Despite it being a key component of one of the healthiest diets in the world, pasta has been demonised for years by the diet industry. Well, not on Dr Tim Spector’s watch. The gut guru has come up with this delicious orecchiette dish that not only boasts loads of omega-3 and fibre, but may also be slightly gentler on the old blood sugar response than other pasta recipes.

“Pasta is a fantastic vehicle for flavour and texture, and this dish is a great example of how combining foods can help your blood sugar response,” he writes in his new recipe book The Food For Life Cookbook. “There’s plenty of healthy fats from the walnuts in the delicious and satisfying cause, as well as fibre from the broccoli – both of which slow your blood sugar response.”

Walnuts are something of a super nut. They have significantly higher omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants (great for brain health and overall inflammation) than any other nut. They also are great for our guts; a 2018 study asked 194 people to eat walnuts every day for eight weeks. At the end, all participants had an increase in beneficial gut bacteria – including bacteria that produce butyrate, a fat that nourishes the gut.

Broccoli, meanwhile, is loaded with vitamins K and C, is full of antioxidants and is known to help with better blood sugar control.

Give your gut-brain connection a boost with a bowl of broccoli and walnut orecchiette