What Is Inulin Made From?
Inulin is produced in plants, especially root vegetables. It naturally occurs in many foods, such as onions, garlic, wheat, bananas and asparagus. Inulin is a dietary fiber and a carbohydrate. It is categorized as a fructan--containing fructose molecules--that has very similar properties to FOS, or fructo-oligosaccharides, another dietary fiber that is commonly used in food products. Some of its other names are Alantin, Helenin, Dahlin and Neosugar.
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Function
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When inulin is eaten, it passes through the stomach and intestines without being absorbed through their walls and into the blood. Since it is a soluble fiber, it becomes a gel that slows down digestion and regulates sugar absorption and cholesterol level reduction.
Glycemic Index and Glucose
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Inulin has a very low glycemic index, which is the rate that the body converts a starch into a sugar. Furthermore, since it is not absorbed by the body, it does not affect the glucose levels. Foods with low glycemic indexes are suitable for people with diabetes. In fact, its mild sweet taste may make it a sugar alternative.
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Chickory Root
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Chicory root is used as a source of inulin in many food products. The inulin content is much higher in chicory root than in onions and other foods that only have small amounts of inulin. Inulin content levels depend on when it is harvested from these plants, as inulin levels vary according to the time the plants are picked.
Gastrointestinal Health
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Inulin is called a pre-biotic that supports the normal flora, or the naturally-occurring bacteria, of the lower gastrointestinal system. As a soluble fiber that is not digested, its properties are fully available for fermentation by the normal flora of the stomach and intestines.
Digestion Regulation
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Inulin fiber helps to regulate digestion by promoting peristalsis, or the wave-like motion of the intestines used to move food through the digestive system. As a fiber, it also slows down digestion so that the foods remain in the system longer for nutritional absorption and appetite satisfaction. Although it is a fiber and a carbohydrate, the fact that it is not absorbed excludes it from the counted carbohydrate consumption.
Concerns
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While inulin helps the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal system, some gastrointestinal bacteria that is harmful outside of this system also use inulin to increase in quantity. This may raise infection concerns that the harmful bacteria may pose to the other parts of the body.
Another concern is the fast rate that inulin ferments within the body. This rate surpasses the body's processing of other natural fibers, and raises the question of will intolerance symptoms develop after consuming insulin. Rather, the encouragement is to consume the whole food source of inulin for maximum nutrition, instead of extracting and concentrating it for use as a food additive.
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