RESEARCH AND MARKET EXPRESS

Inulin: A Prebiotic, Natural Dietary Fiber, Enhance the immue system and Calcium Absorption Booster.

Vicki Koenig, MS, RD, CDN Inulin: A Prebiotic to Enhance the immune system.

Help with digestion by improving gut integrity and maintaining normal intestinal flora Decrease episodes of and minimize viral and bacterial diarrhea Inhibit the growth of many harmful bacteria and yeast, including those that cause food-borne illness like E.Coli, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Listeria. Help produce nutrients, especially B vitamins and digestive enzymes Now get ready for Prebiotics!

Prebiotics are food ingredients that enhance the actions of probiotics in the digestive tract, especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Inulin (a nondigestible fiber) is a prebiotic that helps promote the growth of these "good" bacteria in the colon. It serves as food for these organisms. The Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria actually digest the inulin for us and then increase as much as 5 to 10 times in volume. A synergistic relationship is developed where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

A Natural Dietary Fiber

While inulin is not well known as a supplement or functional food (food that provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition), it is a natural substance that is found in more than 35,000 plants and vegetables throughout the world. Because it is a natural plant product that humans have been widely exposed to, the risk of allergic reaction or intolerance to its addition to foods is minimized significantly.

On average it's estimated that Americans eat less than 3 grams of inulin per day. Sources include 69% from wheat, 23% from onion, 3% from banana, 3% from garlic and 2% from other sources like artichokes, asparagus, and raisins. The inulin in Stonyfield Farm yogurts comes from chicory root, which is extracted by a natural hot water distilling process. Historically, humans have eaten significantly large amounts of inulin. The highest food concentrations occur in dahlia tubers, burdock roots, chicory roots and greens; foods that are not traditionally eaten in large amounts currently. Sixteenth century Europeans consumed about 35 g of inulin daily, while 19th century Central and South Americans consumed up to 100 g daily.

Because inulin is a soluble fiber, it helps maintain normal bowel function, decreases constipation, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, and helps normalize blood sugar levels. Everyone would benefit from more fiber in his or her diet. This is particularly true for diabetics. Inulin doesn't raise blood sugar or require insulin to metabolize it. Despite its similarity in spelling to insulin, inulin has no connection with the hormone. Inulin has been called a fat substitute as well as a sugar substitute, but it's not an artificial chemical. In fact, its slightly sweet taste and smooth texture improves the eating experience of low fat and fat free foods. Research is demonstrating that the nutritional value of inulin goes beyond what is typical of most classical fibers.

Calcium Absorption Booster

On average, we only absorb about 30% of our ingested calcium. Most people don't realize this. While our Recommended Daily Intake is 1000 mg, we need to ingest that amount to provide ourselves with about 300 mg that we actually absorb and use. During the human growth stage, there is a higher absorption rate. The absorptive ability of the intestine decreases with age however. Other factors also positively affect the absorption of calcium, like the presence of vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus. These encourage absorption. The negative effects of phytate and oxalate found in plants bind with the calcium and make it unavailable. Too much protein and sodium in the diet cause increased excretion of calcium as well. Calcium is a nutrient that many people, particularly women, need more of.

A recent study compared the absorption of calcium of 29 teenage girls between the ages of 11 and 14, who normally consumed a calcium-rich diet. During the study, the girls drank calcium-fortified orange juice containing either the inulin or a placebo as part of a 1300-milligram calcium diet. The girls repeated the study, with those who had received the inulin during the first phase then got the placebo, and vice versa. No one knew when the juice contained inulin or the placebo until the study was completed. Calcium absorption was monitored using non-radioactive "tracers."

While on the placebo, the girls' 1300-milligram calcium diet yielded 416 milligrams of absorbed calcium, about what researchers expected. But while taking the supplemental inulin, absorption jumped 18 percent, to an average of 494 milligrams. This has implications for even greater results with those consuming a lower calcium diet. If the overall percent of absorption of calcium can be increased, this has broad appeal for helping those at risk for developing osteoporosis. (1) Inulin has been shown to increase the absorption of other minerals as well, such as magnesium and iron. (2, 3)

Inulin has potential to have a beneficial effect on cancer prevention as well. Bifidobacteria digest inulin to short chain fatty acids like propionic acid and butyric acid. Butyric acid has been shown to have cancer-preventing properties in the large intestine. (4) There has also been animal research to suggest that inulin prevents pre-cancerous changes in the colon. (5) More research needs to be done to be able to claim such positive effects, but the studies look promising.


References:

1. Abrams, Steven, et al: Paper at World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. August 2000.

2. Lopez, HW, et al: Fructooligosaccharides enhance mineral absorption and counteract the deleterious effects of phytic acid on mineral homeostasis in rats. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2000 Oct;11(10): 500-508.

3. van den Heuvel EG; et al.: Nondigestible oligosaccharides do not interfere with calcium and nonheme-iron absorption in young, healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr, 1998 Mar, 67:3, 445-51.

4. Spiller, GA: Dietary Fiber in Health and Nutrition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1994.

5. Reddy, BS, et al: Effect of dietary oligofructose and inulin on colonic preneoplastic aberrant foci inhibition. Carcinogenesis. 1997 July;18(7):1371-1374.




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