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Inulin | Research Level

Inulin: a plant source of nourishment

Increasing our fibre intake is the first of our 7 core principles here at the Sourdough Club. Inulin is a great place to start: a prebiotic dietary fibre found in the roots or root stalks of approximately 36,000 species of plants, including wild garlic, garlic, onions, chicory, leeks and artichokes. It is actually a sugar (and so is considered a carbohydrate) that the plants store for energy. It’s also found in smaller amounts in wheat and rye.  

The following properties of Inulin help us understand why it is such a good source of fibre.

  1. Solubility: Inulin is known as a ‘soluble’ dietary fibre, meaning it is soluble in water. When we consume a soluble fibre, it absorbs water to form a gel-like substance inside the digestive system. Soluble fibre helps soften stools so they can slide through the GI tract more easily. It also increases transit time, which helps you feel fuller for longer.
  2. Fermentability: We cannot break down inulin ourselves – our gut microbes break it down for us. So inulin moves through the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract unscathed, ready to be fermented by the gut microbiota of the lower digestive tract (the colon). 

Inulin and the gut microbiome 

Due to this prebiotic effect in the colon, human studies find inulin consumption increases the probiotic bacteria Bifidobacterium, even at low levels. These probiotic bacteria feed on, ferment and convert fibres such as inulin into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) such as butyrate, which is well known for supporting gut cell function, maintaining  gut lining and dampening inflammation. 

Inulin and digestibility: be warned! 

Inulin is so effective at feeding our gut microbes that it makes them produce a lot of gas. This means that consuming inulin-rich foods such as Jerusalem artichokes can make us fart wildly – which explains why they are sometimes known as fartichokes! If this gas accumulates in the digestive tract, it can cause discomfort. Therefore, it is advised we consume these foods in moderation.

Those who suffer with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be even more sensitive to these types of dietary fibres. Inulin belongs to the class of dietary fibre known as fructans, or fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). These fibres are classed as one of the FODMAP foods. Those who suffer from IBS are often prescribed a low-FODMAP diet, meaning they will need to avoid certain foods, such as those containing inulin, for a period of time (although it may well be beneficial to then gradually reintroduce them into the diet in small amounts). 

Nourishment in moderation

Being a soluble, fermentable fibre, it makes sense that we find evidence to suggest inulin not only prevents, but also alleviates symptoms of travellers’ diarrhoea. However, inulin is also found to be beneficial for those with constipation. 

These classic symptoms are most apparent in those who experience gastrointestinal disease such as Crohn’s and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Scientific findings suggest that inulin, together with other fructo-oligosaccharides, can reduce inflammation associated with these conditions. 

Yet that is not all. There is evidence to suggest that inulin has further health benefits, including preventing bone loss as we age. This is because it aids the absorption of calcium, leading to increased bone-mineral density. 

Given these benefits, it may be worthwhile considering including inulin-rich foods in your bakes. You can find suitable recipes on the Club website, such as our Sourdough Cheese & Onion Pan Loaf, or the Red Onion & Garlic Relish, which is a delicious accompaniment to a sourdough slice and some cheese.

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All reasonable care is taken when writing about health aspects of bread, but the information it contains is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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Comments

  1. John Allen says

    1 June 2022 at 9:10 am

    I readvyourc10 minute sourdough book from our local library and made the beer boule. I couldn’t get any dark mild so sub’d it for Stout. It wotked really well. I have requested the book from my family for fathers day!

    Reply
    • Sophie RemerSophie Remer says

      4 June 2022 at 6:25 pm

      Hi John. So glad you enjoyed the bake, and the stout substitution sounds fantastic! Hope you receive what you asked for. Happy early Father’s Day!

      Reply

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🍕 Sourdough Club members can learn to make sour 🍕 Sourdough Club members can learn to make sourdough pizza with our exclusive video tutorials and recipes. Plus all our top tips for making show-stopping pizza, like...

💡 The dough for your sourdough pizza should be slightly drier than a classic dough. It makes it easier to handle, especially when you are stretching the pizza base.

We look forward to sourdough pizza nights here at the Sourdough School. They are a chance to bring friends and family together, enjoy good food and get creative (and sometimes just a little competitive!) with pizza toppings. Over the years we’ve learned a few tricks and techniques for getting the best from our home-made sourdough pizzas. Many of these are really simple, but they can make a huge difference.

Follow the link in the bio to learn more about becoming a Sourdough Club member 👆

#sourdoughclub #sourdough #sourdoughbread #naturallyleavened #realbread #sourdoughbaking #bakingbread #breadmaking #homebakedbread #sourdoughlove #sourdoughpizza #realpizza #sourdoughpizzarecipe #roccbox #gozneyroccbox #pizzaoven #pizza #pizzalove #pizzarecipe #sourdoughpizzadough #homemadepizzadough
THE SOURDOUGH SCHOOL – HAND-CARVED WOODEN SPATUL THE SOURDOUGH SCHOOL – HAND-CARVED WOODEN SPATULA

One of the biggest issues around using a wooden spoon to mix sourdough is that you often mix a lower hydration initially, on the first mix. The problem with this is that you need some real strength... many a good wooden spoon has been snapped mixing dough. 

Our hand-carved wooden spatula has beauty. It has strength. The flat edge is designed to allow you to get right up against the edge of the bowl, to mix all the water and flour together. 

Baking is always a joy but it is even more joyful when you are using tools that are ergonomically designed and fit for purpose but also handmade lovingly by someone who has that same creative streak in them, using sustainable and ethical wood. 

Follow the link in the bio to our shop where you can find our full selection of wooden sourdough tools 👆

#sourdough #sourdoughschool #bread #sourdoughlove #sourdoughlover #naturalleavened #leavening #levain #realbread #breadmaking #bakebread #makebread #makerealbread #learntobakebread #breadmakingclass #sourdoughstories #bakingforlove #bakingtherapy #sourdoughbaking
🌾 CELEBRATE NATIONAL MILLS WEEKEND - 13th & 14t 🌾 CELEBRATE NATIONAL MILLS WEEKEND - 13th & 14th May 🌾

Join the festivities of #NationalMillsWeekend this May, as over 300 windmills and watermills open their doors to the public, showcasing the UK's rich milling heritage.

Visiting traditional mills is a beautiful way to connect with the ingredients you bake with, and delve into the heritage of bread making and milling. Head to their website to find a mill near you, like Whissendine Windmill pictured here!

Whissendine Windmill is one of the few remaining operational nineteenth-century windmills in England, towering over the village of Whissendine, Rutland for over 200 years. Restored to perfection by Nigel Moon, it produces plain, strong white, and wholemeal flours.

Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to witness the magic of milling firsthand! 

#milling #freshlymilled #botanicalblend #fromscratch #unrefined #mockmillproud #mockmill #sourdoughclub #bread #crumbshot #opencrumb #wholegrain #bakingtips #sourdoughtips #sourdoughadvice #sourdoughhelp #sourdough #learnsourdough #sourdoughbread #wholegrainsourdough #wholemealsourdough
AGGRESSIVE COMMENTS We have noticed an increase i AGGRESSIVE COMMENTS 
We have noticed an increase in aggressive comments lately, and we believe this attitude could be due to the increase of misinformation from unregulated and unreliable data sources on bread from bakers and others who are saying anything for attention. In particular this trend is because the AI favours negative responses, which encourages nonsense in information & behaviour.😟

WHY WE WON’T PUT UP WITH IT
We would like to take a moment to clarify to help maintain a positive and respectful environment for everyone.

WE ARE EVIDENCE BASED 
Our posts are led by baker, activist and author @vanessakimbell, the founder of the @sourdoughschool, who has been passionately baking sourdough for 40 years. Her technical skills and knowledge of sourdough is phenomenal …. but she is also equally knowledgeable about the fermentation and how this can impact physical & mental health and finishing her PhD.

OUR FREE RESEARCH LIBRARY 
The knowledge and information we share is fully backed by Vanessa's expertise. You can access more than 700+ studies meticulously researched and published by her and the team of medical professionals, nutritionists, neuroscientists, doctors and psychiatrists in the database.

👆🏼www. Sourdough.co.uk/research 

We are a social enterprise and this dedication involves investing thousands of pounds to share evidence-based information about sourdough and bread. It is key to  our values and Vanessa's vision and commitment to baking nourishing bread as social justice.

We therefore ask that you take a moment to consider the incredible generosity in supporting all bakers for free for over a decade on our platform and kindly ask that you remain respectful in your communication with us and each other. 

Please reflect before making disparaging or inappropriate comments on posts

A SAFE SPACE 
👆🏼We are committed to maintaining a positive environment for our community, and anyone who engages in unprofessional communication will be removed to keep our community informed, inspired, engaged, encouraged and most of all safe in sharing their thoughts and tips, opinions and ideas on our feed.

Thank you 
The Sourdough Club Team 
#sourdoughclub
This is our Classic Sourdough Boule with 30% Botan This is our Classic Sourdough Boule with 30% Botanical Blend No.2...

The increase in diversity not only makes your gut happy, but the depth and complexity of flavour that it brings to your loaf is almost indescribable. You have to experience it to understand. 

Sourdough Club members can find this recipe on the Club, We hope it blows your mind – and your palate – as much as it does ours.

Botanical Blend No.2 is available to buy as a flour or as grits through @hodmedods follow the link in the bio to our shop to give it a go! 🌾🌼🍃 

#sourdough #sourdoughschool #bread #sourdoughlove #sourdoughlover #naturalleavened #leavening #levain #realbread #breadmaking #bakebread #makebread #makerealbread #learntobakebread #breadmakingclass #sourdoughstories #bakingforlove #bakingtherapy #sourdoughbaking
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