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30 days of weight loss

30 weight loss tips in 30 days – #11 Inulin

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Welcome to the NEW Healthista series featuring 30 days of weight loss tips with Nutritionist Rick Hay. Discover why using an inulin supplement can help you reach your weight loss goals

Today’s weight loss tip from Nutritionist Rick Hay is about a cutting edge ingredient called inulin, which is  commonly extracted from chicory root but present in other vegetables such as leeks, onions, asparagus and bananas as well as dandelion root that has been shown to help promote weight loss.

What is inulin?

The plant-based fibre is made from chains of fructose molecules bound together in a way that mean it’s indigestible for your small intestine, making it a great source of fibre and a prebiotic, meaning it helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut.

TV presenter Angela Rippon, who suffered with three times the normal amounts of fat around her middle, in a documentary called ‘How to Stay Young’ was recommended to take this by academic experts. She now has inulin-rich lentils and also sprinkles inulin powder on her cereal.

The evidence for inulin and weight loss

One randomised control study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism found that those supplementing with inulin daily for 18 weeks lost five per cent of their body weight and reduced their risk of diabetes.  Other studies, like this one on 48 healthy adults in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that supplementing with 21 grams of inulin a day for 12 weeks promoted a weight loss of around one pound a week, while also helping balance blood sugar and lowered levels of the ‘hunger hormone’ ghrelin.

How can I take inulin?

You can buy inulin powder supplements, like the MyProtein one below, from Healthista Shop. It’s also present in Healthista’s Lean Vegan and Lean Whey Protein Powders, along with other weight loss promoting ingredients such as glucomannan, a fibre that helps keep you full, glutamine for muscle recover and matcha green tea and carnitine for metabolism boosting. Try taking it as a morning smoothie by adding a scoop of Healthista Lean Vegan Diet Protein £24.95 to your morning smoothie.

For a straight inulin powder supplement try: MYPROTEIN Inulin £10.99

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Rick Hay says:  ‘Inulin is commonly taken from chicory and it’s been shown to help reduce fat around the middle, known as visceral fat. If you have this, you will have fat around your internal organs, such as the heart and the liver. Studies have shown that supplementing with inulin can help reduce the appearance of the fat around your tummy and help promote weight loss generally. Take a teaspoon of it or two everyday in some juice or a smoothie, or add it to cereals.’

Available for £10.99 for 250g, from the Healthista shop

Shop 20% off (plus free UK delivery!) on all of Rick Hay’s weight loss essentials until 31st January on Healthista – shop now.

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Rick Hay is an Anti-Ageing and Fitness Nutritionist with many years clinical experience in nutrition, naturopathy, botanical medicine and iridology. He specializes in obesity treatment and weight management. He writes a regular Natural Health and Fitness Blog for Healthista. Find out more at rickhay.co.uk. Follow Rick on Twitter @nutritiomalphys

 

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