Madeleine Hull
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is an extremely restrictive diet designed to help people with conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), celiac disease, chronic diarrhea, diverticulitis, and cystic fibrosis. The diet removes specific carbohydrates, including polysaccharides, some oligosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols. While the SCD has undergone modifications over the years, individuals continue to make adjustments based on their responses to different foods. A question that arises is whether flaxseed oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is suitable for those adhering to the SCD. Flaxseed-enriched products have been found to be palatable and acceptable for children with sickle cell disease (SCD), but there are concerns about the stability of flaxseed oil, which can go rancid easily.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Flaxseed oil stability | Flaxseed oil is unstable and goes rancid (oxidizes) very easily, even when refrigerated |
| Flaxseed-enriched products | Are palatable and acceptable in children with SCD |
| Flaxseed-added products | Cookies, pancakes, brownies, yogurt, pudding, and applesauce |
| SCD | An extremely restrictive diet that removes specific carbohydrates |
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What You'll Learn
Flaxseed oil is unstable and goes rancid easily
Flaxseed oil is extremely unstable and goes rancid (oxidises) very easily, even when refrigerated. This means that even if you store your flaxseed oil in the fridge, it will still go bad very quickly. Consuming rancid oil can cause harm to the body, as Dr. Haas, the creator of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), warns: "We must never forget that what the patient takes beyond his ability to digest does harm."
Flaxseed oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for managing inflammation. However, due to its instability, it may not be the best source of omega-3s for those following the SCD. The SCD is a restrictive diet designed to help manage conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), celiac disease, and chronic diarrhea, among others.
While flaxseed oil may not be suitable for the SCD due to its instability, whole flaxseeds have been found to be palatable and acceptable for children with sickle cell disease (SCD). In a study conducted at the Children's Hospital of Alabama, flaxseed-enriched baked goods and yoghurts were well-received by the child participants, indicating that flaxseed can be a viable option for adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet of those with SCD.
It is important to note that the SCD is a highly individualised diet, and modifications are often made based on a person's specific needs and responses to different foods. Therefore, while flaxseed oil may not be ideal due to its instability, whole flaxseeds may still be a beneficial source of omega-3s for those with SCD, especially children.
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Flaxseed-enriched products are palatable and acceptable to children with SCD
The study included children with all SCD genotypes, including HbSS, HbSβ0 thalassemia, HbSC, and HbSβ+ thalassemia. Participants with known allergies to flaxseed or who were pregnant or lactating were excluded. UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS)-registered dietitians designed flaxseed-added baked and raw products, which were then prepared by metabolic kitchen cooks affiliated with the CCTS at UAB.
The baked flaxseed products were cookies, pancakes, and brownies, while freshly ground flaxseed was added to yogurt, pudding, and applesauce. Each individually wrapped serving contained 5 grams of flaxseed (1.1 mg of alpha-linolenic acid). The top-ranked products by the children were baked goods with flaxseed, such as brownies and cookies, and ground flaxseed added to yogurt. Over 80% of participants indicated a willingness to be contacted for a follow-up study to evaluate a flaxseed-supplemented diet for mitigating SCD-associated pain.
However, it is important to note that flax seed oil is extremely unstable and can go rancid (oxidize) very easily, even when refrigerated. Therefore, caution must be exercised when consuming flax seed oil, as consuming rancid oil can cause harm to the patient's digestive system.
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The SCD is an extremely restrictive diet
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is an extremely restrictive diet that eliminates certain carbohydrates and makes significant changes to one's intake of sugars and lactose. The diet was developed in the 1920s by US pediatrician Dr Sidney Haas to help children with celiac disease, a digestive and autoimmune disease that can cause diarrhea, bloating, gas, and weight loss. The diet gained greater popularity in the late 1980s after Elaine Gottschall published a book called "Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet", in which she described how the diet improved her daughter's inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms.
SCD is designed to help people with conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, diverticulitis, cystic fibrosis, and chronic diarrhea. Some people also claim it helps with gastrointestinal problems in children with autism. The diet is based on the idea that certain carbohydrates are harder to digest and can irritate the intestines, leading to worsened gut symptoms and inflammation. As a result, SCD eliminates hard-to-digest carbs like grains and grain products, starches, sugars, and lactose.
The diet is very restrictive and can be challenging to follow. It allows fresh fruit, most vegetables, meat without additives, and homemade yogurt. However, it bans starches, grains, processed or canned foods, and lactose-heavy dairy. It is important to note that the diet may lead to malnutrition and unhealthy weight loss, so it is crucial to consult with a healthcare provider before starting it.
While SCD is restrictive, some people are able to gradually reintroduce foods after going one year without symptoms. Some transition to a modified SCD that includes rice, oats, potatoes, and quinoa. If symptoms return, the diet can be resumed. It is important to introduce only one new food at a time and to wait for a period of two days before introducing another, as this allows you to determine whether you are able to tolerate each new food.
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The SCD is designed to help people with specific conditions
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is an extremely restrictive diet that removes specific carbohydrates (polysaccharides, some oligosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols). It is designed to help people with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as other conditions such as celiac disease, chronic diarrhea, diverticulitis, and cystic fibrosis.
SCD is an elimination diet that emphasizes removing certain types of carbohydrate-containing foods based on their chemical structure. The diet's governing theory is that complex carbohydrates encourage an overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria in the small intestine, which can lead to inflammation and reduced absorption of nutrients. The diet allows easily digestible foods like fresh fruits, most vegetables, unprocessed meats, and homemade yogurt, while banning grains, starches, processed foods, and lactose-heavy dairy. The diet aims to reduce harmful gut bacteria by removing hard-to-digest carbohydrates, allowing the gut tissue to heal and restoring digestive function.
People with narrowed ileums, a common complication of Crohn's disease, tuberculosis, and intestinal ischaemia, should be cautious as some foods may irritate the narrowed portions of the ileum. These include raw grapes, raisins, celery, fruit and vegetable peels, spaghetti squash, and whole nuts.
While SCD can be beneficial for some people with IBD, there is limited research supporting its effectiveness beyond a placebo effect. Most of the support for the diet comes from testimonials, and there are only a few small clinical studies indicating that the diet might be efficient in helping to control some gastrointestinal conditions. It is important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting the SCD diet, as it may lead to malnutrition and unhealthy weight loss.
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The SCD has had many modifications over the years
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is a restrictive, grain-free diet designed to help manage gastrointestinal conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, diverticulitis, cystic fibrosis, and chronic diarrhea. The diet allows some carbs and bans others based on how hard they are to digest. It also eliminates sugars and processed foods.
Some people follow the SCD for life, while others transition to a modified version of the diet that includes rice, oats, potatoes, and quinoa. If symptoms return, they can resume the original diet.
It is important to note that the SCD may lead to malnutrition and unhealthy weight loss, and people following the diet may not get enough of certain nutrients, including folate, thiamine, vitamin B6, calcium, and vitamin D. Therefore, anyone considering the SCD should consult with their healthcare provider first.
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Frequently asked questions
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is an extremely restrictive diet that removes specific carbohydrates (polysaccharides, some oligosaccharides, disaccharides and polyols). It is designed to help people with conditions such as celiac disease, chronic diarrhea, diverticulitis, cystic fibrosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial in managing inflammation. Flaxseed oil is also a plant-based alternative to fish oil.
Flaxseed-enriched products are palatable and acceptable for children with SCD. However, flaxseed oil is extremely unstable and goes rancid (oxidizes) very easily, even when refrigerated.
The SCD diet recommends foods such as cooked chicken or other SCD-legal meat or fish, eggs, and cooked green vegetables.
