BENEFITS OF KONJAC
✓ Helps with weight loss
✓ Relieves digestive issues
✓ Helps improve diabetes
✓ Reduces cholesterol levels
✓ Detoxifies the body
What is konjac?
Konjac, with the scientific name Amorphophallus konjac, is a plant in the Araceae family. Native to Asia, it grows in the tropical forests of Vietnam, China and Indonesia. It produces large leaves that can measure more than one meter in height!
But it is its bulb that has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. The earliest evidence of its use dates back more than 2000 years.
The plant remains an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, where it is used to relieve respiratory ailments, burns, and skin problems.
The konjac bulb is eaten like a vegetable, prepared as a gelatinous paste (« konnyaku »), as vermicelli (« shiratakis »), or processed into flour.
Today, it is known and consumed worldwide for its slimming benefits. Indeed, like chia seeds, psyllium or spirulina, it acts as a natural appetite suppressant and promotes satiety. But it has many other benefits. Thus, it relieves digestive disorders, helps improve diabetes, reduces cholesterol levels and detoxifies the body.
Bulbs are mainly used to produce flour. The 25,000 tons of flour produced each year are primarily intended for the food industry. Like guar gum, konjac is used in many foods as a thickening, gelling, and emulsifying additive (under the name E425).
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Nutritional composition
- Vitamins : B6
- Carbohydrates
- Fiber : glucomannan
- Starch
- Water
Benefits of konjac
🏃🏻♂️ Helps with weight loss
Konjac is composed of 30 % water and 70 % soluble fiber. Among these fibers, glucomannan is capable of absorbing up to 100 times its weight in water.
Once consumed, glucomannan transforms into a viscous gel that lines the walls of the stomach. Thus, it promotes satiety and has a filling effect, making it ideal for limiting snacking during the day.
With only 3 kcal per 100 g, this plant is also among the lowest-calorie foods. Finally, by improving intestinal transit, it contributes to a flat stomach.
This study from the Indiana University School of Medicine (United States) shows how konjac glucomannan helps with weight loss.
♻️ Relieves digestive issues
Thanks to its richness in soluble fiber and water, konjac relieves certain digestive disorders such as constipation. Indeed, its fibers improve stool consistency and facilitate their passage along the colon. Its bulb is particularly beneficial for sluggish bowel transit.
Moreover, it enriches the intestinal microbiota. Glucomannan acts as a prebiotic, meaning it promotes the growth of certain beneficial bacteria. Like carob or the baobab, it notably increases populations of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
This study from Chung Shan Medical University (Taiwan), conducted in constipated patients, shows how konjac glucomannan promotes bowel transit and improves the intestinal microbiota.
🍭 Helps improve diabetes
Fibers in konjac also have a beneficial effect on type 2 diabetes. Indeed, they slow the digestion of carbohydrates and prevent blood sugar spikes after meals. Glucomannan lowers blood sugar levels and helps control blood glucose.
Finally, this food has the advantage of not containing sugar. Its glycemic index is not just low… It is simply 0 !
This study from the West China University of Medical Sciences, conducted in diabetic patients, shows how konjac lowers blood glucose.
🍳 Reduces cholesterol levels
In various studies, konjac has shown beneficial effects in reducing blood cholesterol levels. It notably lowers LDL cholesterol levels (or “bad cholesterol”) that accumulates in the arteries and is a cardiovascular risk factor.
This action is largely due to the glucomannan it contains. In addition to absorbing excess cholesterol, this soluble fiber traps bile salts produced by the liver from cholesterol. The liver is therefore forced to produce more and to draw on cholesterol reserves, thereby preventing it from accumulating in the body.
This study from the University of Toronto (Canada), conducted in humans, shows how konjac glucomannan reduces cholesterol levels.
💎 Detoxifies the body
Konjac is interesting for eliminating toxins as part of a detox cure. Its fibers, which turn into a viscous gel, are able to capture toxins and to “clean” the walls of the intestine. It thus promotes the elimination of waste through bowel movements and frees the body from accumulated toxins.
But further studies are still needed to confirm konjac’s detoxifying action on the body.
👩🏻⚕️ Konjac and authorized health claims
EFSA, the European Authority for food safety, authorizes certain health claims related to the consumption of konjac and glucomannan.
Since 2009, EFSA has recognized the benefits of glucomannan in maintaining normal cholesterol levels. EFSA also acknowledges that it contributes to weight loss as part of a low-calorie diet.
How to consume konjac?
Konjac tablets
Konjac is mainly marketed in tablet and capsule form. They contain konjac bulb powder and are rich in glucomannan. This format is particularly relevant for a weight-loss diet. They are generally consumed as an appetite suppressant and taken before a meal.
To achieve satisfactory results, choose tablets or capsules with a sufficiently high glucomannan content (about 90%). They should preferably be free of additives and plant-based.
Konjac-based preparations
Konjac is a food that can easily be incorporated into the diet and is offered in various forms. Thus, you can consume it in:
- konnyaku or konjac jelly, a gelatinous paste made from konjac flour and limewater. It is prepared in a frying pan or wok ;
- shirataki, Japanese vermicelli that can replace traditional pasta ;
- konjac rice or gohan, in grain form ;
- konjac flour, a useful culinary aid for thickening and adding creaminess to preparations.
Konjac has a fairly neutral taste. So don’t hesitate to add spices and aromatic herbs. It is ideal served with meats, fish, or vegetables.
Sustainable consumption: prioritize organic and fair-trade konjac
✓ The majority of konjac on the market comes from Asia. China and Japan are the world’s main producers. While China exports more than half of its production, Japan uses most of its production domestically.
✓ If you can, choose konjac grown in organic farming and in regions far from sources of pollution. Also favor fair-trade supply chains to support the work of small producers. Don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer to learn more about the origin of the products used.
Dosage
It is recommended to consume between 120 and 150 g of cooked konjac per day (noodles, rice…).
In capsule form, the recommended dosage is 1 to 3 capsules per day for capsules dosed at 750 mg. They should be taken with a large glass of water, at least 30 minutes before a meal.
Contraindications and side effects
Consumption of konjac has certain contraindications :
- As a precautionary measure, it is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women and for young children ;
- People suffering from intestinal obstruction should avoid consuming it
- Its consumption may interact with certain medications and reduce their absorption. Consult your doctor if you are taking medication ;
- People with diabetes should consult their doctor before consuming it.
Excessive consumption of konjac has certain side effects :
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Bloating
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea
If you experience side effects, stop taking it and consult a doctor.
Report produced by Julia Perez
Sources and scientific studies
Melinda Chua, Timothy C Baldwin, Trevor J Hocking, Kelvin Chan, 2010. Traditional uses and potential health benefits of Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch ex N.E.Br.
D E Walsh, V Yaghoubian, A Behforooz, 1984. Effect of glucomannan on obese patients: a clinical study.
Hsiao-Ling Chen, Han-Chung Cheng, Wen-Tsu Wu, Yann-Jiu Liu, Su-Yuan Liu, 2008. Supplementation of konjac glucomannan into a low-fiber Chinese diet promoted bowel movement and improved colonic ecology in constipated adults: a placebo-controlled, diet-controlled trial.
C Y Huang, M Y Zhang, S S Peng, J R Hong, X Wang, H J Jiang, F L Zhang, Y X Bai, J Z Liang, Y R Yu, et al, 1998. Effect of Konjac food on blood glucose level in patients with diabetes.
Hoang Vi Thanh Ho, Elena Jovanovski, Andreea Zurbau, Sonia Blanco Mejia, John L Sievenpiper, Fei Au-Yeung, Alexandra L Jenkins, Lea Duvnjak, Lawrence Leiter, Vladimir Vuksan, 2017. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of the effect of konjac glucomannan, a viscous soluble fiber, on LDL cholesterol and the new lipid targets non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B.
