studies have been conducted on the effects of peaches on IBD. However, peaches were shown to prevent inflammation and oxidative damage in this animal model. |
| Peanut butter | Legal | Natural peanut butter with no sugar added is allowed. | No studies have been done on peanut butter and IBD. However, peanuts contain resveratrol, a polyphenol that has been shown to have beneficial effects on IBD in multiple studies. |
| Peanut oil | Legal | Has a high smoke point, so good for frying. | No studies have been done on peanut oil and IBD. However, peanuts contain resveratrol, a polyphenol that has been shown to have beneficial effects on IBD in multiple studies. |
| Peanuts | Legal | Peanuts in the shell may be tried cautiously after 6 months on the diet if diarrhea is gone. Shelled peanuts are illegal. Nuts sold in mixtures are not allowed, as most are roasted with a starch coating. | No studies have been done on peanuts and IBD. However, peanuts contain resveratrol, a polyphenol that has been shown to have beneficial effects on IBD in multiple studies. |
| Pears | Legal | A fruit which comes in many varieties. | Pear fiber reduced tissue injury, pro-inflammatory molecules, and colon shortening in an IBD animal model. |
| Peas | Legal | Rich in B vitamins and iron. | Green pea was shown to attenuate colitis in an animal model. |
| Pecans | Legal | Nuts sold in mixtures are not allowed, as most are roasted with a starch coating. Nuts should only be used as nut flour, in recipes, until diarrhea has subsided. | Frequent nut consumption is associated with a healthy profile of inflammatory biomarkers. |
| Pectin | Illegal | Pectin is a polysaccharide which, in the presence of acid and sugar, gels. It is used as a thickener in jams, and occurs naturally in some fruit, like apples. In apples, it's mostly in the peel, and for someone beginning the diet, you normally wouldn't get too much from eating an apple, because you'd peel it. Pectin as an added ingredient is not legal, as it is a complex sugar. | This review found some pectins to be beneficial for IBD. More research needs to be done. |
| Peppermint tea | Legal | Check the ingredients for illegal additives. | According to this study, peppermint has anti-inflammatory capabilities. Research needs to be done on peppermint’s effects on IBD. |
| Peppers | Legal | Green, yellow, and red peppers are permitted. Also, jalapeño peppers, habanero peppers, chili peppers, poblano peppers, relleno peppers, etc. are legal. |
The guajillo, ancho, and pasilla peppers were shown to have anti-inflammatory abilities due to their carotenoids in this study. Peppers also contain capsaicin, which can reduce pro-inflammatory signalling pathways. More research needs to be done on peppers and IBD. |
| Pepper (black) | Legal | As in black pepper, the spice. Watch out for illegal additives. | Pepper was shown to attenuate colonic inflammation in a mouse model of IBD. |
| Peptizyde | Legal | A supplement which contains enzymes to aid in the digestion of gluten, casein, and soy. Contains the enzyme DPP4. | In this study, inhibiting DPP4 helped heal the mucosa and improved body weight in a mouse model of IBD. |
| Persimmons | Legal | An orange fruit native to Asia or north America. | Persimmons reduced inflammation, clinical symptoms of colitis, and prevented colon cancer in an animal model of IBD. |
| Phosphatidylcholine | Legal | A component of lecithin found in egg yolk and soybeans. | Phosphatidylcholine is a component of a healthy mucus layer. Ingestion of phosphatidylcholine reduced UC and enabled patients to discontinue steroid therapy in this clinical trial. |
| Pickles (dill) | Legal |
A pickled cucumber with dill added to the brine solution. Check the label for illegal additives. |
Cucumber has been shown through this study to reduce the inflammatory response caused by bacteria. |
| Pine nuts | Legal | They are very hard to digest and even grinding them for pesto doesn't make them any easier on your gut. May be tried in small amounts after symptoms have subsided. | Frequent nut consumption is associated with a healthy profile of inflammatory biomarkers. |
| Pineapple | Legal | A yellow tropical fruit. Contains bromelain. | Ingestion of bromelain reduced colitis in an animal model of IBD. |
| Pineapple juice | Illegal |
Fresh pineapple juice that does not have sugar added is allowed. Juice should be diluted with water before drinking. |
Ingestion of bromelain reduced colitis in an animal model of IBD. |
| Pinto beans | Illegal | Illegal even after soaking. Contains large amounts of starch. | Consumption of starch has been shown to increase bacteria harmful to patients with IBD in this review. |
| Pistachio nuts | Legal | They are legal, but the skins can be tough for newbies. Don't get the pink dyed ones or the salted ones because they can have starch added to them. You can get unsalted, unroasted pistachios at the health food store and then roast them yourself. | Pistachio nuts reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines in an intestinal cell model. |
| Plantains | Illegal | They contain too much starch. | Plantains protected CD mucosa from E. coli translocation and protected against other pathogens according to this review. |
| Plums | Legal | A sweet fruit which when dried are called prunes. | Plums decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines in an animal model of colitis according to this review. |
| Polysorbate 80 | Illegal | An emulsifier. | Emulsifiers such as carboxymethyl cellulose (cellulose gum) and polysorbate-80 fed to mice reduce their microbial diversity and simultaneously increase proportions of the pro-inflammatory phylum Proteobacteria, which includes pathogenic species. |
| Pomegranate concentrate | Illegal | Concentrated pomegranate juice. | Pomegranate exerts anti-inflammatory effects in the intestine, according to this review. |
| Pork | Legal | Fresh and frozen are allowed if nothing has been added during processing; check the labels carefully. | A dietary approach found that pork (included in the red meat category) worsened IBD symptoms. |
| Pork rinds | Legal | Use the plain pork rinds with no added flavorings and check the label carefully to make sure they don't contain illegal ingredients. | A dietary approach found that pork (included in the red meat category) worsened IBD symptoms. |
| Port du Salut cheese | Legal | May be used occasionally. | Consumption of cheese was shown in this study to support healthy gut bacteria. |
| Port wine | Illegal | A Portuguese wine full of sugar. |
Alcohol was shown to cause inflammation, overgrowth of bacteria, and intestinal permeability in this review. |
| Postum | Illegal | Made from wheat and molasses, an alternative to coffee. | This cross-sectional study showed that a gluten-free diet reduced clinical symptoms in patients with IBD. Complex carbohydrates (such as those found in molasses) act as food for bacteria, leading to excessive fermentation and intestinal permeability. |
| Potassium sorbate | Legal | A preservative found in supplements, wine, and food. Also known as sorbic acid. | Sorbic acid contributed to intestinal health and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines in an animal model. |
| Potatoes | Illegal | Both white and sweet potatoes are illegal. | Consumption of potatoes increased inflammation and intestinal permeability in a mouse model of IBD, due to their glycoalkaloid content. |
| Poultry | Legal | Fresh and frozen are allowed if nothing has been added during processing; check the labels carefully. | Poultry is high in tryptophan, an essential component of AhR. Patients with IBD have been shown to have low levels of AhR, but when AhR is activated it helped reduce levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. |
| Primal Defense | Illegal | A probiotic which contains a lot of illegal ingredients. | No research has been done on Primal Defense and IBD. |
| Primost cheese | Illegal | A sweet, soft Norwegian cheese, similar to Gjetost cheese. Made with whey, which contains lactose. | Studies have been inconclusive so far concerning the effects of lactose on IBD. |
| Processed cheeses | Illegal | Will contain many illegal additives. | Processed foods have been shown in this review to worsen IBD through a variety of mechanisms. |
| Protein powder | Illegal | Protein powders often contain illegal additives. | High protein intake has been associated with increased risk of IBD, according to this epidemiological study. |
| Provolone cheese | Legal | A soft cheese from Italy with little to no lactose. | Consumption of cheese was shown in this study to support healthy gut bacteria. |
| Prunes | Legal | Dried plums. | Plums decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines in an animal model of colitis according to this review. |
| Psyllium husks | Illegal | They are loaded with cellulose and lignin which some bacteria thrive on. | Psyllium fiber fed to an IBD mouse model reduced intestinal damage and inflammation. |
| Pumpkin | Legal | Fresh pumpkin is legal, canned pumpkin is not allowed. Butternut squash may be used as a substitute for pumpkin in baking. | Pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene. Patients with IBD have been shown to have low levels of beta-carotene in this study, making pumpkins a good source for recovering this nutrient. |
| Pumpkin (canned) | Illegal | Canned pumpkin is illegal. Butternut squash may be substituted for pumpkin in baking. | No research has been conducted on canned pumpkin and IBD. |
| Purple carrot | Legal | A variety of carrot rich in anthocyanins. | Purple carrot was seen to decrease inflammatory cytokines in mice with colitis. |
