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 |
| V8 Juice | Illegal | It has tomato paste listed as an ingredient, which is illegal. It is also made from concentrate and has added sugar and natural flavoring. | Tomato extract reduced pro-inflammatory signaling, but worsened colitis overall in a mouse model. Also, excessive sugar intake has been linked to increased risk for ulcerative colitis in this epidemiological study. |
| Vanillin | Legal | Vanillin is legal but not in concentrated form. Vanilla extract is okay. | According to this IBD mouse study, vanillin is anti-inflammatory and can reduce colitis. |
| Vegetable stearate | Legal | A fat (also called stearic acid and magnesium stearate). Used in supplements and natural flavors. | Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid which can induce pro-inflammatory cytokine production and shift gut bacteria toward species responsible for intestinal permeability, according to this review. |
| Vegetables (canned) | Illegal | Canned vegetables are not permitted; they must either be fresh or frozen. Often have added sugars and starches. | Consumption of starch has been shown to increase bacteria harmful to patients with IBD in this review. |
| Vinegar | Legal | Red wine, white wine, white, and cider vinegars are allowed but check the labels for illegal additives. Balsamic vinegar is not allowed as it has added sugar. However, you can make your own legal balsamic vinegar: see scdrecipe. | Dietary supplementation of vinegar inhibited immune responses and pro-inflammatory signaling to prevent UC in a mouse model of IBD. |
| Vodka | Legal | A clear alcohol made from potatoes. Only consume occasionally. | Alcohol caused inflammation, overgrowth of bacteria, and intestinal permeability in this review. |
