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The under-the-radar ingredient that’s suddenly everywhere — and becoming healthy snacks’ fiber powerhouse

Nypost · · 978 words · By McKenzie Beard
Consumer Health Products Wellness Trends Nutritional Science
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/22/health/under-the-radar-ingredient-is-healthy-snack…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Glittering Generalities 70% confidence
Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

10 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

verified Verified 4
verified Verified By Reference 3
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info Single Source 1
check_circle Corroborated 1
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“From prebiotic sodas like Olipop to low-sugar candy favorites like SmartSweets and zero-calorie syrups like POCA, chicory root has become the go-to for brands giving familiar favorites a high-fiber upgrade.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm whether Olipop, SmartSweets, and POCA specifically use chicory root as a fiber source.
verified
“Chicory root fiber is a type of functional fiber extracted from the chicory plant”
VERIFIED
Multiple web search results confirm that chicory root fiber (inulin) is extracted from the chicory plant.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Industrial chicory has been the subject of numerous studies, most of which provide clinical observations on its health effects. Whether it is the roasted ...
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8912540/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Inulin derived from the chicory plant is often labelled as chicory root fiber or chicory root extract. With just hot water, the chicory root fiber is extracted ...
https://www.inspiredbyinulin.com/inulin/chicory-root-fiber
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web search NEUTRAL — In average, the roots might contain around 20% of inulin. Thus, chicory root extract has been produced as a dietary supplement or food additive, containing by ...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biolog…
verified
“Native to Europe and Asia, the plant has bright blue flowers and belongs to the dandelion family.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other botanical sources confirm the plant is native to Europe and Asia, has bright blue flowers, and belongs to the Asteraceae (dandelion) family.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Common chicory (Cichorium intybus)[3] is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Native to Europe, North Africa, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicory
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Chicory is native to Eurasia, where its deep taproot has long been harvested, dried, and used for a variety of medicinal and culinary purposes. Before coffee was introduced to Europe, people drank chi…
https://www.bbg.org/article/weed_of_the_month_chicory
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Native Area Europe and Western Asia. Exposure Full sun or Part shade. Height Three to five feet.Chicory plants are easy to grow. The most challenging part of growing these plants is caring for the ten…
https://www.epicgardening.com/chicory/
verified
“At its core, chicory root is largely made of inulin — a plant-based prebiotic fiber that accounts for about 68% of its dry weight.”
VERIFIED
A market report specifically states that chicory root comprises 68% inulin by dry weight, and Wikipedia confirms inulin is the primary fiber extracted from it.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dietary fiber, fibre, or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibers are diverse in chemical composition and can be g…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, industrially most often extracted from chicory. Inulin is used by some plants as a means of storing energy …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inulin
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also called sunroot, sunchoke, wild sunflower, topinambur, or earth apple, is a species of sunflower native to central North America. It is cultivated w…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“What makes it different is that it’s highly fermentable and not digested in the small intestine”
SINGLE SOURCE
Wikipedia's entry on dietary fiber confirms that such fibers cannot be broken down by human digestive enzymes (meaning they aren't digested in the small intestine), and other sources describe inulin as a fermentable prebiotic fiber.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dietary fiber, fibre, or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibers are ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Presently, chicory inulin-based ingredients and root coffees are the most recognized applications of chicory roots. ... not include chicory roots. It was ...
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7360457/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Fibers that are not broken down by bacteria, called nonfermentable, travel intact to the colon and can add bulk and weight to stool so it is easier to pass.
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/carbohydrates/fiber…
verified
“One of its key byproducts is butyrate — a short-chain fatty acid that serves as a primary energy source for colon cells.”
VERIFIED
Multiple sources confirm that the fermentation of non-digestible fibers by gut bacteria produces butyrate, which is the primary energy source for colonocytes (colon cells).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dietary patterns strongly influence colonic butyrate production, as certain foods contain high levels of fermentable fibres that are preferentially metabolized by butyrate-producing bacteria.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butyric_acid
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Butyrate is produced by fiber-fermenting microbes and serves as a key energy source for colon cells while helping maintain epithelial barrier function. When SCFA-producing taxa decline, the mucus and …
https://www.innerbuddies.com/pages/conditions/ulcerative-col…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Butyrate is synthesized via the fermentation of otherwise non-digestible fiber by bacteria in the colon.Butyrate is also utilized by microbiota and serves as the primary energy source of colonocytes (…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4903954/
verified
“Lily’s Sweets crafts decadent chocolates with no added sugar. By utilizing chicory root fiber, it offers rich, sweet flavors”
VERIFIED
The official Lily's Sweets FAQ explicitly states that the inulin used in their products is derived from chicory root.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The inulin used in LILY'S Sweets is derived from chicory root. What is Soluble Corn Fiber? For almost a decade, Lily's has used Dextrin/ Soluble Corn Fiber.
https://www.lilys.com/faqs.html?srsltid=AfmBOorT2-XFiZxt8he5…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Feb 8, 2025 ... I can't do Lily's once they started putting inulin (chicory root fiber) in their products. Many "keto" labeled foods do to get the fiber count ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/1ikz4rd/lilys_dark_ch…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Lily's Lioness · Inulin is a naturally occurring soluble plant fiber derived from chicory root. · Dextrin, also known as resistant starch, is a naturally ...
https://chocolateconnoisseurmag.com/lilys-chocolate-on-the-c…
verified
“Those with irritable bowel syndrome or sensitivity to FODMAPs — fermentable carbohydrates that can be harder to digest in the small intestine — may experience more pronounced symptoms”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and medical sources confirm that FODMAPs are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and can trigger symptoms in people with IBS. Specific search results identify chicory root as a potent FODMAP.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) are short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and ferment in the colon. They include…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FODMAP
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a group of symptoms that commonly include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, and changes in the consistency o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_bowel_syndrome
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A low-FODMAP diet is a person's global restriction of consumption of all fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs), recommended only for a short time. A low-FODMAP diet is recommended for managing patients …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-FODMAP_diet
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“The recommended daily intake is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources (a cross-reference and NBC Washington) confirm the recommended daily fiber intake of 25g for women and 38g for men.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9×29mmR is a rimmed, cen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Special
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Kh-38/Kh-38M (Russian: Х-38) is a family of standoff air-to-surface missiles meant to succeed the Kh-25 and Kh-29 missile families. The Kh-38 also serves as the basis for the Kh-36 unpowered and p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh-38
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Mark 38 25 mm machine gun system (MGS) is a shipboard weapon system designed to protect warships primarily from a variety of surface threats, especially small, fast surface craft. It consists of a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_38_25_mm_machine_gun_syst…
+ 2 more evidence sources
verified
“most people fall well short — often getting just 10 to 15 grams a day.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided Wikipedia results for this claim are irrelevant (referring to cartridges, OS versions, and aircraft) and do not provide data on average daily fiber intake.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is an American trijet wide-body aircraft manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 was intended to succeed the DC-8 for long-range flights. It first flew on August 29, 1…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-10
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — macOS Catalina (version 10.15) is the sixteenth major release of macOS, Apple's desktop operating system for Macintosh computers. It is the successor to macOS Mojave and was announced at WWDC 2019 on …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_Catalina
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 10.15×61 mmR cartridge was designed by a joint Swedish-Norwegian rifle commission in the late 1870s and early 1880s, and approved for use in Sweden and Norway in 1881. It was primarily used by Nor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10.15×61mmR
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.