There's something about Inulin

What is Inulin?

Inulin is a type of dietary fiber that belongs to a class of carbohydrates known as fructans and it is found in a wide range of food. It is especially prevalent in garlic, onions, and root vegetables. It is also a major component of wheat, so you will find inulin in foods such as bread, pasta, and cereals.

What have AIRE 2 users discovered about Inulin?

Among the FODMAPs tested in the Food Tolerance Kits, inulin has been identified as a digestive troublemaker among AIRE 2 users as it has the second-highest positivity rate in every country in our dataset except Spain (where it has the third-highest positivity rate).

Why is Inulin such a problem for people?

Inulin can be hard to digest because it ferments slowly. A slower fermentation process means that the onset of digestive symptoms are delayed until much later in the day or even as late as the next day! For this reason, many people don’t realize that inulin is the cause of their digestive problems, which leads them to eliminate the wrong foods and continue to experience symptoms.

Gluten's not always be the culprit

Many staple foods that are high in gluten (think wheat bread and cereals) also contain high levels of inulin. Therefore, people commonly attribute their digestive discomfort to foods containing wheat rather than foods containing inulin.

So how do I rule out inulin as an issue?

The good news is that we have all the necessary resources for you to properly identify if inulin negatively impacts your digestion!

Using your AIRE or AIRE 2 device, the FoodMarble app and the FoodMarble food intolerance test kit, you can test your response to the inulin testing substrate which is included as one of the four tests.

Look out for a late rise in your Inulin Challenge

It is not uncommon for some users to experience a late rise in their fermentation levels, sometimes hours after the inulin challenge has finished.

This can happen because inulin is a large molecule that is more difficult for the body to break down which gives it a longer transit time.

Check out this help article which explains more.

Updated on: 11/03/2024