Download Inulin: Non-Starchy Carbohydrate (Fiber).

Inulin
Inulin: Non-Starchy Carbohydrate (Fiber)
Before discussing inulin, it might be helpful to do a review of carbohydrates in general.
Carbohydrates
This is a form of stored energy found mainly in plants. That is, plants absorb the energy from
the sun and store it in the carbohydrates they make (from carbon dioxide and water) for future
growth of the plant. However, animals also create and store a form of carbohydrate known as
glycogen, for short term use mainly by muscles. Glycogen can be made from dietary sugars,
fats, or proteins.
Carbohydrates include simple sugars and chains of simple sugars. Most dietitians divide carbs
into three major classes:
sugars (mono- and di-saccharides)
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starches (digestible longer chains of sugars)
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fiber (non-digestible longer chains of sugars)
But the world of carbohydrates is really quite more complex than that.
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Simple sugars: these are the mono-saccharides. Most simple sugars are readily absorbed from the gut. The most common of the simple sugars in human metabolism are:
glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, fucose, and xylose.
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Disaccharides are the simplest chains of sugars, made up of two simple sugars linked
together. For example, sucrose (table sugar), which is one molecule each of glucose
and fructose. Most disaccharides are digestible in the human gut, but some, such as
lactose (glucose and galactose linked together), are not digestible for many people who
lack the lactase enzyme to break the sugar-to-sugar bond.
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Glucan, perhaps the most common form of carbohydrate found in both the plant and
animal kingdoms, is comprised of chains of glucose molecules. These chains come in
two forms: linear and branched. In the plant kingdom, the long, linear chains are called
cellulose; the long and complex branched chains are called starch. Cellulose provides
structure, and starch is the way plants store energy (from the sun) for future growth.
Glycogen is the "starch" of the animal kingdom, used by cells for short-term energy
needs, but it not as concentrated an energy reserve as triglycerides stored in fat cells.
Humans have no enzymes for digesting cellulose, so it falls into the larger class known
as "fiber." We have two enzymes for digesting starch and glycogen: amylase and
ptyalin. The breakdown of starches to the disaccharide of glucose known as maltose
happens quickly and readily in our small intestine.
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Fructan is another fairly common form of carbohydrate, primarily found in the roots of
the Compositae family (daisy, dandelion, burdock, echinacea, sunflower, chokes, etc.),
but also in vegetables such as asparagus, green beans, garlic, onions, leeks, and
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Inulin
wheat. Generally, foods that store energy as fructans, do not store energy as glucans
(starch). The most well-known fructans are the inulins, which include shorter-chain
fructo-oligo-saccharides (FOS); and longer-chain inulin (these terms are often used interchangeably). Two other categories also exist: levans and graminans.
Humans lack the enzymes to digest and absorb fructans, so they are considered "fiber." Inulins would pass through our digestive tract and out in our stool intact, were it
not for the good bacteria (probiotics) in our large intestine, who, rather than breaking
them down into simple sugars, ferment them into non-sugar products we can absorb, as
well as a bit of gas (carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and/or methane). If you are not used to
eating inulin-rich foods, go easy at first.
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Gums are another form of indigestible carbohydrate classed as "fiber." For example,
pectin, agar, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and sodium caboxymethyl cellulose.
These carbs are chains of different simple sugars such as galactose, mannose, and
glucose, and may be linear or branched. Humans lack the enzymes to digest them, and
most are also untouched by probiotics, so that these carbs are excreted in the stool.
Inulin
Shorter-chain FOS molecules are 30 - 50% as sweet as table sugar. Longer chain inulin, is
not particularly sweet, but has a pleasant feel in the mouth which can be described as "sweet"
or "creamy." For this reason, inulin is used increasingly as a food additive in processed foods
to mimic the missing sugars in low-carb foods, or the missing fats in low-fat foods. 2
Digestion of all fructans happens by the effort of certain probiotic bacteria in our gut, primarily
the bifidobacteria. The inulin is fermented to produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which we
can absorb. These SCFA are acetic (as in vinegar), propionic, and butyric acids. All can be
used by the liver for energy production and detoxification; butyric acid has cancer-preventing
properties within the intestine. They also enhance absorption of calcium and other minerals 1
There is some evidence that inulin also feeds some potentially bad bugs; for example: Klebsiella. Normally Klebsiella resides in the large intestine without causing problems. However,
certain conditions (such as systemic candida infection) can allow it to migrate into the small
intestine, where it can wreak havoc on the intestinal mucosa, and result in a condition known
as "leaky gut." 1
Commercial and supplemental inulin/FOS is a highly refined, crystalline substance. But these
fructans can be found in certain foods, most particularly roots and rhizomes, such as jerusalem
artichoke, chicory, dandelion, and garlic. See also list of foods, below.
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Health Benefit of Inulin
Dietary inulin provides many health benefits for humans (I do not advise supplementing with
inulin, as it can have undesirable side effects):
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Increases mineral absorption, especially calcium and magnesium,1,3,4 and modulates
endocrine and immune functions in the gut. 4
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Has minimal impact on blood sugar, and does not cause release of insulin upon ingestion of inulin. Rather, inulin modulates insulin and glucagon levels (the two hormones
that regulate blood sugar levels), and for these reasons, shows promise in managing
insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome), and blood sugar-related illnesses. 3,4
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Normalizes blood lipids (improves lipid panel results) by lowering VLDL cholesterol and
triglcyerides (TG). 4,8
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Helps maintain nitrogen balance by lowering blood urea and uric acid levels. 4
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Helps to re-establish healthy colonies of good flora (probiotics) in the gut. Certain bacteria, primarily bifidobacteria, thrive on inulin, fermenting it to short chain fatty acids
which have beneficial effects. As the bifidobacteria grow, they crowd out the bad bugs. 4
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Ameliorates abnormal accumulation of triglycerides in fat vacuoles of the liver (hepatic
steatosis) typical of a condition known as "fatty liver." 7
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Reduces incidence of colon cancer. 4
Inulin in the Diet
First off, it is probably best to avoid so-called "functional foods containing inulin," processed
foods to which inulin has been added (or from which it has been processed and refined) so
that certain health claims can be made. FOS supplements should also be avoided, as they
have been industrially manipulated to alter fructan chain length. 5
But many natural foods contain inulin, and can be included in your diet: 3,5
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Agave + *
Asparagus
Bananas
Burdock
Camas bulb
Chicory +
Dandelion root and leaves +
+
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Garlic +
Globe artichoke root
Jerusalem artichokes +
Jicama
Leeks and onions
Sweet Potatoes
Wheat
These sources have the highest concentration of inulin by % of fresh weight. 6
* NOTE: Agave nectar may include hydroyzed inulin; i.e., simple fructose, which does
not have the same beneficial effects as inulin, and may be harmful if ingested regularly.
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Inulin
Who should avoid inulin
If you are FODMAP Intolerant, you should avoid inulin, especially as a supplement. FODMAP
refers to certain types of foods that contain “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides,
Monosaccharides And Polyols”) - in other words, fermentable sugars, starches and fibers.
From Mercola’s article, Health Benefits of Inulin (9):
“FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates that are difficult for some people to digest. Instead, they’re fermented by your gut bacteria, causing gas, pain, bloating and diarrhea.
FODMAPs are found in many foods and include lactose in some dairy, fructose, galactans
(found in some legumes), polyols (found in sweeteners like xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol and
mannitol) and fructan (i.e. inulin).
Most people digest FODMAPs with no problem, but if you have gut problems, particularly
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), FODMAPs may be problematic for you.”
Sources:
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9.
naturalnews.com/022356.html
jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/129/7/1402S
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inulin
.raysahelian.com/inulin.html: Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Mar; 77(3):559-64; J Biosci. 2002 Dec; 27(7):703-14; Br J
Nutr. 1999 Jul; 82(1):23-30.
foodprocessing.com/articles/2005/272.html
wiley-vch.de/books/biopoly/pdf_v06/bpol6014_439_448.pdf
Drug Metab Dispos. 2006 Jun 30: 16815962 (lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:16815962 or
dmd.aspetjournals.org/cgi/reprint/34/10/1677.pdf)
jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/128/11/1937#T1
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/03/07/inulin-health-benefits.aspx
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