Mamia Fruit Snack Cereal Bars, Banana Flavour

WARNING!
 These fruit snack bars from Aldi  have one form of MSG in them (Natural Banana Flavour - 9th on the ingredient list), as well as sugar listed 4 times (5th, 6th, 13th & 14th). 
 Canola Oil and numerous other additives are also listed ( 11 in total; 2 may be detrimental to health and well being).
Humectant (422)- listed 7th - Glycerin or glycerol may cause headaches, high blood sugar or skin irritation in sensitive people.
Potassium pyrophosphate (450)- listed 21st- linked to kidney stones in susceptible people.

Although the 'Inulin'  content of these cereal bars is less that 3%  (18th on the list), the jury is still out on this relatively new ingredient. There are positives and negatives to this carbohydrate.
 Inulin belongs to a class of compounds known as fructans (closely related to fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS).
 These are all starches (carbohydrates), just varying in structure. Since inulin is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, it is considered to be a fibre.

Inulin/FOS also goes by names such as Neosugar, Alant Starch, Atlanta Starch, Alantin, Dahlin, Helenin, and Diabetic Sugar. It also has a slightly sweet taste and is very low on the glycemic index making it suitable for diabetics. There are even some claims it can be used as a sugar substitute.

Manufacturers claim that inulin/FOS specifically feeds only good bacteria. Unfortunately, this isn't reality.

 

A good example is Klebsiella. Recent studies have shown that inulin/FOS encourages the growth of Klebsiella, a bacteria implicated in Ankylosing Spondylitis and in increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut).

 

In addition, many different species of yeast are able to utilize inulin/FOS for energy including Candida Albicans.

Inulin is present in all types of products, especially in dairy products. 

Best to adhere to Michael Pollan's food tip: 'Don't eat anything that has ingredients listed that you can't recognize in their raw state, i.e. as a real food'.