Microbe-Rich Foods Associated With Better Insulin, Cholesterol Markers: Study

A recent study published in Nutrition Research examined whether eating foods that contain live microbes (LMs) is linked to better health. The researchers also aimed to create the first Australian database estimating the live microbe content of commonly consumed foods and drinks.
Live microbes are naturally found in foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, fermented products like yogurt, and probiotic-containing items. While previous research—mainly from the United States—has suggested that higher intake of these foods may be linked to lower disease risk and mortality, little data exists for Australian populations.
To address this gap, the team developed a live microbe food database using data from the AUSNUT food composition database linked to the Australian Eating Survey (AES). Foods were categorized as low, medium, or high in live microbial content, based on published estimation methods rather than direct laboratory testing.
The study included 58 adults from the Newcastle region of Australia, mostly women (69%) and predominantly Caucasian (86%), with an average age of 38 years and an average BMI of 26.2 kg/m². Researchers assessed cardiometabolic marker,s including BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, fasting glucose, insulin, waist circumference, and inflammatory markers such as CRP and IL-6.
Participants consumed mostly low-LM foods. However, higher intake of medium and high-LM foods was associated with healthier outcomes. Specifically, greater consumption of these foods was linked to higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol and lower BMI, waist circumference, body weight, and fasting insulin levels. After adjusting for factors such as gender, smoking, and energy intake, associations with HDL-C, BMI, insulin, and waist circumference remained significant.
Due to the small sample size and cross-sectional design, the study cannot establish causation. Larger, long-term studies are needed to confirm whether increasing dietary live microbe intake directly improves metabolic health.
REFERENCE: Gómez-Martín M, Clarke ED, Stanford J, Fenton S, Collins CE (2026). Association between dietary intake of foods estimated to contain live microbes and health indicators in Australian adults: An exploratory analysis. Nutrition Research, 147, 32-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2026.01.005, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531726000096