CSIRO releases cookbook to help Australians lose weight.

Goodbye fad diets, hello real food. The CSIRO is releasing the third edition of its low-carbohydrate meal guide, which has helped Australians transform their health.

CJoe Anile, from Frank's Quality Friuit & Vegetables at the South Melbourne Market, shows off a bundle of low carb choices as recommended by the CSRIO cookbook. Picture: Jay Town

Sick of fad diets, people looking to lose weight are hunting for “real food recipes” based on research that can be cooked quickly.

The CSIRO says a growing appetite for research-based diets has helped its recipe books become a staple of bestseller lists.

The science agency is releasing the third edition of its low-carbohydrate meal guide this week.

It’s backed by evidence from CSIRO studies that found low-carb meals helped people control their weight without getting hunger pangs.

The CSIRO says low-carb meals help people control their weight without the pain of traditional diets.

It comes as research shows Australians are moving away from fad diets.

Lead author, Professor Grant Brinkworth, told the Sunday Herald Sun people were turning off fad diets and looking for authoritative sources to help them eat well.

“We’re seeing a shift toward people wanting to eat real food again,” he said.

“Particularly, people are moving away from fads where there is a promise with no science behind it.”

He said nutrition experts worked with chefs to create healthy options that could be made in half an hour or less.

Professor Brinkworth said the idea of simplifying the recipes was based on feedback from readers of their previous two books.

“We think we’ve got the formula right with relatively easy to assemble recipes.”

He said since launching their first book in 2017 they had “proved to be phenomenally successful in helping Australians lose weight and transform their health”.

Aussies appreciate “easy to assemble” meals.

Professor Brinkworth said the results were based on rigorous scientific testing.

It was inspired by a CSIRO trial from 2012 where people with obesity and type 2 diabetes were randomly put into two groups; one group given a low-carb diet, the other group a traditional high carb, low fat diet.

Participants were monitored for two years and at the end those on the low-carb diet saw greater improvements in heart health and blood glucose control, and experienced greater reductions in diabetes medication.

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Professor Brinkworth said rising rates of obesity meant it was important Australians were getting good advice on what to eat.

“Almost a third of all Australian deaths are linked to poor diet, physical inactivity and excess body fat, and type 2 diabetes is the fastest growing chronic health condition in Australia,” he said.

Recipes from the new book include: pita bread pizzas, Moroccan salmon and vegetable rice, fish pie, lemon and herb chicken bake and 10 vegetarian options.

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