Inulin is a type of soluble fiber found in foods like chicory, onions, garlic, and wheat that offers diverse health benefits including regulating intestinal function, maintaining healthy gut flora, and helping support weight loss.
Inulin is a functional prebiotic that increases stool volume, prolongs satiety (feeling of fullness), and serves as a food source for good bacteria in the gut.
Inulin can also be found in pharmacies or health stores in the form of a nutritional supplement. It is also used by the food industry to partially replace sugar and improve the flavor and texture of foods.
Health benefits
Regular consumption of inulin may offer the following health benefits:
1. Relieving constipation
Inulin is a type of soluble fiber that helps increase stool volume and gut motility, making to easier to have a bowel movement and thereby relieving constipation.
2. Maintaining healthy gut flora
Inulin is a prebiotic soluble fiber that serves as a source of food for good bacteria in the gut, keeping the intestinal flora healthy and preventing conditions like diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Crohn's disease.
Inulin also controls the growth of bad bacteria in the gut, decreasing the amount of toxins produced in the intestines and helping to prevent intestinal cancer.
3. Lowering cholesterol and triglycerides
Being a soluble fiber, inulin reduces fat absorption in the gut and leads to a decreased concentration of fat in the body over time.
In this way, inulin helps prevent conditions related to high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.
4. Preventing osteoporosis
Inulin helps prevent osteoporosis by improving calcium absorption in the gut and increasing its availability in the body, helping to increase bone density and maintain healthy bones.
5. Strengthening the immune system
Inulin promotes the growth of good bacteria in the gut that help maintain the health of the body's defense cells. This helps strengthen the immune system to protect against frequent colds and upper respiratory infections.
6. Avoiding diabetes
Like other types of fiber, inulin delays the absorption of carbohydrates in the gut, helping to control levels of glucose in the blood and preventing the development of insulin resistance and diabetes.
Does inulin cause weight loss?
Inulin forms a type of gel in the stomach that slows down digestion and prolongs satiety, helping to support weight loss by decreasing hunger and helping you feel fuller longer.
In order to help with weight loss, however, inulin should be included as part of a healthy diet in combination with regular physical exercise.
Also recommended: Weight Loss Diet: Best Foods to Eat, Avoid & Meal Plan tuasaude.com/en/weight-loss-dietFood sources
The following table shows the amount of inulin in a 100 g serving of various foods:
Other foods containing inulin include yacon, agave, burdock root, and yams.
Inulin supplements
Inulin supplements come in the form of a powder or capsules and can be purchased at pharmacies and health stores. The recommended amount is typically between 2 and 10 g of inulin per day.
It is recommended to consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to determine the right dose for you, as dosing may vary based on indication.
Side effects
Inulin can cause excess gas and abdominal distention, primarily when ingested in large amounts. Inulin can also cause diarrhea, constipation, and stomachache.
Contraindications to use
Inulin is contraindicated in people with IBS, a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder that causes stomach pain, excess gas, constipation, and diarrhea. This is because inulin can make IBS symptoms worse.
Inulin from food sources is safe for children and for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, however inulin supplements should only be taken by these groups if approved by a doctor.
In addition, people taking medications to control diabetes should only take inulin supplements if approved by a healthcare provider, as inulin can alter the effects of these medications.