Inulin helps in providing beneficial bacteria, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, balancing intestinal transit and maintaining the physiological parameters of intestinal health

Inulin and FOS (FructoOligosaccharides) have soluble prebiotic fibres, which promote the growth of friendly bacteria to produce important metabolites including lactic acid and the short-chain fatty acids acetate, propionate and butyrate. Lactic acid helps maintain the correct pH in the gut. Furthermore, acetate, propionate and butyrate promote the integrity of the intestinal cells that line the colon.

Inulin is a type of soluble dietary fiber found in many plants. Also, this is a fructan, and like other fructans, it acts as a prebiotic, which means it feeds the friendly bacteria in the gut. Fructans are chains made up of fructose molecules (also known as polysaccharides). The respective molecules bind to each other in a way that the small intestine cannot break them down. Instead, they cross the intestine feeding the bacteria inside it, which, in turn, convert inulin and other prebiotics into short-chain fatty acids, which are nutritious for the cells of the colon, providing other benefits to your health.


 

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. Fiber supplements that are closely related to this fructan are fructooligosaccharides (FOS), 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.

Below, we will discuss in more detail the benefits that this type of dietary fiber can bring to the body.







 

• It improves the functioning of the digestive system

The intestinal microbiota consists of the population of bacteria and other microbes that live in the intestine. This is particularly complex, containing both friendly and harmful bacteria. In order to maintain the health of the intestines and protect the body against diseases, you must necessarily maintain the optimal balance of the respective bacteria.

Fortunately, inulin can help maintain this balance. In fact, studies have shown that it can stimulate the proliferation of beneficial bacteria. Thus, you can stimulate your digestion and immunity, improving your overall health.

 

• Fights constipation

In the case of many people, this type of soluble fiber can also help relieve the symptoms of constipation. Research has shown that those who administer inulin have more frequent intestinal peristalsis and an improvement in stool consistency. For example, the elderly who participated in a study lasting 4 weeks and who consumed 15 grams of inulin per day, improved their digestion, having fewer episodes of constipation.


If you are looking for an extremely effective food supplement in rebalancing the body's flora and intestinal transit in case of diarrhea and constipation, we recommend Jarro-dophilus + FOS. It contains 3.4 billion probiotic bacteria and the addition of prebiotics, contributing to the activation of over 90% of the probiotic bacteria immediately after administration.

 

• Favors the reduction of body weight

Also, it seems that inulin is beneficial for weight loss.

During a weight loss study, participants with prediabetes used either inulin or cellulose (another type of fiber) for 18 weeks. At the end of the study, those who had consumed inulin lost significantly more kilograms between weeks 9 and 18.

Also, in 2015, a supplement with inulin in the form of powder was tested and it was observed that people who consumed the respective product benefited from satiety for a longer period of time than those who only received a placebo.

 

• Contributes to the control of diabetes

Research suggests that inulin can optimize blood sugar control in patients with diabetes or prediabetes. For example, it reduces the concentration of fats in the liver of prediabetic patients, which is important because in this way insulin resistance can be reduced, and type 2 diabetes can be more easily controlled.

In a study that targeted women with type 2 diabetes, the patients consumed 10 grams of inulin each day. Their blood sugar dropped by an average of 8.5%, while hemoglobin A1c (a marker of long-term blood sugar control) dropped by an average of 10.4%.
 

• Maintains bone health

Following animal studies, it was found that inulin improves the absorption of calcium and magnesium, thus leading to an increase in bone density. Interestingly, studies on human subjects have shown similar results. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), scientific evidence supports the idea that inulin-type fructans can promote bone mineral density, being important in terms of the concentration of calcium that the body can assimilate.


Other potential benefits of supplementing the diet with this fructan are: maintaining heart health, preventing the occurrence of colon cancer and treating inflammatory bowel disease, but in these respects, currently the evidence is less conclusive.



 

Suggested use

Mix 1 rounded scoop into water, juice, protein drink mix, smoothie or other beverages. Take 1 to 2 times per day or as directed by your qualified healthcare professional.

 

Warnings

Packed by weight, not by volume.

Note: Consult a healthcare professional before using this product if you are trying to conceive, pregnant, or lactating, under the age of 18, or have a medical condition; if adverse reactions occur, discontinue use.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store in a cool, dry place.