Benefits of dietary microbe intake

You've probably heard of probiotics and their health benefits... But are the effects of bacteria-rich foods proven?

Foods containing live microorganisms are known to have health benefits, such as those found in yogurt, raw fruits and vegetables, and other fermented foods. However, data offering direct evidence of their benefits on various health parameters were relatively lacking, until the recent publication of an article in The Journal of Nutrition.

The authors first classified foods according to the amount of live microbes they contained, measuring the consumption of microbe-rich foods in 29,000 adults living in the United States who reported their diets. The researchers then studied the correlations between this consumption and health markers. People who had the highest microbial foods consumption had lower blood pressure, blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels, as well as lower waist circumference and body mass index than people who consumed lower quantities of these foods.

Although relatively modest, these general health improvements are still worth taking! They will help preserve your overall condition as well as that of your intestinal flora, which, as we now know, has a role to play in a wide variety of physiological processes...