Inulin fiber是什么？

据市场研究公司称，纤维是“新一轮的蛋白质”（指和以前的蛋白质风潮一样火）。但它也可能是你胃痛的新原因。

If you're like most Americans, you're trying to add more fiber to your diet. That's a good thing, because the average American gets only half the recommended amount of fiber each day.

如果你像大多数美国人一样，那你大概正在试图在你的饮食中添加更多的纤维。这是一件好事，因为普通美国人每天只能获得建议纤维量的一半。

Manufacturers are responding to consumers' wishes by adding fiber to a plethora of foods and beverages, including cereals, energy bars, protein supplements, "healthier" cookies, diet ice cream and even bottled water.

制造商通过在大量食品和饮料中添加纤维来满足消费者的愿望，包括谷物、能量棒、蛋白质补充剂、“健康”饼干、减肥冰淇淋甚至瓶装水。

One of the most prevalent fiber-boosting ingredients is inulin. Like any fiber, it can cause gas, bloating and abdominal pain if consumed too quickly or in large quantities. Many of my clients who have complained about digestive discomfort don't realize how much inulin they're consuming each day. Most of them have never even heard of it.

菊粉是最普遍的纤维增强成分之一。像任何纤维一样，如果食用过快或大量食用，会导致产气、腹胀和腹痛。许多抱怨消化不适的客户都没有意识到他们每天消耗多少菊粉。他们中的大多数人甚至从未听说过这个词。

Here's what you should know about inulin, including how much you need and how to determine how much you are getting.

What is inulin?

什么是菊粉？

Inulin is a type of prebiotic, a substance that's used by the microorganisms in your digestive tract and positively influences health. At this point, there is evidence that three prebiotics can provide health benefits: inulin, also referred to as long-chain inulin; fructooligosaccharide (FOS), a short-chain inulin that's also called oligofructose, and galactooligosaccharide (GOS).

菊粉是一种益生元，一种被消化道中的微生物使用并对健康产生积极影响的物质。目前，有证据表明有三种益生元对健康有好处：菊粉，也称为长链菊粉；低聚果糖（FOS），一种短链菊粉，也称为低聚果糖；还有低聚半乳糖（GOS）。

Both inulin and FOS are extracted from chicory root fiber, a natural dietary fiber that is extracted using hot water from a plant that's part of the dandelion family. GOS is produced from lactose, which is sourced from animals. It also isn't as well-studied as the other two.

菊粉和FOS都是从菊苣根纤维中提取的，菊苣根纤维是一种天然膳食纤维，是用热水从蒲公英科植物中提取的。GOS由乳糖制成，乳糖来自动物；它没有得到其他两个那样的充分研究。

Inulin is also found in smaller amounts in whole wheat and some vegetables and fruits, such as asparagus, garlic and bananas. Data from 1999 (the most recent available) puts the average American intake of inulin naturally occurring in food at 2.5 to 3.5 grams a day.

在全麦和一些蔬菜和水果中也能找到少量的菊粉，例如芦笋、大蒜和香蕉。1999年的数据（最新的数据）表明美国人每天摄入的菊粉平均摄入量为2.5至3.5克。

Longer-chain inulin has a creamy mouthfeel, so it's often used to help reduce the fat content in products. Short-chain inulin (FOS) tastes slightly sweet, so it's used to help reduce some of the sugar and sugar substitutes in foods and beverages.

较长链的菊粉具有奶油般的口感，因此通常用于帮助减少产品中的脂肪含量。短链菊粉（FOS）略带甜味，因此用于帮助减少食品和饮料中的一些糖和糖替代品。

Inulin supplements and some foods and beverages will use a blend of short- and longer-chain inulin. These blends are also commonly used in research.

图片来源：视觉中国

Digestivepros and cons

消化方面的利弊

Chicory root fiber passes through your small intestine and then is fermented by the bacteria in your large intestine. As noted above, taking in too much too quickly can lead to digestive discomfort - which can happen with any fiber. In addition, some people seem to be more sensitive to inulin and FOS than others, and may need to limit their consumption.

菊苣根纤维穿过你的小肠，然后由你的大肠中的细菌发酵。如上所述，摄入过快会导致消化不适——任何纤维都可能引发这种情况。此外，有些人似乎对菊粉和FOS比其他人更敏感，可能需要限制摄入量。

Inulin does have some digestive benefits. A blend of short- and long-chain inulin has been shown to reduce discomfort and help with constipation. The fiber increases the amounts of beneficial Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli bacteria in the gut.

菊粉确实有一些消化益处。短链和长链菊粉的混合物已被证明可以减轻不适并有助于便秘。纤维增加了肠道中有益的双歧杆菌和乳酸杆菌的数量。

The European Food Safety Association has approved the claim that consuming at least 12 grams of chicory inulin or FOS a day eases constipation. (There isn't enough research to state this about GOS.)

欧洲食品安全协会已经批准了这样的说法，即每天至少消耗12克菊苣菊糖或FOS可以缓解便秘。（目前还没有足够的研究来说明GOS。）

Other health benefits

其他健康益处

Inulin and FOS also may reduce our calorie intake and blood-sugar levels and increase calcium absorption.

菊粉和FOS还可以降低我们的卡路里摄入量和血糖水平，并增加钙的吸收。

Chicory root fiber seems to slow down stomach emptying and suppresses appetite signals in the brain, which could help you eat less. In small studies, adults and children of both normal and excess weight who took a supplement of 12 to 16 grams a day consumed fewer calories.

菊苣根纤维似乎可以减缓胃排空、抑制大脑中的食欲信号，这可以帮助你减少食量。在小型研究中，正常和体重过重的成人和儿童中那些每天补充12至16克菊粉的人，卡路里摄入量变少了。

A weight-loss study of 44 people with pre-diabetes who were receiving counseling from a dietitian found that the group taking inulin supplements for 18 weeks had a weight loss of 7.6 percent of body weight, compared with a weight loss of 4.9 percent in the group taking cellulose, another type of fiber.

一项减肥研究显示，接受营养师咨询的44名糖尿病前期患者发现服用菊粉补充剂18周后体重减轻了7.6％；另一组服用纤维素的则轻了4.9％。

Inulin also seems to lower glucose and insulin levels after meals in average-weight and overweight people. And a study of 49 women with Type 2 diabetes found that taking 10 grams of inulin a day compared with 10 grams of maltodextrin (a refined carbohydrate) over eight weeks was associated with a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar and A1C (an average of blood sugars over three months) and insulin levels.

在平均体重和超重的人群中，菊粉似乎也会降低饭后的葡萄糖和胰岛素水平。对49名2型糖尿病女性进行的一项研究发现，在8周内，每天服用10克菊粉的人，相较于服用10克麦芽糖糊精（一种精制碳水化合物）的人，空腹血糖、A1C（三个月血糖平均值）和胰岛素水平都显著降低。

Though these findings are exciting, there needs to be more research on the effects of inulin on individuals with pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes to know whether it can be helpful in these populations.

尽管这些研究结果令人兴奋，但我们还需要进一步研究菊粉对糖尿病前期和2型糖尿病患者的影响，才能了解它是否真的有所帮助。

Regarding calcium, research suggests that getting 8 grams of chicory root fiber a day improves absorption. Chicory root fiber makes the colon more acidic, which increases the surface area that can absorb nutrients and makes more proteins that bind to calcium.

关于钙，研究表明每天摄取8克菊苣根纤维可以改善吸收。菊苣根纤维使结肠环境更加酸性，增加了可以吸收营养的表面积，并使更多的蛋白质与钙结合。

A year-long randomized control trial in 100 adolescents conducted at the Agriculture Department's Children's Nutrition Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine found that the teens taking 8 grams a day of chicory root fiber had higher levels of calcium absorption and higher bone mineral density, showing that the additional calcium that was absorbed was deposited into bone.

在贝勒医学院农业部儿童营养研究中心进行的一项为期一年的100名青少年随机对照试验发现，每天服用8克菊苣根纤维的青少年钙吸收水平较高、骨密度较高，这表明吸收的额外钙沉积在骨骼中了。

How much inulin to aim for

In prehistoric times - when we were eating far more vegetables and gnawing at roots - it's estimated that our ancestors consumed about 135 grams of inulin a day. I wouldn't recommend aiming for those levels, given what our digestive levels are now accustomed. But we can realistically reach much lower levels that promote health benefits.

在史前时代——我们当时吃的蔬菜要多得多，有时候还啃根——据估计，我们的祖先每天消耗大约135克菊粉。考虑到我们现在习惯的消化水平，我不建议摄入这么多。但我们可以实际一些、把水平降低一些，同样可以促进健康。

Based on research, aim for 5 grams of inulin a day to boost the growth of the probiotic Bifidobacteria in your gut. For better calcium absorption, make sure you're taking it with vitamin D. Then you can think about whether chicory root fiber is something that could enhance your diet.

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