Is inulin a good source of fiber? (2023)

Is inulin a good source of fiber?

What to know about inulin, a healthful prebiotic. Inulin is a type of dietary fiber. Research has linked it to several health benefits, such as improving digestive health, helping control diabetes, and aiding weight loss. Inulin is a dietary fiber that may benefit gut health.

Not only this, as it is a prebiotic that can improve the health of the gut microbiome it has further benefits aside from metabolic health. As inulin is natural, safe, well tolerated and contributes to your daily fibre intake, there should be no real concerns about adding this ingredient into your daily diet.

The most common side effects include gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and cramps. These side effects are more severe with high doses of inulin (more than 30 grams).

Most inulin supplements provide around 2 to 3 g of fiber per serving.

There are ample sources of dietary fiber to support good gut health, but between psyllium and inulin, who wins? Psyllium is the way to go if you're looking for bowel health and regularity.

The best inulin food sources are ground chicory root, dandelion root, asparagus, leeks, onions, bananas, plantains, sprouted wheat, garlic, artichokes, fresh herbs, yams, burdock root, camas root, coneflower, jicama and yacon root.

Inulin powder supplements are high in fibre and can be incorporated into your daily diet by dissolving into drinks or food.

While long-term inulin feeding has been shown to result in disturbed liver bile acid metabolism, cholestasis, liver damage, and even hepatocellular cancer [22], our present study aimed to investigate the impact of short-term (12 days) dietary inulin supplementation.

To be safe, it's best to take prebiotics at least 2 hours before or after medications. Digestive conditions: If you have a digestive condition like IBS, SIBO or FODMAP, you might prefer to take prebiotics before bed.

Inulin is a prebiotic that can help diversify the gut microbiome (which is a sign of gut health) and provide fuel for good bacteria to make important substances, like short-chain fatty acids and vitamins. By eating inulin-rich foods, you can help your bacteria perform activities that keep your gut healthy.

How much inulin is in a banana?

Bananas contain 0.5 g per 100 g each of inulin and oligofructose. For vegetables, chicory root is the best source of these components, providing 42 g of inulin and 23 g of oligofructose per 100 g.

Women in the inulin group showed a lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) after the supplementation (-4.21 mmHg, p<0.001). However, SBP increased in the placebo supplemented group. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) nonsignificantly decreased in the inulin group.

There are 10 calories in 1 rounded tsp (3.2 g) of Exact Inulin Fibre. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.

Based on research, aim for 5 grams of inulin a day to boost the growth of the probiotic Bifidobacteria in your gut. For better calcium absorption, you want to get 8 grams or more. Getting 12 grams of inulin and FOS a day has been shown to help promote regular bowel movements.

A: Inulin is a starchy carbohydrate found naturally in many foods such as oats, wheat, bananas, onions and garlic, but the highest concentration of inulin is found in the root of the chicory plant.

Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Many cereals, such as bran flakes, are good sources of fiber.

Soluble fiber: This type of fiber dissolves in water into a gel-like substance. It's present in oats, bananas and dried beans, as well as psyllium husk. This type of fiber is good for slowing down food passage to the small intestine, and touts benefits like lowering glucose levels and lowering blood cholesterol.

Unlike other sugars, inulin doesn't raise your blood sugar. That's because it's not broken down in the stomach or small intestine. Instead, it moves right through to your colon. Research found that people with and without diabetes who ate inulin had less rise in their blood sugar.

What is a good substitute for inulin?

Substitutes for Inulin (Chicory Root) Fiber on Keto

While the chicory root is the best source for inulin, there are several other plants that contain a decent amount of fiber also. A small list of these natural substitutes includes asparagus, bananas, garlic, dandelion root, leeks, and Jerusalem artichokes.

Inulin Exerts Beneficial Effects on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via Modulating gut Microbiome and Suppressing the Lipopolysaccharide-Toll-Like Receptor 4-Mψ-Nuclear Factor-κB-Nod-Like Receptor Protein 3 Pathway via gut-Liver Axis in Mice.

We found that inulin significantly increased plasma cholesterol levels and as a consequence exacerbated atherosclerosis development. The effect of inulin on plasma cholesterol levels might be mediated via interactions with the gut microbiota, by stimulating growth and/or activity of selective bacteria in the gut.

The benefits are worth the effort, though, and prebiotics like inulin not only contribute to eased sleep, but may prove to have benefits yet to be discovered. Now may be a great time to start adding inulin into your diet, whether it's using it in your coffee or tea, or adding it to your daily smoothie.

Previous studies have found that inulin boosts populations of beneficial gut bacterial species which in turn boost levels of anti-inflammatory immune cells called regulatory T (Treg) cells.

Make Your Diet Green-Centric

And not just that; adding 5g of inulin to your breakfast has also been shown to improve episodic memory (free recall and recognition memory). As the new research suggests, prebiotics may help us both improve our cognitive function and avoid behavioral changes.

Inulin controls inflammation and metabolic endotoxemia in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized-controlled clinical trial.

You may see reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels within 2 to 4 months, and notice gradual improvements in your digestion and general energy levels over 6 months.

Weight Loss

For example, studies have shown that individuals are able to lose between 1-6 kg across 12-18 weeks through the addition of inulin powder to their diet.

Inulin has been shown to benefit your sleep, gut health, blood pressure and more.

What bacteria does inulin feed?

Inulin, for example, is a well-known prebiotic. Unfortunately, inulin is known to feed bad bacteria, including Klebsiella, Clostridia, and E. coli. Also, when inulin is fermented by bacteria, it creates gas as a by-product.

Because of the β(2,1) linkages, inulin is not digested by enzymes in the human alimentary system, contributing to its functional properties: reduced calorie value, dietary fiber, and prebiotic effects.

Inulin is another type of soluble fiber. Even though it's not very viscous, it has been linked to belly fat loss. One 18-week weight loss study in people at risk of type 2 diabetes gave participants either inulin or cellulose (insoluble fiber) supplements.

The SPFE extracted from Bestak sweet potato variety has potency as prebiotic source because it contains FOS, inulin, and raffinose. The prebiotic activity score of SPFE was similar to FOS, but it was higher than inulin.

As its name implies, apple cider vinegar is made from apples and contains pectin and inulin, too.

There are many types of prebiotic fibers including fructo-oligosaccarides (FOS), inulin, oligofructose and galacto-oligosaccardes (GOS) which are found specifically in asparagus, artichokes, leeks, onions, garlic, bananas, soybeans, whole wheat foods and even California Avocados!

Don't use chicory if you have gallstones. Surgery: Chicory might lower blood sugar and might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop taking chicory as a medicine at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Inulin has been shown to improve bowel habit through increased stool weight, softer stools, reduced GIT symptoms, and improved quality of life (Castiglia-Delavaud et al., 1998; Den Hond, Geypens, & Ghoos, 2000; Vandeputte et al., 2017a).

The following foods may support insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing diabetes in general: non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, and peppers. citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, and limes. high fiber foods, including beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.

Li and others have also reported that there a slight increase in starter cultures utilized to make low‐fat yogurt in the existence of 0.5% inulin (Li et al., ²⁰¹⁹). Another study found that inulin maintained > 6.0 log cfu/g viable counts of Saccharomyces boulardii in yogurt (Sarwar et al., ²⁰¹⁹).

How can I increase my inulin naturally?

Inulin Exerts Beneficial Effects on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via Modulating gut Microbiome and Suppressing the Lipopolysaccharide-Toll-Like Receptor 4-Mψ-Nuclear Factor-κB-Nod-Like Receptor Protein 3 Pathway via gut-Liver Axis in Mice.

Dietitians may recommend avoiding inulin if you have IBS or following a low-FODMAP diet because it is a fructan (also known as fructooligosaccharide or FOS), which may worsen the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. This is sometimes referred to as “inulin intolerance”.

Substitutes for Inulin (Chicory Root) Fiber on Keto

While the chicory root is the best source for inulin, there are several other plants that contain a decent amount of fiber also. A small list of these natural substitutes includes asparagus, bananas, garlic, dandelion root, leeks, and Jerusalem artichokes.