Modified Specific Carbohydrate Diet (mSCD)

Modified Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Modified SCD is an expanded or modified version of the SCD.

Cooked bowl of rice and shrimps with lemons.

A Grandmother sharing food with her granddaughter

About mSCD

Modified SCD is a diet that is derived from SCD but attempts to add back in a few select healthy whole foods to offer patients expanding options and to potentially feed a more diverse microbiome. Note that the definition of modified SCD is evolving. The specifics as to how the diet is modified could be as vague as the diet was not followed strictly (early uses of the term), to a very defined list of added foods allowed in specified amounts if tolerated.

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mSCD Food Table

The food list provided is a simplistic overview of the basic requirements of the diet, offering a bird's eye view of restricted and allowed foods. It is not an all-inclusive list of the allowed and restricted foods, nor does it define all the rules of the diet.

This list should NOT be used as a guide to following the diet.‍

Details about the mSCD

The final stage of mSCD is described in the table. While mSCD does not have official stages, patients often begin with SCD (optionally following the stages described on pecanbread.com) and then proceed to mSCD after sustained remission.

The mSCD allows for introduction of other healthy foods outside the normal parameters of the diet after sustained remission (generally recommended to wait until 1 or 2 years of sustained remission). Because these food additions could be anything tolerated by the patient, they are not included in the food table.

Food Type

General Consensus

Allowed

Fish

Allowed

Seafood (other than fish)

Allowed

Poultry

Allowed

Red Meat (not processed)

Allowed

Oats

Allowed (gluten-free oats only):
‍Per Day: Maximum of 2 servings of any combination of rice/oats/sweet potato
‍Per Week: Minimum of 3 servings and maximum of 6 servings of any combination of rice/oats/sweet potato
‍Serving Size: 1 cup

Rice

Allowed:
‍Per Day: Maximum of 2 servings of any combination of rice/oats/sweet potato
‍Per Week: Minimum of 3 servings and maximum of 6 servings of any combination of rice/oats/sweet potato
‍Serving Size: 1 cup

Fresh Legumes /Beans

Allowed

Nightshades (tomatoes, tomatillos, white potatoes [not sweet potatoes], eggplant, peppers, goji berries, etc)

Allowed

Vegetables (Other than starchy vegetables and nightshades, which are listed separately)

Allowed

Fruits

Allowed

Nuts

Allowed

Honey

Allowed

Eggs

Allowed

Cocoa

Allowed

Coffee

Allowed

Mixed

Dried Legumes /Beans

Certain dried legumes allowed: Peanuts, navy beans, lima beans, black beans, lentils, split peas; soaking required

Starchy Vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, parsnips, etc)

Some allowed: Sweet potatoes, maybe white potatoes, organic preferred to avoid bud product:
‍Per Day: Maximum of 2 servings of any combination of rice/oats/sweet potato
‍Per Week: Minimum of 3 servings and maximum of 6 servings of any combination of rice/oats/sweet potato
‍Serving Size: 1 cup

Dairy

Allows homemade 24-hour yogurt and cheeses aged 30 days or more

Seeds

Most allowed: no chia or flax

Sweeteners (other than honey and artificial sweeteners, which are listed separately)

Maple syrup allowed

Fats/Oils

Most Allowed; No soybean oil, limit processed oils like canola oil

Alcohol

Some allowed: dry wine, vodka, gin, rye, Scotch, bourbon, whiskey

Excluded

Processed Meat

Excluded

Wheat / Gluten

Excluded

Corn

Excluded

Grains (other than wheat, corn, oats, and rice, which are listed separately)

Excluded

Artificial Sweeteners

Excluded

Processed Foods / Preservatives / Artificial Additives

Excluded

Formula (PEN; eg, Boost®, Ensure®, Pediasure®, Modulen IBD®)

Excluded

Emulsifiers

Excluded

Research articles

See all mSCD research articles

June 1, 2022

Personalized Research on Diet in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease: A Series of N-of-1 Diet Trials

December 6, 2020

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet and Diet Modification as Induction Therapy for Pediatric Crohn's Disease: A Randomized Diet Controlled Trial

September 1, 2017

Lack of Mucosal Healing From Modified Specific Carbohydrate Diet in Pediatric Patients With Crohn Disease

Delicious and Nutritious Recipes

Explore all recipes

Our recipe section offers a wide range of options that align with various therapeutic diets, ensuring you can find meals and snacks that are both flavorful and supportive of your dietary needs.