If you’ve heard of inulin, chances are it’s because you’re a health-conscious person with a keen interest in all things natural. You’re always looking for ways to improve your health, and maybe you’ve even heard that inulin is supposed to be good for your gut.

Discover the myriad benefits of inulin with these 10 versatile uses. From enhancing digestive health to promoting weight loss, inulin is a powerful ingredient that can help you achieve your wellness goals. Read on to learn more about the many benefits of inulin and how it can support your overall health and well-being – we’ll cover everything you need to know about one of today’s most promising superfoods: inulin.

Here are 10 ways you can use inulin every day:
  1. Add it to your morning smoothie: Inulin is a soluble fiber, meaning it can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Adding Inulin powder to your smoothie will also turn your smoothie into a prebiotic smoothie.
  1. Use it to replace sugar in recipes:Inulin doesn’t affect blood sugar levels like refined sugar does, so you can use it when you want something sweet without the calories or the crash that comes with eating refined sugars. You can replace up to 30 – 50% sugar with inulin.
  1. Add inulin to your breakfast: Try adding it to your breakfast cereal or oatmeal before adding milk, instead of other sweeteners that contain refined sugars or artificial ingredients (which often have added calories as well).
  1. Coffee sweetener: Use it as an alternative sweetener for coffee or tea; just make sure you don’t overdo it! A little goes a long way!
  1. Homemade bread, muffins, or cookies: Replace 10% of flour or add an extra teaspoonful or two of inulin to your next batch of homemade bread dough/mix before baking; this will make the bread more nutritious because it will add more fiber per serving size. It can also make them moist and soft.
  1. Add body and texture: Use Inulin to add creamy, richness, and texture to smoothies, sauces, and soups, without adding fat or calories. To use as a thickener, add 1 to 2 teaspoons for each cup of liquid. Stir until it dissolves, you may need to cook it for a few minutes until you get the desired thickness.
  1. Add to yogurt or ice cream – Simply stir into yogurt or ice cream
  1. Use it as an egg substitute when baking. It’s great for binding and keeping things together!
  1. Inulin can be used to glaze vegetables. Gently heat 1 cup of water with 1 cup of inulin until the inulin has dissolved into a golden liquid. Baste over vegetables and cook in the oven as usual, removing and basting regularly.
  1. Create Breakfast Bars or snacks Inulin and honey breakfast bars are a quick and easy recipe that you can make that is low in sugar, has a low glycaemic index, and is high in protein and fiber. Jump to the recipe here
Benefits of Inulin
  1. Aids digestion: Inulin is a prebiotic fiber that helps promote the production of good bacteria in the gut such as Lactobacillus sp., Bifidobacteria sp., and Lactococcus sp. These bacteria, in turn, stimulate the immune system and prevent toxins, pathogens, or bad bacteria from entering the gut, thus improving gut health and digestion. It also works to inhibit the growth of potentially harmful bacteria such as Clostridia and Escherichia coli. (1)  Inulin is also known to aid digestion by stimulating enzyme production and increasing the absorption of nutrients from food.
  1. Supports Weight Loss: Inulin is a natural fiber that is found in many fruits, vegetables, and grains. It supports weight loss by stimulating the body to produce more of the hormones that make you feel full. Consequently, reducing your calorie intake and your weight. (2,3)

One study found that those who consumed more inulin reported fewer cravings for sugary, salty, and fatty foods (1)

  1. Aids digestion: Research has shown that Inulin can help increase the frequency of your bowel movements and regulate your digestion. (4)
  1. Helps regulate blood sugar:  Inulin is a type of soluble fiber. It helps slow down digestion, which means the sugar in your food is released more slowly into your bloodstream. This helps keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range, which can help with Type 2 diabetes. (5) This can also help you prevent energy and appetite swings.
  1. Supports calcium absorption: Consuming inulin regularly increases the absorption of calcium and bone mineral mass. (6)

 

Summary

Inulin has been shown to have many benefits on your body. One of the main reasons so many people are taking it is because it helps improve digestion and nutrient absorption. It works by feeding good bacteria in your gut, which helps them grow and thrive so they can do their job better (digesting food). This makes it easier for you to digest food too!

Another benefit of inulin is that it keeps blood glucose levels stable throughout the day by preventing spikes in blood sugar after meals. This means less insulin is needed by your body to process food correctly—and less insulin means less fat storage!

 References: 

  1. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/109/6/1683/5479239?login=false
  2. https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-015-0033-2
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4680171/
  4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622028206
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3638225/
  6. https://pure.johnshopkins.edu/en/publications/an-inulin-type-fructan-enhances-calcium-absorption-primarily-via-