Researchers at Australia's Monash University found — for the first time — that a healthy diet high in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) protects against Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when immune cells called autoreactive T cells attack and destroy the cells that produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. About 1.25 million American adults and children have the condition which used to be called juvenile diabetes.

The specialized diet uses starches containing insoluble fibers — found in many foods including fruit and vegetables — that resist digestion and pass through to the colon or large bowel where they are broken down by microbiota (gut bacteria).

The process of fermentation produces acetate and butyrate which, when combined, provided complete protection against Type 1 diabetes.

"The Western diet affects our gut microbiota and the production of these short-chain fatty acids," said researcher Dr. Eliana Mariño.

"Our research found that eating a diet which encourages the gut bacteria that produce high levels of acetate or butyrate improves the integrity of the gut lining, which reduces pro-inflammatory factors and promotes immune tolerance," Mariño said.

"We found this had an enormous impact on the development of Type 1 diabetes," she said.

According to Professor Charles Mackay, who initiated the research, the study shows how non-pharmaceutical approaches, including special diets and gut bacteria, could treat or prevent autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes.

"The findings illustrate the dawn of a new era in treating human disease with medicinal foods," he said.

"The materials we used are something you can digest that is comprised of natural products —  resistant starches are a normal part of our diet.

"The diets we used are highly efficient at releasing beneficial metabolites. I would describe them as an extreme superfood," he said.

The researchers are expanding their research to investigate diet's effect on obesity and other inflammatory diseases including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, asthma, food allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Immunology.

A 2015 study published in Gut found that eating a typical Mediterranean diet, which is high in foods rich in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, increased the amount of short-chain fatty acids in the gut. SCFAs have been linked to many health benefits, including a reduced risk of inflammatory diseases, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.