Chicory Root Inulin: What The Ingredient Label Says

Meet the chicory plant

Before we talk about inulin, it helps to meet the plant it comes from. Chicory is a hardy flowering plant that grows wild along roadsides and in meadows across Europe, North America and many other regions. In summer it produces pretty blue flowers, and underneath the soil it grows a long, pale taproot.

People have been growing chicory for a very long time. The leaves are used in salads, and certain varieties are known by names you may recognize from the produce aisle. The root has its own history in the kitchen: in many places it has been roasted and ground to make a warm drink that resembles coffee in color. So when a label says chicory root, it is pointing to that underground part of the plant.

So what is inulin?

Inulin is the name of a type of plant fiber. Chemically it is a long chain of small building blocks joined together, which is why it is described as a carbohydrate that people do not absorb the way they absorb a slice of bread. You do not need to remember the chemistry. The key idea for a label reader is that inulin is a fiber, it comes from plants, and its name is simply the standard word used on ingredient lists.

Plants make inulin and store it in their roots and bulbs. Chicory happens to hold a lot of it, which is one reason food makers often start with chicory root when they want an inulin ingredient. On a label, the word prebiotic is sometimes placed next to it as a category name.

Foods that naturally contain inulin

Inulin is not limited to one plant. Small amounts occur in a range of familiar vegetables and a few fruits, which means it has long been part of ordinary eating. Here are some common examples:

• Onions, garlic and leeks
• Asparagus
• Jerusalem artichokes, sometimes called sunchokes
• Bananas
• Wheat and barley, in small amounts
• Chicory root itself

How the ingredient is prepared

To use inulin in a product, makers usually start with the chicory root, wash it, slice it and soak it in hot water so the fiber dissolves. The liquid is then filtered and dried into a fine, pale powder. That powder is what gets added to bars, yogurts, baked goods and capsules.

Because the final ingredient is a powder made from a root, it may be described in several ways. Knowing the variations helps you recognize the same ingredient under different names.

One reason names vary is that makers choose between a raw root powder and a more refined fiber powder. Another is that regions use slightly different wording rules. A shopper who only memorizes one phrase can feel puzzled by the next package, so it is more useful to learn the pattern: look for chicory, root, inulin or fiber, and you are usually reading about the same family of ingredient.

It also helps to remember that a short ingredient list is not automatically better or worse than a long one. What matters is that every item is named plainly and that the Supplement Facts panel lines up with the list. When the two match, you have what you need to understand the product at a glance.

If a name still looks unfamiliar, a quick search of the plant name in a reliable reference book or library database will usually settle the question in a minute or two.

The many names on an ingredient list

Ingredient lists do not always use the exact same phrase, so it helps to know the common versions. You may find any of the following:

• Chicory root inulin
• Chicory root fiber
• Inulin
• Chicory root extract
• Cichorium intybus, which is the plant's Latin name

Where HoneySlim comes in

According to the brand, HoneySlim lists chicory root inulin as one of three ingredients, and the brand describes it as a prebiotic fiber. The other two, again according to the brand, are potato resistant starch and a probiotic blend of three types. Amounts are shown in the Supplement Facts panel on the bottle, so that panel is the place to look for specifics.

The brand adds that HoneySlim is vegetarian and lactose-free, made in the USA in a GMP-certified facility, and sold as a one-time purchase with no subscription. Each bottle holds 30 capsules, and the suggested use is one capsule daily with an 8 oz glass of water, preferably in the morning before a meal, or as the label directs.

HoneySlim is best thought of as one small piece of a routine that might also include an afternoon walk, a colorful plate and a regular bedtime. The ingredient story is simply a way to understand what is printed on the bottle.

Reading an inulin line calmly

Next time you spot chicory root inulin on a package, you can walk through a few questions in your head. Is it listed by name? Is the amount shown in the Supplement Facts panel? Is it a single ingredient or part of a blend? Do the storage directions and suggested use look easy to follow?

Taking thirty seconds to ask these questions turns an unfamiliar word into something ordinary, and that habit carries over to every product you pick up. Labels are written to be read, and a little familiarity goes a long way. When you are ready to try HoneySlim, the label on the bottle is the place to begin. Whenever you pick up a bottle of HoneySlim, give the label a calm read from top to bottom.