Konjac noodles: what are they exactly?
A new plant is slowly making its way onto supermarket shelves. THE konjac, that’s its name, comes in the form of pasta (tagliatelle or spaghetti, etc.) or rice. Originally from Asia, where it is very popular, the part of the tuber located below the ground is used to transform it into various products.
Konjac is a vegetable from the Far East that grows in the forests of Vietnam, China, Korea, Japan… It is consumed and cooked mainly by the Japanese who have known it since the 18th century when it was then used. for its medicinal qualities against diabetes in particular. It is from the root of the plant – called the devil’s tongue for its dark red color and its particular shape – that a flour is extracted which is used to make the famous konnyaku (block of konjac) or shirataki (spaghetti of konjac ). As for the food industry, it uses glucomannan from the roots to produce a thickener used in many cooked dishes.
What are the slimming and health benefits of konjac noodles?
In France, manufacturers or certain nutrition specialists claim a slimming effect. “In contact with water, the volume of konjac multiplies. This explains why it is attributed an effect appetite suppressant since it fills the stomach well. Also, il satisfies very well, it is undeniable“, explains doctor Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, nutritionist.
Once ingested, this gelling agent “lining” the walls of the stomach, which provides a very rapid satiety effect.
What composition? In terms of composition, its glucomannan is this substance capable of absorbing up to 100 times its weight in water. Konjac contains fibers in large quantities (about 70%) and water for the rest. Coast calories, it is very light since for 100 g, there are only 10 calories. Less than vegetables!
By facilitating the evacuation of the bolus in the stool, konjac also helps get rid of toxins that clog the intestine. In the same way as other depurative foods, it is therefore a food to be favored when starting a detox cure.
How are konjac noodles cooked?
Konjac noodles can therefore be cooked like classic pasta. With vegetable sauces for example. Or in bolognese to obtain a complete dish.
It is sold in the form of spaghetti called shirataki or blocks called konnyaku in specialty grocery stores or even in the exotic produce aisles of supermarkets.
In practice. Before adding it to your preparations, remember to rinse it under running water then scald it for 1 minute. Shirataki are suitable as pasta, with tomato, herbs, salmon… Konnyaku are cut into cubes like tofu and are practical to incorporate into soups, salads, curries…
Konjac noodles: health risks? contraindications?
But be careful, do not see it as a miraculous food and swear by it. Like all fiber-rich foods, it is not recommended for people with sensitive bowel problems. It can also reduce the effect of certain drugs, one of its components acting as a barrier in the stomach. It should therefore be consumed in moderation.
“It certainly has an interest, but it does not fulfill a major role in the diet either. There is a sort of fashion effect that puts it forward. But like all the rest of the foods, it is included as part of a varied and balanced diet, if you want to eat it. We don’t make him our main food,” concludes the specialist.
Thanks to Dr Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, nutritionist doctor in Paris.
