Where Inulin Comes from and Why It’s in Processed Foods

The recent push for gluten-free foods may have caused you to note a specific ingredient on food labels appearing time and again – inulin. Some labels may list this as chicory root fiber or chicory root extract, but all 3 titles are for the same product. Read more about this abundant ingredient stocked by your food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem.

What is inulin?

First, what exactly is chicory root? If you have ever eaten endive lettuce, you have come extremely close to inulin. The base of the lettuce below ground is the chicory plant. Soluble, prebiotic inulin is a fibrous plant carbohydrate physically incapable of being processed by enzymes within the digestive system. In other words, it is considered “roughage” that moves other foods through the large and small intestine. 

The good bacteria within your gut absolutely love feasting on inulin. Since the flora in your digestive system are your probiotics, their nutrition is known as prebiotics. Therefore, inulin has the distinction of being a prebiotic, which means it can be touted in pharmaceutical form as a “probiotic supplement” to increase the health of the microbial life within us.

Why do we use it?

When fiber is considered soluble, it means it is able to absorb water like a sponge, which is advantageous when added to low-viscous foods such as low-fat yogurt and dairy-free ice cream. This property also adds a creamy taste familiar in protein drinks. Solubility also curbs the appetite by slowing the digestive process, creating a sense of fullness more rapidly which lasts for longer stretches of time. 

For those suffering from diabetes, inulin decreases the sharp spikes and drops of blood sugar. A study in 2013 followed patients with type II diabetes as they took inulin food supplements. The findings of this study and many others proved inulin may manage fasting blood sugar levels and HbA1c levels and recommended inulin supplements for elderly patients with type II diabetes.

Studies have proven adding inulin to a diet helps in the absorption of both calcium and magnesium, very important salts required to keep the body healthy. 

What foods contain inulin?

Ice cream and other frozen delights add inulin as an ingredient to stop the formation of ice crystals. Gluten binds fibers together, which is missing in gluten-free foods. Inulin’s properties replace gluten’s elastic-like abilities to bind food ingredients. This ability also gives it a place in foods as a substitute for eggs, which form a similar binding function. High-fiber cereals, cereal bars, and breads often contain inulin, especially if they tout low carbohydrates. A second boost in use is its sweet flavor. Inulin is often dried and powdered, then sold as a zero-calorie sweetener. 

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including inulin. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.