Vegan. Inulin is a dietary fibre extracted from plants, most often chicory root, so it is vegan. It is added as a prebiotic fibre and a fat or sugar replacer.
Inulin is a prebiotic fibre pulled mostly from chicory root. It is plant storage carbohydrate, plain and simple.
Made fromChicory root and other plants
Used asPrebiotic fibre, fat replacer
VerdictVegan
Where it hides
High-fibre and gut-health foods
Protein and cereal bars
Dairy-free yogurts
Sugar-reduced products
What it is
Inulin is a storage carbohydrate that many plants make, harvested at scale from chicory root and added to food as a prebiotic fibre.
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Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, industrially most often extracted from chicory.
Because it is extracted straight from plants, inulin is vegan. It shows up in high-fibre and gut-health products as a prebiotic that feeds beneficial bacteria, and as a way to cut fat or sugar while keeping texture.
MaltodextrinMaltodextrin is processed plant starch, a bland filler and bulking agent. Corn, wheat or tapioca in, white powder out, no animal step.
Erythritol (E968)Erythritol is a sweetener grown by yeast on plant sugar. Unlike its milk-derived cousin lactitol, its name hides nothing.
Sorbitol (E420)Sorbitol is a sweetener and moisture-keeper made from plant glucose. It is the reason sugar-free gum stays soft, and it is plant-based.
Fibre on a vegan dietThe Evidence · Fibre is the nutrient almost everyone under-eats, and it is the one plant-based diets deliver in abundance. Vegans eat the most of anyone, and the payoff shows up across the body.
Frequently asked
Is inulin vegan?
Yes. Inulin is a fibre extracted from plants, mainly chicory root, so it is vegan.
What is inulin used for?
It is a prebiotic fibre that feeds gut bacteria, and it is used to add fibre or replace fat and sugar in foods. It is plant-based.
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