Tags
Crohn's disease, Equal, Escherichia coli, Gut flora, gut health, Maltodextrin, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Splenda, Stevia, Sugar substitute
chemical structure of maltodextrin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
First, a side note. One of the challenges of being a blogger is that, unless you’re in the top 2 or 3% of the blogging population (and suffice it to say that I am not!), one still needs a day job. I’m fortunate, in these uncertain times, to have a job for which I am well-compensated, and in which I have a fair amount of security. I know that others are not so lucky, so I am grateful. The downside, however, is that when things get particularly busy at work, blogging tends to be one of the first things to fall off my priority list. I won’t apologize for that, but I do want you to know that it bothers me when I go too long without writing here. Many of you have come here and offered me positive words of encouragement and helpful feedback, and many more just come to read. I’m grateful to each of you, and I hope that you can understand why sometimes I might seem to disappear for periods of time.
Having gotten that out of the way….
I stumbled across an interesting article the other day. The findings outlined in it will be of little surprise to those of us who have read Breaking The Vicious Cycle, and understand the ‘whithertos and whyfores’ of SCD, but it does bring home many of the principles behind it all.
The article outlines an experiment conducted using 3 sweeteners: Splenda, Equal, and Stevia. The first two contain maltodextrin, which, being a corn derivative, is NOT SCD-legal. Stevia does not. Each sweetener was placed in a Petri dish along with some E. coli bacteria. Consistent with what us SCD-ers know about bacteria and grain, the bacteria growing in the maltodextrin-based sweeteners became, quite literally, sticky. It’s been a while since I read BTVC, but IIRC, one of the major factors in the development and furtherance of Crohn’s-related gut injury relates to the walls of the gut becoming plastered with mucus and ‘goo’. Well, if this experiment proves nothing else, if proves that E. coli + maltodextrin = GOO!
This also raises another interesting question: If stevia does not create goo out of E. coli, is it safe for SCD-ers to eat? The BTVC KB is pretty clear: No. http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/knowledge_base/kb/stevia.htm But it’s interesting to note that Elaine’s primary reason for deeming it illegal is that she didn’t know much about it.
I do so appreciate Elaine’s huge contribution to the world, but it’s a shame that she left no successor to the throne. It seems as though, even as food science develops, SCD will be frozen in time until someone with the wisdom, insight, knowledge, and interest comes along to pick up her dropped mantle.
In the meantime, I may be doing some research into stevia on my own. If I do, and if I find something worth reporting, I’ll be sure to post something here about it.
Thanks again for reading. I really do appreciate your comments, questions, or even just your number showing up on my stats page.
Very interesting. I think Stevia is probably ok too, but I’m too chicken to try it!
At least not yet…let me know what you end up deciding!
Absolutely… will do!
I totally agree..it is stuck in time…let’s hope some scientist out there may take the time to test all the new foods now available which “seem” as though they may be SCD legal!
One of the other articles I came across recently talks about the increasing incidence of Crohn’s disease in the First World. Should that trend continue, it seems reasonable that SOMEONE with the right background, funding, and chutzpah will come along. After all, marketed correctly, SCD could stand to make someone a lot of money!
This is interesting. I use stevia (been on SCD for 12 years). Pretty much the only way I have it is in Zevia soft drinks. I love those (there might be something else in those that’s not SCD legal, but I’m okay with it). Anyway, I use stevia for that, and I have a box of the little packets, but I hardly ever use them. I wouldn’t switch over to cooking with it.
I agree with you that BTVC is frozen in time. I feel kind of the same about quinoa. I eat that. It wasn’t that well known until the last few years. It’s something I feel comfortable about adding to my diet.
Thanks for the input, Sherry. I’m glad to hear that you’re doing well with the additions of stevia and quinoa. I always think it’s interesting to look at why people choose to be strict about SCD. I mean, if strict adherence is what makes you feel best, then great… get down with your bad self! But if the only reason you are to-the-letter strict is because ‘it is written’? Well, I don’t believe in adherence for it’s own sake. I’m strict right now because it makes me feel good. I have every intention of exploring with ‘illegal’ foods over time, and if they don’t detract from my feeling good, I will include them in my diet.
That’s the best way to look at it. The hardest part about adding “illegal” foods is going overboard. That may be what keep some people 100%, like it’s all or nothing. For a while I ate too many illegal foods, and I didn’t feel good. I went back on the diet 100% then, added a small list of healthy (at least I think they are) additions that I stick to. In a way it’s like I developed my own diet that I can stick with. Otherwise it feels like a big mystery about what you can eat. If I don’t stray from my newly allowed foods and don’t eat too much of those I am fine.
Yeah, I think if one is going to add in illegal foods, moderation and a food journal are pretty much absolute requirements!