Bear  burbled across the ether:

Hi Bear.  How's your blood pressure? ;)

Inulin is major constituent of some of the most famous of the
"old-standby" herbs, such as burdock root, dandelion root, elecampane
root, chicory root, and the Chinese herb codonopsis. Botanically, inulin
is a storage food in the plants of the Composite family. Inulin when
injected interacts with complement system, which has resulted in rumors
in herbal circles that it is immunostimulant. It is not digested or
absorbed, however, (except perhaps in mico-amounts) and such effects are
not observed with oral use. Inulin is recommended sometimes for
diabetics; it has a mildly sweet taste, and is filling like starchy
foods, but because it is not absorbed, it does not affect blood sugar
levels. Despite the similarity of its name to insulin, inulin has no
connection with that hormone either chemically or through physiological
activity. Inulin is soluble in hot water, but only slightly soluble in
cold water or alcohol, so is not present to any significant extent in
tinctures. All the above herbs have traditionally been taken in
decoctions, and in this form may deliver significant amounts of inulin.
Recent research has shown an important physiological action for inulin
(Gibson, Roberfroid). Like some pectins and fructooligosaccharides,
inulin is a preferred food for the lactobacilli in the intestine and can
improve the balance of friendly bacteria in the bowel. Subjects in one
trial were give 15 grams of inulin a day for fifteen days. Lactobacillus
bifidobacteria increased by about 10% during that period. Gram-positive
bacteria associated with disease declined. Bifidobacteria digest inulin
to produce short chain fatty-acids, such as acetic, propionic, and
butyric acids. The first two may be used by the liver for energy
production, while butyric acid has cancer-preventing properties within
the intestine (Spiller, 1994). Recent animal research also shows that
inulin prevents precancerous changes in the colon (Reddy, 1997).

Table 1 shows the plants with the highest inulin content listed on the
U.S. Department of Agriculture phytochemical database. Each of these
plants, with the exception of Echinacea, have been used in ethnomedicine
to improve intestinal health. Echinacea has not been traditionally
consumed as a decoction or eaten in food quantities, and thus the amount
of inulin ingested would not be significant. It would not necessarily be
desirable to prepare it as a tea, because key immune-stimulating
constituents are only soluble in alcohol. Saussurea is commonly used in
traditional Chinese medicine as a "spleen tonic" or digestive tonic. In
some regions of China, Inula helenium <D>is freely substituted for
saussurea (Hsu). Note that elecampane, although pigeonholed by modern
North American herbalists as a lung tonic, was used by the Eclectics
both as a lung and digestive tonic (Felter). Another common Chinese
digestive and "spleen" tonic that contains inulin is codonopsis, an
ubiquitous ginseng substitute in contemporary traditional Chinese
medicine.

References
Felter, H.W. The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacognosy, and
Therapeutics. Portland, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications, (reprint
from 1922 original)
Gibson GR; Beatty ER; Wang X; Cummings JH. Selective stimulation of
bifidobacteria in the human colon by oligofructose and inulin.
Gastroenterology,<D> 1995 Apr, 108:4, 975-82

Reddy BS, Hamid R, Rao CV Effect of dietary oligofructose and inulin on
colonic preneoplastic aberrant crypt foci inhibition. Carcinogenesis<D>
1997 Jul;18(7):1371-1374

Hsu, Hong-yen. Oriental Materia Medica: A Concise Guide. Long Beach,
California: Oriental Healing Arts Institute, 1986

Roberfroid M. Dietary fiber, inulin, and oligofructose: a review
comparing their physiological effects. Crit Rev Food Sci
<D>1993,33(2):103-48

Spiller, GA. Dietary Fiber in Health and Nutrition.<D> Boca Raton,
Florida: CRC Press, 1994

Wang X, Gibson GR. Effects of the in vitro fermentation of oligofructose
and inulin by bacteria growing in the human large intestine. J Appl
Bacteriol<D> 1993 Oct;75(4):373-380

Spotted it just the other day here... in with the "health foods."
(But then again, I suppose that is where they put low-carb stuff...)
Didn't buy it.

Jean B.  burbled across the ether:

Ger.  Threw the wrapper away, but it was the size of a Ross or
Pure-Delite candy bar, and around the same price (1.19 but that place is
pricy, so expect it to be a few cents lower in a grocery).  It didn't
look like Hershey's sugar free bite size with lacitol at all
(brown/blue/silver packaging).  It said 1 sugar carb on it in large
letters, and something about for lowcarbers on it too.  Found it at a
Conoco/convenience store/truckstop.