Q: I heard that inulin can relieve constipation, can you tell me the principle? Is it suitable for pregnant women and children? Inulin, not the pollen of chrysanthemum, is a kind of plant polysaccharide, because it is mainly extracted from chrysanthemum (ginger) and chicory, so it is called inulin. Inulin is mainly made of fructose polymerization, and this polymerized fructose form, and can not be hydrolyzed by the human body’s small intestinal glycolytic enzymes, so the vast majority of inulin will not be directly absorbed by the human body, but directly reaches the colon part, in the colon by the bacterial fermentation, the production of short-chain fatty acids, to play a physiological role. The shorter the length of oligofructose in inulin, the stronger the effect of bacterial fermentation, but also very conducive to the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, such as bifidobacteria, lactobacillus, so it can improve the intestinal micro-ecology, so some of the oligofructose in inulin can be used as prebiotics. Improve the intestinal microecology of one of the most direct effect is to relieve constipation, the principle or inulin in the colon by the fermentation of beneficial bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids, both direct nutrition of intestinal mucosal cells, but also increase the water content in the colon, lubrication of stools, but different origins and composition of the inulin, the effect also varies, this is the commonality of extracts. As for safety, if there is no allergy, there is no need to worry too much, after all, not directly absorbed into the blood. Pregnant women and children can also take, according to the degree of constipation, the flexibility to adjust the dose, eating too much is easy to diarrhea, stomach screaming, but also affect the quality of life.