THE EFFECT OF INGESTION OF INULIN ON BLOOD-LIPIDS AND GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS IN HEALTHY FEMALES

The effect of a daily intake of 14 g inulin added to a low-fat spread on fasting blood lipids and gastrointestinal symptoms was investigated in sixty-four young healthy women in a randomized double-blind crosso ver study involving two periods of 4 weeks. The test spread with and w ithout inulin replaced habitual spread during the test periods. No sig nificant differences between the test periods in plasma total choleste rol, HDL-cholesterol, LDC-cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentratio ns were observed. Gastrointestinal symptoms assessed with questionnair es showed that in the inulin period there was a significantly (P<0.05) higher degree of discomfort from flatulence and other gastrointestina l symptoms than in the control period. In general, there was no indica tion of intestinal adaptation to this level of intake of inulin.