When you ask people what their fitness goal is, you’ll sometimes hear strength gains, sometimes muscle mass, but most often, weight loss pops up on the radar. We’re led to believe that excessive exercise and an ultra-clean diet are the keys to weight loss - but it’s not that simple.
Although nutrition and exercise are the pillars of weight loss, you also have to factor in things like stress and sleep, which profoundly influence weight management.
However, if we’re talking about nutrition, hitting your macros and micros is critical for supporting weight loss, but if we’re trying to curb cravings and reduce appetite, there’s one thing we need to look to: fiber.
Because fiber can’t be digested in the gut, it’s an essential piece of the weight loss puzzle for regulating hunger hormones and promoting a healthy metabolic profile.
Although there are several types of fiber, we’re breaking down the details on inulin - a powerful indigestible plant compound that may contribute to gut health and losing weight, but does it?
Let’s dive into the details.
What is Inulin?
Don’t mistake inulin for the hormone in your body that regulates blood glucose. Inulin is a prebiotic plant compound that serves as a primary energy source.
For humans, it’s a source of dietary fiber linked to numerous health benefits, including better digestive performance, blood sugar regulation, and even weight loss.
It’s classified as a fructooligosaccharide (FOS), and like other fructans, it’s a prebiotic; probiotic bacteria are the microbes that populate the gut, whereas prebiotic fiber is what feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut to create a strong and healthy microbiome. All fructans link in such a way that they’re indigestible to the body.
Instead, they travel to the intestinal tract, where they function as food and energy for the good gut bugs. The microbes in your gut convert inulin and other prebiotics into short-chain fatty acids, which nourish and provide energy for colonocytes and confer additional health benefits 1.
But what’s interesting about inulin and its effect on gut bacteria is that it’s highly selective; the genera consistently influenced by inulin supplements are the Bifidobacterium, Anaerostipes, and Bilophila species.
While inulin is naturally found in several foods, it’s also added to processed foods to: 2
- Increase the prebiotic content
- Replace fats
- Replace sugar
- Alter food texture
- Improve health benefits and promote better gut health
And being high in fiber and low in calories, it offers numerous health benefits.
Health Benefits Of Inulin
1. Improves digestive and gut health
When it comes to optimal health, digestion needs to be first. If you’re not breaking down and absorbing your food, your body doesn’t have what it needs to thrive.
But before we can even think about digestion, we first need to think about the gut - the epicenter of all things health. The gut is home to trillions of microbes that play a role in everything from immune health and brain function to mood, sleep, and weight management.
Your gut contains thousands of bacterial species, both good and bad, that play an integral role in many physiological functions. Only a tiny portion of what resides in your gut is harmful, while the rest provide beneficial actions - and inulin allows these bacteria to thrive.
It directly supports the microbiome’s and digestive system’s health by increasing the numbers of healthy bacterial cultures, Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli 1.
These bacteria are essential for 3:
- Eliminating pathogens
- Preventing infection
- Stimulating the immune system
But that’s not all. Inulin also has the classic role of most fibers: stool bulking. It is a bulking agent to bulk up stool and increases bowel movement frequency, thereby keeping you regular.
Although it may cause more bowel movements, the fiber ultimately slows down digestion, allowing for better nutrient absorption from food. Some research also suggests that inulin could support better calcium absorption, thereby contributing to better bone health 4.
2. Relieves constipation
Being backed up is never fun. It’s frustrating, uncomfortable, and can sometimes be downright painful. While there are several reasons for constipation, a primary contributor is a lack of fiber.
Soluble fiber functions to absorb water in the GI tract to form a gelatinous, viscous substance that is fermented in the digestive tract.
Insoluble fiber has a bulking action that helps increase the stool’s size and move it through the colon. Combined, these fibers help to improve stool consistency and frequency, thereby preventing or relieving constipation.
Because of its effect on altering the composition of gut microbiota, inulin has been shown to regulate bowel peristalsis and colonic transit time and improve the consistency and frequency of the stool 5, 6.
3. Regulates blood sugar
Whether you struggle with diabetes or not, regulating blood sugar can sometimes be challenging. And a diet high in carbohydrates, especially refined, exacerbates the issue by rapidly spiking blood sugar. But throwing some inulin into the mix can help mitigate the effects of rapid blood sugar increases.
Several studies show that inulin may improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes and prediabetes because of its effect on slowing digestion and glucose release into the bloodstream 7-9. These properties may also support weight loss, which benefits people with diabetes.
4. May improve nutrient absorption
Optimal health is all about nutrient absorption. If you’re not absorbing your food, how can you benefit from it?
Although nutrient absorption is primarily the result of proper stomach acid levels and food breakdown, some animal research shows that inulin could enhance the absorption of calcium and magnesium, both of which are important for bone health 10, 11.
Human research is limited, but it does show favorable outcomes for inulin-type fructans on bone mineral density and calcium absorption 12.
Can Inulin Support Weight Loss?
The other benefit we didn’t touch on is weight loss. Although diet and exercise are two staples for long-term weight loss, adding inulin to your diet might support a few extra pounds falling off.
Two main pathways are involved in this: appetite and energy regulation and metabolic health.
Appetite regulation
Appetite is one of the most powerful biological drivers of food consumption - and if you’ve ever walked into a grocery store hungry, you know just how powerful it can be. But when hunger hormones are out of whack, they can work against us and lead to weight gain and fat accumulation.
Fiber and fat are two of the best nutrients for promoting satiety, as they’re digested slowly, or in the case of fiber, not at all. As such, they can help to regulate appetite and reduce energy intake.
A 2006 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that 8 grams of oligofructose, a type of inulin, increased satiety after breakfast and dinner, reducing hunger and prospective food consumption post-meals 13.
A 2017 study using 125 overweight or obese adults examined the effects of inulin, whey protein, or inulin combined with whey protein on appetite and body weight 14.
After 12 weeks, all three groups saw decreased body fat levels, but the groups taking inulin also had a significantly lower drive to eat. On top of that, they also saw favorable chains in their gut microbiome.
Another study sought to investigate the effects of oligofructose supplementation on appetite, satiety hormones, and energy intake in healthy subjects 15.
Results showed that energy intake was significantly lower, supplementing 16 grams of oligofructose per day compared to the placebo group and the group taking just 10 grams of oligofructose.
Levels of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY3-36 (PYY) were also significantly higher at the end of the stud period, suggesting that inulin could effectively reduce energy intake possibly due to higher GLP-1 and PYY concentrations.
Related Post: Should I Take Fiber Before or After a Meal?
Metabolic health
Numerous studies have looked at the effects of fiber on appetite regulation and energy intake, but you also have to consider its impact on metabolic health. If your metabolic health sucks, chances are you’re carrying around more fat than someone with excellent metabolic health.
Although the details on inflammation and weight loss are well beyond the scope of this article, it’s important to understand that a chronically inflamed body is not conducive to weight loss - and one of the hallmarks of metabolic disease is chronic inflammation, which contributes to malfunction of several other critical body systems.
But here’s the thing - studies have shown that prebiotics like inulin can reduce inflammation. A 2013 study published in Diabetes and Metabolism Journal found that 10 grams of inulin daily over a two-month trial period resulted in significant decreases in fasting blood glucose levels and HbA1c 16; HbA1c is the gold standard for measuring glucose control, as it provides an average blood sugar reading over a period of three months.
On top of that, inulin also contributed to a drastic improvement in total antioxidant capacity, which protects cells from oxidative damage and reduces overall levels of inflammation.
Although the research on inulin and metabolic health isn’t extensive, there’s no harm in supplementing.
Related Post: Do Probiotics Help You Lose Weight? - A Complete Guide
Where To Find Inulin
Unlike some other fibers found in relatively few foods, there are plenty of options for inulin, many of which are probably already in your diet! Here are the best food sources of inulin:
- Banana
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Asparagus
- Chicory root
- Onion
- Garlic
- Wheat
- Leeks
- Wild yams
Looking for a quick way to load up on inulin and reap all the weight loss benefits? Check out Performance Lab Prebiotic. It’s the ultimate upgrade for your microbiome with probiotic-boosting Orafti® Synergy1 Inulin-FOS fiber.
Prebiotic is a 2-in-1 probiotic and soluble fiber designed to boost Bifidobacterium probiotics in the gut, support digestive health and regularity, and enhance immune function, fat loss, and as a result, weight loss.
Unlike traditional probiotic supplements that populate the gut with new strains, Prebiotic nourishes what’s already there for more reliable, natural, and comfortable microbiome support.
References
- Vandeputte D, Falony G, Vieira-Silva S, et al. Prebiotic inulin-type fructans induce specific changes in the human gut microbiota. Gut. 2017;66(11):1968-1974.
- Shoaib M, Shehzad A, Omar M, et al. Inulin: Properties, health benefits and food applications. Carbohydr Polym. 2016;147:444-454.
- Ruiz L, Delgado S, Ruas-Madiedo P, Sánchez B, Margolles A. Bifidobacteria and Their Molecular Communication with the Immune System. Front Microbiol. 2017;8:2345.
- Krupa-Kozak U, Swiątecka D, Bączek N, Brzóska MM. Inulin and fructooligosaccharide affect in vitro calcium uptake and absorption from calcium-enriched gluten-free bread. Food Funct. 2016;7(4):1950-1958.
- Bărboi OB, Ciortescu I, Chirilă I, Anton C, Drug V. Effect of inulin in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2020;20(6):185.
- Micka A, Siepelmeyer A, Holz A, Theis S, Schön C. Effect of consumption of chicory inulin on bowel function in healthy subjects with constipation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2017;68(1):82-89.
- Guess ND, Dornhorst A, Oliver N, Frost GS. A Randomised Crossover Trial: The Effect of Inulin on Glucose Homeostasis in Subtypes of Prediabetes. Ann Nutr Metab. 2016;68(1):26-34.
- Pourghassem Gargari B, Dehghan P, Aliasgharzadeh A, Asghari Jafar-Abadi M. Effects of high performance inulin supplementation on glycemic control and antioxidant status in women with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab J. 2013;37(2):140-148.
- Guess ND, Dornhorst A, Oliver N, Bell JD, Thomas EL, Frost GS. A randomized controlled trial: the effect of inulin on weight management and ectopic fat in subjects with prediabetes. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2015;12:36.
- García-Vieyra MI, Del Real A, López MG. Agave fructans: their effect on mineral absorption and bone mineral content. J Med Food. 2014;17(11):1247-1255.
- Legette LL, Lee W, Martin BR, Story JA, Campbell JK, Weaver CM. Prebiotics enhance magnesium absorption and inulin-based fibers exert chronic effects on calcium utilization in a postmenopausal rodent model. J Food Sci. 2012;77(4):H88-H94.
- Office of Nutrition and Food Labeling, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA, US Department of Health and Human Services. Review of the scientific evidence on the physiological effects of certain non-digestible carbohydrates. 2018.
- Cani PD, Joly E, Horsmans Y, Delzenne NM. Oligofructose promotes satiety in healthy human: a pilot study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60(5):567-572.
- Reimer RA, Willis HJ, Tunnicliffe JM, Park H, Madsen KL, Soto-Vaca A. Inulin-type fructans and whey protein both modulate appetite but only fructans alter gut microbiota in adults with overweight/obesity: A randomized controlled trial. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017;61(11):10.1002/mnfr.201700484.
- Verhoef SP, Meyer D, Westerterp KR. Effects of oligofructose on appetite profile, glucagon-like peptide 1 and peptide YY3-36 concentrations and energy intake. Br J Nutr. 2011;106(11):1757-1762.
- Pourghassem Gargari B, Dehghan P, Aliasgharzadeh A, Asghari Jafar-Abadi M. Effects of high performance inulin supplementation on glycemic control and antioxidant status in women with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab J. 2013;37(2):140-148.
