By Greg Bastin • February 19, 2020
What is inulin powder? It’s an excellent way to protect your gut and resolve digestive issues.
The average American diet has taken a nosedive over the past few decades.
Junk food and empty carbs are everywhere.
So much so that they seem impossible to avoid.
The result is that many people nowadays end up with poor gut health.
But there’s a silver lining in the form of inulin supplements – one of the best antidotes for this.
Inulin is a potent prebiotic that feeds your gut bacteria for a balanced microbiome.
You see, inulin falls under the category of fructans.
These are chains of fructose molecules that your small intestine can’t digest, allowing inulin to travel undisturbed to your lower gut where the beneficial bacteria live.
The bacteria then convert the inulin to short-chain fatty acids that feed your colon cells.
Inulin occurs naturally in healthy foods such as chicory root, asparagus, and garlic.
However, you’d have to eat a lot of these foods to get the amounts of inulin that can make a difference.
This is why supplements have become a very popular alternative.
And the health benefits are numerous.
Apart from gut health, inulin can do a lot to make you look and feel better.
Studies suggest that it helps to control appetite and promote weight loss.
It can also relieve constipation and normalize blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.
This article goes over some of the most popular ways to add more inulin to your life.
But first, let’s check out a few real-world results of inulin at play.
Inulin’s Many Success Stories
So many people have had a chance to experience the effectiveness of inulin that it’s probably not even up for debate.
They use inulin powder in many different ways with great results.
Stasha, for one, calls it the “new cooking staple on a keto plan.”
In her first time using inulin she added the powder to her dishes and recipes.
Stasha hasn’t noticed any ill difference in the flavor, which she appreciates.
Dianne is another person who’s had great results with the powder.
She’s on her second package and inulin has quickly become a staple for her.
Dianne particularly enjoys the great taste of inulin mixed in with her yogurt taste:
Of course, inulin supplements work together with other prebiotics to support gut health.
This is why Dave adds it to his coffee every morning.
He points out inulin’s ability to enhance the effectiveness of the other prebiotics.
As you can see, there are many different ways to add inulin to your diet.
And to help you find your favorite, here are some of the most common uses of inulin powder.
3 Ways To Use Inulin
1. Add to Hot Drinks
The most convenient way to use inulin powder is to add it to your morning coffee, tea, or another beverage.
If you’d to keep the drink’s taste as is, you can use an unflavored powder.
You can also use an inulin powder that replaces sweeteners, many of which come from chicory root.
With that said, keep in mind that inulin isn’t going to taste as good sugar (at least according to most people’s taste).
It’s mildly sweet but it’s not going to give you the pleasing taste of processed sugar, for example.
However, it’s a much healthier alternative.
If you’re staying away from sugar to control your body weight, inulin powder can be an excellent choice.
Drinking inulin-infused morning coffee can be very beneficial.
You get the dietary fiber that your body needs in the morning for kick-starting your metabolism.
Also, this can help to regulate bowel movements, which can get rid of bloating and constipation.
It’s worth mentioning that you should start small if you’ve never used inulin before.
Too much fiber can upset your stomach and cause bloating and gas.
To prevent this, you might want to start with a smaller amount than recommended on the label.
After the adjustment period, it’d be safe to work your way up.
2. Add to Baked Goods
Let’s face it.
Everyone could use a sweet treat every once in a while.
However, there are many people who take it to the point of sugar addiction.
If that’s the case, substituting with inulin powder can be an excellent way to kick the addiction.
As mentioned, the powder is a healthy alternative to sugar even if it’s not as sweet.
This is perfect in the sense that it can help you use less sugar over time such that there wouldn’t be any sudden cravings.
As you might imagine, you don’t have to replace sugar with inulin altogether right away.
You can start by replacing a teaspoon or two of sugar with inulin.
Little by little, you’re going to find that your favorite baked goods can taste just as great without any added sugar.
Cookies, cakes, muffins, and bread are super easy to make with some inulin and you’ll get some extra beneficial nutrients in your body.
3. Use for Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is an effective weight loss method.
For example, a dieter may eat within an 8-hour window and fast the rest of the time.
As such, intermittent fasting can be quite challenging.
For most dieters, mornings are the toughest.
Breakfast is an important meal, so it can be tough to wait until noon.
Luckily, there’s a very simple solution.
You can just add inulin powder to your coffee or another morning drink.
As mentioned, the powder contains a lot of fiber, which has a satiating effect.
Just a teaspoon can give you a beneficial sensation of fullness.
This should allow you to go through the fasting period more comfortably.
Even better, you can curb the food cravings that affect your energy and mental focus.
And when it’s time to eat, you can replenish your energy levels for the rest of your day.
Inulin, A Versatile Solution
There’s a wide variety of ways to keep your gut healthy with inulin powder.
The above outlines only some of them, so don’t hesitate to experiment with other drinks, recipes, and uses.
Bear in mind that there are many inulin powder products to choose from.
Some of them are certainly more beneficial than others.
For a high-quality powder, take a look at the Opportuniteas Organic Agave Inulin Powder.
Add one scoop to your drink or recipe and you’re ready to go!
