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 |
| Tabasco sauce | Illegal | Only the original red Tabasco sauce, labeled "McIlhenny Company Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce" is legal but as with all manufactured products check the ingredients. The other Tabasco styles all have sugars and gums added. | More research needs to be done on Tabasco sauce and IBD. |
| Tagatose | Illegal | A monosaccharide sweetener. | No research has been done on the effects of tagatose on IBD. |
| Tamari | Illegal | Gluten-free version of soy sauce. |
Soy and wheat contain trypsin inhibitors, which cause intestinal inflammation. However, isoflavones from soy alleviated colitis in an animal model, and soy was also shown to increase anti-inflammatory cytokines in this colitis animal model. |
| Tamarind | Illegal | A sweet yet sour fruit which comes with a shell. | Tamarind contains xyloglucan, which has been shown to contribute to mucosal health in this review. Research needs to be done on its effects on IBD. |
| Tangerines | Legal | A variety of orange. | No research has been done on the effects of tangerines on IBD. However, oranges contain many anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer components according to this review. |
| Tapioca | Illegal | A starch which comes from the cassava tuber. | Tapioca caused an increase in anti-inflammatory bacteria and a decreased in pathogenic bacteria when fed to an animal model. However, this growth in beneficial bacteria may still be too much for patients with IBD. Consumption of starch has been shown to increase bacteria harmful to patients with IBD in this review. |
| Tapioca flour | Illegal | A concentrated form of tapioca starch. | Tapioca caused an increase in anti-inflammatory bacteria and a decreased in pathogenic bacteria when fed to an animal model. However, this growth in beneficial bacteria may still be too much for patients with IBD. Consumption of starch has been shown to increase bacteria harmful to patients with IBD in this review. |
| Taro | Illegal | Taro has too much starch in it and is very similar to potatoes. |
No research has been done on taro and IBD. However, consumption of starch has been shown to increase bacteria harmful to patients with IBD in this review. |
| Tarragon | Legal | An aromatic culinary herb often used to flavor chicken or fish. | No research has been done on tarragon and IBD. However, tarragon decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines in a diabetic animal model. |
| Tea | Legal |
Ordinary black tea is legal but should be made weak. Instant tea, Ojibwa tea (Essiac), many herbal teas, and teas made from bark are full of polysaccharides and are illegal. Peppermint and spearmint herb teas are legal, and you can make a tea from ginger which is also legal. |
Catechins from green tea reduced IBD in an animal model by downregulating inflammatory pathways and stabilizing immune cells. |
| Thyme | Legal | Can be used both fresh and dried. | Thyme reduced inflammation in animal models of IBD. |
| Tofu | Illegal | It is made from soy. | Soy and wheat contain trypsin inhibitors, which cause intestinal inflammation. However, isoflavones from soy alleviated colitis in an animal model, and soy was also shown to increase anti-inflammatory cytokines in this colitis animal model. More research needs to be done on tofu and IBD. |
| Tofutti cheese | Illegal | Non-dairy cheese made from soy which contains starch and other illegal ingredients. | Soy and wheat contain trypsin inhibitors, which cause intestinal inflammation. However, isoflavones from soy alleviated colitis in an animal model, and soy was also shown to increase anti-inflammatory cytokines in this colitis animal model. |
| Tomato | Legal | Canned tomatoes are illegal. | Tomato extract reduced pro-inflammatory signaling, but worsened colitis overall in a mouse model. More research needs to be done to conclude the effects of tomatoes on IBD. |
| Tomato juice (canned) | Legal | Should only have salt added. | Tomato extract reduced pro-inflammatory signaling, but worsened colitis overall in a mouse model. More research needs to be done to conclude the effects of tomatoes on IBD. |
| Tomato paste (canned) | Illegal | Watch out for illegal seasonings and preservatives. | Tomato extract reduced pro-inflammatory signaling, but worsened colitis overall in a mouse model. More research needs to be done to conclude the effects of tomatoes on IBD. |
| Tomato purée (canned) | Illegal | It has a thinner consistency than tomato paste but is thicker than tomato sauce. Watch out for illegal seasonings and preservatives. | Tomato extract reduced pro-inflammatory signaling, but worsened colitis overall in a mouse model. More research needs to be done to conclude the effects of tomatoes on IBD. |
| Tomato sauce (canned) | Illegal | Watch out for illegal seasonings and preservatives. | Tomato extract reduced pro-inflammatory signaling, but worsened colitis overall in a mouse model. More research needs to be done to conclude the effects of tomatoes on IBD. |
| Triticale | Illegal | A blend of rye and wheat. Contains gluten. | No research has been conducted on IBD and triticale. This cross-sectional study showed that a gluten-free diet reduced clinical symptoms in patients with IBD. Gluten-rich foods often also have high levels of FODMAPS, which increase IBD-symptomatic bacteria. Many IBD patients are celiac, which is why avoiding gluten often helps. More research is needed to understand if gluten itself (without FODMAPS) is harmful for non-celiac patients. |
| Turbinado | Illegal | Turbinado is liquid cane sugar, therefore it is illegal. | Patients with CD had an immune response to cane sugar in this IBD patient study. |
| Turnips | Illegal | Turnips are a root vegetable. | No research has been conducted on the effects of turnips on IBD. However, turnips reduced inflammatory biomarkers in an animal model. |
