Yoghurt, Pickles and the Gut Microbiome: The Stanford Trial That Surprised Researchers

Laban, yoghurt and pickles have been part of our table for centuries. A trial from Stanford University finally gave them direct scientific backing.

The trial

A randomised controlled trial published in Cell (2021) assigned 36 healthy adults to a ten-week diet based on either fermented foods or high fibre^[1].

The result

The diet rich in fermented foods — yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese, fermented vegetables, kombucha — increased overall microbial diversity and decreased molecular markers of inflammation, with stronger effects at larger servings^[2],[3].

The surprise: none of the nineteen inflammatory proteins decreased in the high-fibre group^[2]. As researcher Erica Sonnenburg commented, the data suggest increased fibre intake alone over a short period is insufficient to increase microbiota diversity^[2].

Don't misread it: fibre isn't useless

This is a result about ten weeks, microbiome diversity and inflammation specifically — while Lancet reviews show enormous fibre benefits for mortality, diabetes and heart disease (the fibre article). The message: both together, not one instead of the other.

From our own kitchen

• Laban and yoghurt: already on our table — increase the amount rather than hunting for an imported product.
• Labneh and cottage cheese.
• Fermented pickles (not merely vinegar-preserved) — and watch the salt (the blood pressure article).
• The daily serving matters more than the type: the effect tracked serving size in the trial.