Inulin is a traditional component of the human diet, found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Chicory roots are the main commercial source of inulin. The substance can also be used in culinary preparations and is beneficial for health, scientifically proven over the years.

 

Inulin and its health benefits

Manufacturers add inulin to processed food products because they can:

• increase the prebiotic content of food;
• replace fats or sugar;
• change the texture of the food.

This fiber can be used to support intestinal transit, relieve constipation, stimulate weight loss, but also to control diabetes.


Inulin-based supplements are available in capsule and powder form, and the usual daily dose is 3.1 grams. Most of the time, the fiber is sold in the form of chicory extract, but also as high-performance inulin (HP), produced by removing the shorter molecules from this type of soluble fiber. Fiber supplements that are closely related to this fructan are fructooligosaccharides, also known as oligofructose.


You can, however, focus on foods that contain this fiber naturally. However, consider using inulin supplements to improve your digestive function if you are following a probiotic regimen or if you are taking antibiotics to treat a bacterial condition.

 

The health benefits of inulin

This substance is starting to be used more and more in food, due to its special nutritional and functional characteristics.

It can be used as a sweetener to replace sugar in fatty and floury foods. It is also the one that also increases the absorption of calcium and possibly magnesium, being a promoter of the growth of a healthy intestinal flora (prebiotic).

From a nutritional point of view, it is considered to be a soluble fiber, for this reason the consumption of large amounts leads to bloating.

It is still a soluble fiber that has a minimal impact on blood sugar, and can be consumed by diabetics and sufferers of other diseases with problems regarding blood sugar levels.

Inulin also helps to stabilize the intestinal flora and that is why it is used more and more frequently in the daily diet.

It also helps to slow down digestion and intestinal absorption, so that the body uses calories from food at a lower level and simultaneously facilitates intestinal transit. The result is a decrease in appetite and unjustified food cravings.

In addition, inulin also helps to maintain an optimal level of energy and vitality throughout the day, especially in conditions where body shaping diets are accompanied by sports or other physical activities.