Improve Your Gut Health With 8 Foods High in Inulin
Health ConditionsDigestive Health

8 Foods High in Inulin to Eat for Better Gut Health

From garlic to bananas, many foods can add this type of fiber to your diet.
8 Foods High in Inulin to Eat for Better Gut Health
Everyday Health
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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Inulin is a type of soluble fiber that comes from plants. It acts as a prebiotic, the naturally occurring, nondigestible parts of food that feed the healthy bacteria that live in your gut. Although inulin is added to some processed foods, you can also get a good amount from certain whole plant foods.

While there’s no official recommended daily value for inulin fiber, eating inulin-rich foods may help your digestive health as well as your appetite control. Plus, there are a number of health benefits associated with prebiotics like inulin, including balanced gut microbiota, better mineral absorption, blood sugar control, and a lower risk of constipation.

Get more inulin to reap the benefits of this fiber by adding these eight inulin-rich foods to your diet. Amounts of inulin listed are per 100 grams (g), which is about 3.5 ounces (oz).

1. Chicory Root: 41.6 g

The food with the most inulin is chicory root, which is often used as livestock feed, but can also be part of a healthy diet for us. The leaves and flowers can be used fresh in salads, and the root itself can be used as a coffee substitute. The roots are naturally bitter, but cooking or soaking them in water can help soften the flavor.

2. Jerusalem Artichokes: 18 g

Despite their name, Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes) are tubers and don’t look anything like the similarly named globe artichoke. Sunchokes have a crisp texture and nutty flavor and can be used raw in salads, salsas, and chutneys and cooked alongside grilled poultry or fish.

On top of their inulin content, a cup of sliced, raw sunchokes provide nearly one-fifth of your daily iron needs as well as a good amount of copper and vitamin B1.

3. Dandelion Greens: 13.5 g

Dandelions might be a pesky weed in your garden, but they’re a surprising source of nutrition. In addition to inulin, dandelion greens are a great source of vitamins A, C, and K as well as folate, calcium, and potassium.

Although you can eat these greens raw, they’re slightly bitter. To fix that, soak the dandelion greens in cold, salted water for up to 15 minutes, then boil them until tender.

4. Garlic: 12.5 g

Admittedly, you’re probably not eating 3.5 oz of garlic in one sitting, but this allium has a good amount of inulin — and if you’re a garlic lover, it adds up over time. Beyond inulin, garlic has a bit of vitamins C and B6 as well as the minerals manganese and selenium.

5. Leeks: 6.5 g

Leeks, a cousin of onions, have a sweeter and milder flavor. They are a good source of inulin, but they’re also high in vitamin K and a good source of vitamins B6 and C, copper, iron, and manganese.

Leeks are referred to as “dirty” vegetables because of the way they grow in the soil. So they need a good cleaning before eating by removing the roots and outer leaves, cutting the stalk in half lengthwise, and running water through the vegetables’ layers.

6. Asparagus: 2.5 g

Although it might not be as high in inulin as other vegetables, asparagus has a well-rounded nutritional profile that makes it a good choice for one of your daily vegetable servings.

Asparagus comes in green, purple, and white hues.‌

 It offers plenty of nutrients: vitamins B1, B2, B3, K, and E along with the minerals selenium, iron, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.

7. Wheat Bran: 2.5 g

Wheat bran is the outer layer of the whole grain, and it contains B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.

Wheat bran is available as a cereal, but you can also add it to baked goods or crush it and use it as a substitute for breadcrumbs, such as in meatballs.

8. Bananas: 0.5 g

Bananas are a source of inulin, though they don’t rank as high as other plant foods. When you eat a banana, you’ll also get a good amount of vitamin C and potassium.

Possible Inulin Side Effects

If you increase your inulin intake drastically and quickly, you might experience some less-than-ideal gastrointestinal side effects — namely, stomach pain, bloating, and gas.

 Even small amounts may cause gas and bloating if you have IBS.

For most people, though, the benefits of inulin foods significantly outweigh any side effects. Add inulin foods into your diet gradually, and drink plenty of water along with them.

The Takeaway

  • Inulin is a type of soluble fiber that comes from plants.
  • Among the best sources are chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, and dandelion greens.
  • As a prebiotic, inulin can benefit your gut health and help you feel full so you eat less.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
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Resources
  1. Does Inulin Help Improve Gut Health? Cleveland Clinic. March 4, 2022.
  2. The Importance of Prebiotics. Brown University Health. November 15, 2022.
  3. A New Look at Prebiotic Fiber. International Probiotics Association. February 26, 2020.
  4. Nwafor IC et al. Chemical Composition and Nutritive Benefits of Chicory (Cichorium Intybus) as an Ideal Complementary and/or Alternative Livestock Feed Supplement. The Scientific World Journal. December 13, 2017.
  5. Tajik S et al. Growth, Harvest, and Serving of Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke). Ohio State University Extension. February 24, 2025.
  6. Jerusalem-Artichokes, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  7. Can You Eat Dandelions? Cleveland Clinic. July 21, 2021.
  8. Garlic, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  9. Leek. The Foundation for Fresh Produce.
  10. Leek Basics. Oregon State University Extension Service.
  11. 6 Health Benefits of Asparagus. Cleveland Clinic. September 21, 2023.
  12. Asparagus, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  13. Whole Grains. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
  14. Whole Grains: Hearty Options for a Healthy Diet. Mayo Clinic. December 10, 2022.
  15. Banana. The Foundation for Fresh Produce.
  16. Rhys-Jones D et al. Update: Label Reading and FODMAPs. Monash University. September 3, 2021.
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Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

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Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988. 

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