What Is Inulin and How Does It Relate to Sugar Alcohols?
Inulin is a non-digestible carbohydrate that FDA lists among the isolated fibers it intends to allow to count as dietary fiber on labels. We found no FDA statement that calls inulin a sugar alcohol, so treat them as separate things.
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We use your email only for this download.What FDA says about inulin
FDA guidance on isolated or synthetic non-digestible carbohydrates names “inulin and inulin-type fructans” among the carbohydrates for which the agency intends to exercise enforcement discretion, so they can be included in the dietary fiber amount declared on a Nutrition Facts label. The same list includes polydextrose, resistant starch 2 and resistant maltodextrin/dextrin.
How this relates to sugar alcohols
Sugar alcohols such as xylitol and sorbitol are a different group of ingredients. Nothing in the FDA guidance we read describes inulin as a sugar alcohol. It is handled as a fiber.
We did not open FDA’s labeling regulation text, so we do not quote a sugar alcohol definition here.
Is inulin a sweetener?
The FDA document treats inulin as a fiber, not a sweetener. We found no official source in this check on its sweetness or calories, so we give no numbers.
- Check the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts for fiber and sugar alcohol lines.
- If you have digestive conditions or take medicines, ask a doctor or dietitian.
People also ask
Is inulin a sugar alcohol?
We found no FDA statement saying so. FDA guidance lists inulin and inulin-type fructans among non-digestible carbohydrates counted as dietary fiber.
Does inulin count as fiber on labels?
FDA says it intends to exercise enforcement discretion for declaring inulin and inulin-type fructans as dietary fiber.
Is inulin a sweetener?
The FDA document we read treats it as a fiber. We found no official sweetness or calorie figure to quote.
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