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Nourishing the next generation with BENEO’s prebiotic fibres

About BENEO’s chicory fibres – Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose
Chicory was cultivated thousands of years ago by Egyptians as a medicinal plant due to its high concentration of inulin. BENEO’s Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose are derived though a gentle hot water extraction from the chicory plant and are used by food manufacturers worldwide to replace sugar and fats while boosting fibre content. This can have a range of health benefits for all consumers, including children.

Promoting a healthy digestive system
Both Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose are not digested in the small intestine and therefore reach the large intestine intact to nourish the good bacteria in the gut while inhibiting the development of certain potentially harmful bacteria. This makes inulin and oligofructose among the few proven dietary fibres that can serve as prebiotics to improve our digestive health.

The intake of Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose has been shown to also promote frequent bowel movement and softer stools due to metabolites from the fermentation of these fibres increasing the osmolarity in the colon. These fibres can therefore help alleviate chronic constipation, which is a common gastrointestinal complaint among children.

Prebiotics protect against infections
The intestine is a significant regulator of our immune system, hosting two-thirds of all immune cells of the body. Improving gut health is therefore essential to boosting the immune systems of children.

A recent study in a group of 3 to 6-year-old children revealed that a daily dosage of 6g of chicory root fibre resulted in a decrease in the number of fever episodes and sinusitis that required a physician’s consultation over a six month period from autumn to winter[2]. The findings were significant as it demonstrated that consumption of Orafti® Inulin helped to reduce the risk of infections which are common in kindergarten children particularly during the winter season.

 Increasing calcium absorption
BENEO’s chicory root fibres are also effective in strengthening children’s bones from an early age. In the normal human body, only about 30 percent of ingested calcium is usually fully absorbed. The oligofructose-enriched Inulin Orafti Synergy1 has been shown to increase calcium absorption by up to 20 percent by acidifying and extending the absorptive environment of the large intestine. Increased bone calcium storage in children may help to lower the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood.

Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose –n ingredients for the future
BENEO’s Orafti Inulin and Orafti Oligofructose stand out in the market as the only prebiotics derived from plants according to ISAPP (International Scientific Association for pro- and prebiotics).  They can be easily incorporated into foods that many kids enjoy such as chocolates, cereals and dairy products to help improve their gut microbiota while reducing their sugar and fat intake.

 

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