What Is Inulin?
Inulin is a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are the most abundant carbohydrate found in food. Inulin belongs to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans.
Inulin is present in more than 36,000 different plants.
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The Sweet Fiber
Inulin is a naturally occurring, indigestible and nonabsorbable oligosaccharide. (source 🗗)
Oligosaccharides are a type of carbohydrate formed when three to ten simple sugars are linked together.
Even though inulin is a dietary fiber, it is sweet and has a sweetening power of 30–65%, compared to sucrose. (source 🗗)
Where To Find Inulin
Inulin is naturally very common. It’s extensively distributed in various plants. (source 🗗)
Commercially most inulin is produced from chicory.
But dahlia and Jerusalem artichoke are also considered to be good sources.
Inulin is also present in wheat, onion, bananas, garlic, asparagus, and many other plants. (source 🗗)
Is Inulin Good For You?
Inulin provides several nutritional and health benefits for humans. (source 🗗)
For instance, inulin has been reported to contribute to the optimal health of the human colon as a prebiotic. (source 🗗)
You can read about some researched-backed benefits that you might get from consuming inulin in Inulin: 2 Research-Backed Benefits .