Pupils make cooking videos for ensuring a healthy gut

Cooking informed by science: adolescents and researchers join forces to bring science into the kitchen. At a Tyrolean school, they developed and filmed high-fiber recipes for a healthy gut microbiome. The videos are now available online.

Biology and Medicine

December 23, 2024

The students of the HBLFA Tirol (Higher Federal Teaching and Research Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition as well as Food and Biotechnology) are cooking up a storm, including findings from microbiome research. In an FWF-funded project, the youngsters developed high-fiber recipes based on the latest research findings. They filmed their activities and created videos that combine the fun of cooking with science communication. Besides learning how to prepare a local pasta dish or fiber-rich burgers, viewers are also educated about why these meals are vital for the gut microbiome.

Cooking with a boost from science

The project was devised by nutritionist Annelieke Overbeeke and biologist David Berry from the University of Vienna. They focus on participation and new media. From short cooking videos to more detailed interviews with scientists, they are bringing the gut microbiome to platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. "We want to show that we eat fiber not only for our health, but also for our microbiome," says Berry.

“BaMiKo: Fiber, Microbiology and Cooking” was one of seven projects selected for funding by the Austrian Science Fund FWF to mark the tenth anniversary of its Science Communication Program in 2023. The cooking videos are now available online.

The project “BaMiKo: Fiber, Microbiology and Cooking” is aimed at various age groups. The importance of dietary fiber for intestinal health is taught in workshops and videos. The focus is on recipes that taste good and are good for the gut: from sauerkraut muffins to lasagne and lentil wraps.

More information

Cooking class and science come together in 5-minute videos.

Bringing research into everyday life

The project is based on current research findings about the gut microbiome. Some of these research insights were discussed with the young people at the outset. Then it was time to get down to business: high-fiber recipes were jointly developed, cooked and filmed. “Getting young people interested in science can be a challenge. But when I told them that Austrian television wanted to visit us and report on the project, they were all really keen,” laughs Overbeeke.

“A lack of fiber for just one or two days reduces the gut microbiome as much as administering a broad-spectrum antibiotic.” Annelieke Overbeeke

Food for the microbiome

But why do we need high-fiber foods in our daily diet? Because they serve as nourishment for the microorganisms in our gut – the exact process forms the basis of Berry and Overbeeke's research. “The BaMiKo project arose from the results of my doctoral thesis,” explains Overbeeke. “It's important to me to pass this knowledge on to people.”

Overbeeke was able to show in her research that a lack of fiber for just one or two days reduces the gut microbiome as much as administering a broad-spectrum antibiotic. This can have drastic consequences for the body. “Our organism is colonized by microorganisms, especially the gut. They are important for our physiology and prevent the development of diseases,” explains Berry.

Lentil wraps arranged on a plate — The lentil wraps are easy to prepare and are particularly well received by the audience. © zimtnow

Why dietary fiber is important

Whether sweet or savory, the recipes contain unprocessed grains, vegetables, seeds and nuts – all of them sources of fiber. “When we talk about fiber, we usually mean polysaccharides, chains of carbohydrates such as glucose or fructose. While the human digestive system cannot process these, the enzymes of the intestinal bacteria can,” says Berry.

If fiber is lacking from the diet for a prolonged period, the intestinal microbiome loses diversity, the intestinal cells lack important energy sources and infections occur more frequently. According to Berry, fiber is also good for us in other ways: “Even breast milk contains substances for the intestinal bacteria that promote a healthy microbiome in babies and have an impact on the development of the nervous system, for example.”

Semolina dish with apple sauce served in a beautiful white ceramic plate — Vorarlberger Riebel is a traditional regional dish. The original semolina with parts of the bran is particularly rich in fiber. In the past, Riebel was served as a nourishing breakfast before a hard day’s work. © zimtnow

Science that hits home

The microbiome is like a fingerprint – unique to each person. It is therefore important to make nutritional recommendations as individual as possible. Berry and Overbeeke agree that science must provide the guidance. “The younger generation in particular is incredibly fast, while science often needs time to find the right answers. This makes it all the more important for people to learn to assess the quality and origin of information,” notes Overbeeke. Science communication initiatives can help to ensure that research reaches people - or, as in this case, ends up on their plates.

Personal details

David Berry is Professor of Human Microbiome Research at the Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna. Hailing from the USA, he came to Vienna as a postdoc and has been working on the gut microbiome and the ecology and evolution behind microbes ever since.

Annelieke Overbeeke researched how intestinal bacteria process dietary fiber from food as a doctoral student in Berry's lab. With her Darm Kram initiative, she has switched to science communication and seeks to motivate people to keep their microbiome healthy.

“BaMiKo: Fibers, Microbiology and Cooking” receives EUR 76,000 in funding from the Austrian Science Fund FWF under its Science Communication Program. Besides the University of Vienna and Darm Kram, the not-for-profit association Open Science, the HBLFA Tirol (Higher Federal Teaching and Research Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition as well as Food and Biotechnology) and the film producers zimtnow are also involved in the project.