CSIRO's Diet To Improve Your Gut Health

By Mel Hearse

02 Nov 2019

Science giant CSIRO has recently launched their latest diet book – the “CSIRO Healthy Gut Diet”, packed with gut friendly recipes, tips and research on the importance of gut health.

One of the best parts of the body confidence movement is the shift from diets spruiking weight loss at any cost (cabbage soup may make you drop a few kilos temporarily, but it doesn’t offer much in the way of nutritional value, for example.) 

Instead, people are spending their time and dollars on diet books, programs and websites that promote healthy eating – loads of whole foods, plenty of water and regular exercise.

The CSIRO Healthy Gut Diet is the latest offering from CSIRO, the science organisation that also introduced millions to the benefits of Low GI foods. 

Rather than promising a five-kilo loss in days (with the standard rapid regain rates), it instead shows you how to eat for a healthy gut – and why this is important for your long-term health and wellbeing. 

Why focus on gut health?

There’s a growing body of research linking gut health with a range of health conditions– and even some early and promising links between healthy gut microbiomes and a healthy mood. And one study suggests that intestinal bacteria in overweight individuals was less diverse than those in lean individuals.

“After the brain, the gut is really the next most crucial and complex part of the human body," CSIRO Director of Health and Biosecurity Dr Rob Grenfell says.

"Maintaining a healthy gut can lead to enormous benefits. Beyond digesting our food, it is the coal face of the nutrients our body absorbs, regulates hormones used throughout our body, and is a frontline of our immune response system," he adds.

Building and maintaining a rich population of healthy gut bacteria has many health benefits according to the book’s authors, including:

The basics of building a healthy gut

While there are many factors at play when it comes to positively influencing the health of our gut and microbiome, diet is the key element according to CSIRO researcher and co-author of the CSIRO Healthy Gut Diet, Dr Michael Conlon. 

This means scads of whole foods – wholegrain cereals (always plump for brown and wholegrain rice, pasta and breads, for example), fruits, vegetables, legumes and a few nuts and seeds. Variety is also important – as well as the above, mix it up with barley, baked beans, peas, and fermented foods like miso, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha.

You’ll also need to cut back on your junk foods. Heavily processed, refined or saturated fat filled foods support ‘bad’ communities of bacteria. Luckily, there are a number of easy ways to support your gut health – considering your gut health plays a key role in your overall wellbeing.

Resistant starch is important

"For years we've thought all fibre was good for was helping to keep our bowel movements regular, but we now know that fibre offers more health benefits than this, many of which support our gut bacteria in a healthy way,” Conlon says.

However, not all fibres are equal, and the CSIRO research shows resistant starch is the golden ticket, and one that’s missing from many diets.  Therefore, their recipes are designed with higher amounts of fibre and resistant starch to feed the gut bacteria. 

As 95 percent of your gut bacteria are found in the large bowel, where they perform a number of functions – one being helping the absorption of nutrients from foods. These bacteria feed on resistant starch; a starch that literally ‘resists” digestion. When it is exposed to healthy bacteria in the large intestine, the bacteria break down the fibre into chemicals which nourish cells and reduce inflammation. 

Not sure how to consume resistant starches? Here’s a list of the best wholefood sources from the CSIRO (grams of RS per 100g consumed):

Supercharge your digestive system to support your health and wellbeing. Find out how to make a real impact on the health of your gut with our 7-day action plan.

Gut health facts

3 recipes for gut health

Recipes extracted from The CSIRO Healthy Gut Diet by Dr Tony Bird, Dr Michael Conlon and Pennie Taylor. Available now, Macmillan Australia, RRP $34.99 .

Banana, berry and yoghurt smoothie

Serves: 4
Ingredients How to make

Spiced pumpkin and chickpea soup with oat and parsley dumplings

Serves: 4–6
Preparation time: 25 minutes 
Cooking time: 50 minutes
 
Ingredients Oat and Parsley dumplings  How to make

Slow-roasted lamb shawarma with crushed chat potatoes and salad

Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time:  2 hours 30 minutes, plus potato cooking time
 
Ingredients Broccoli, cucumber and pea salad How to make