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Chicory

Healthy life = healthy nutrition
When relating to health we often think of proper nutrition, sufficient physical exercise and enough relaxation. To be healthy, is to eat healthy through good-tasting nutritious food which can be enriched with inulin, a soluble dietary fibre.

Inulin is a natural ingredient that is used in numerous products such as beverages,
bakery products, baby foods, dairy products, cereals and cereal bars, ice-cream and desserts, fruit products, meal replacers, pasta and noodles. Inulin has also prebiotic activity as it stimulates growth of bifidobacteria in the large intestine.

Digestive health
The microflora present in the large intestine consists of millions of bacteria, both good ones as well as bad ones. Paying attention to our microflora is of importance to our well-being. The balance between good and bad bacteria is important for an optimal digestion. Good digestion in turn guarantees sufficient uptake and absorption of all nutrients required for physical and mental performance.

The balance of the microflora is continually threatened due to our hectic and stressful lifestyles. Furthermore, when we grow older or when we do not eat healthily, the harmful bacteria develop more quickly, outnumbering the beneficial bacteria and finally hindering the functioning of the digestive system.

Inulin and FOS contribute to restoring the balance and improving the composition of the microflora.
Inulin and FOS are resistant to the conditions in the mouth, stomach and small intestine and reach the colon intact where they stimulate growth of the good bifidobacteria which helps to ensure good digestion. This is called the prebiotic or bifidogenic effect of inulin and FOS. This is what makes these ingredients more than 'just' dietary fibres.

Dietary fibre intake
Dietary fibres are carbohydrates that are resistant to our digestive system; we do not have the enzymes in our digestive system for breakdown of these food ingredients, nor are they hydrolysed in the stomach. Dietary fibres occur mostly in fruits and vegetables, in grain based products, and they may have a variety of physiological effects:

• Fibres have a favourable effect on stool weight, softness and frequency, thereby reducing constipation and delivering more digestive comfort in general by facilitating an easy passage through the digestive system.
• A diet rich in fibres lowers the risk for coronary heart disease, and possible also for the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.
• A diet rich in fibres is also important for the prevention of overweight and obesity.
Epidemiological data show that our daily menu does not include enough dietary fibre. On average each adult eats only 15-20 grams per day, whereas 30-40 grams is the recommended amount. Inulin and FOS provide an easy solution to level up the daily intake of fibre, ultimately stimulating good digestion.

Weight management and appetite control
Everybody pays attention to his/her weight from time to time. We all recognise the never-ending fight between ‘indulgence’and ‘less calories’. To indulge yourself is important, however at the same time many people want to lose some kilos or simply want to stick to their weight.

The temptations are everywhere as we tend to prefer tasteful food with lots of calories. Food high in fats and carbohydrates is available everywhere and has contributed to an average increase in body weight over the past years, since we give in easily to the temptations of this tasteful food with lots of calories.
Inulin and FOS are low calorie carbohydrates, and can be used very well as sugar and fat replacer. A zero-% fat yoghurt enriched with inulin not only helps to control body weight, but also tastes as good as the full-fat reference.

Consumption of inulin and FOS does not raise the blood glucose level, which may be helpful in appetite control.

Insulin contains 1 calorie/gram which is only 25% of sugar or starch!

Bone health
Calcium is required for the construction and the maintenance of strong bones and teeth. Calcium is gradually less well absorbed into the blood when getting older. Add to this the fact that bones slowly lose calcium with ageing, which results in a weaker bone structure and thus the risk of bone fractures increases.

The absorption of calcium is influenced by a number of factors. Exercise and vitamin D stimulates the intake of absorption from the small intestine, and inulin or FOS contribute to additional calcium uptake from the large intestine. Taking care of strong bones is a lifelong concern and inulin has proven to support this goal.

Taking care of strong bones is a lifelong concern and inulin has proven to support this goal:

Building stronger bones is important for kids and teenagers.

To maintain strong bones is important for adults.