Definition of "inulin" [in•u•lin]

• A polysaccharide with the general formula (C6H10O5)n that is found in the roots of various composite plants and yields fructose when hydrolyzed. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The root has a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of fructose molecules."
• "In the large intestine, inulin is broken down by beneficial bacterial through fermentation to yield short chain fatty acids."
• "Also curious about the artichoke is a fact that most sites featuring information about the vegetable throw up: it's high in a carbohydrate called inulin, which is linked with excessive flatulence in some people."