Konjac Noodles: The Weight-Loss Wonder Noodles

Konjac noodles, also known as shirataki noodles or miracle noodles, are zero-calorie seemingly too-good-to-be-true alternatives to carb-heavy pasta. This article will give you all the details about konjac noodles, their health benefits, where to find them, and how to eat them (plus recipes!).

What Are Konjac Noodles?

Filling, low in calories, and high in the fiber glucomannan (derived from the konjac plant), konjac noodles are long white noodles with a very low amount of digestible carbs.

Konjac noodles keto recipes are popular for this reason, because one of the main features of the keto diet is that it’s high in healthy fats and extremely low in carb consumption. For those who miss pasta on keto, these low-carb noodles are a game changer. Gluten free and vegan, these noodles are also great for those with food allergies.

Konjac plants are native to China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. “Shirataki” means “white waterfall” in Japanese, which accurately describes the translucent angel hair look of these zero-carb miracle noodles. 

Konjac noodles are made by mixing glucomannan fiber with water in a ratio of about 3% fiber to 97% water. You might have heard them referred to as konjac yam noodles, because konjac plants produce a yam-like tuber from which glucomannan fiber is derived. Those yam-like growths are also known as the Devil’s tongue, and it’s from this odd, edible corm that we get carb-free konjac noodles.

Konjac Noodles Benefits

Beyond their low-carb value, konjac noodles offer a wealth of scientifically backed health benefits.

1. Soluble Fiber Content

Konjac noodles nutrition facts are pretty sparse because they contain nothing but fiber and water, but one thing’s for certain: they’re high in glucomannan fiber. Glucomannan fiber is a soluble fiber, and as such absorbs water enough to become viscous and gel-like. This consistency provides better ease of digestion. Because glucomannan can absorb water up to 50 times its own weight, konjac noodles are extremely high in moisture, so they move more slowly through your digestive system. This helps you to feel full and delays the nutrient absorption of your food in a way that protects your blood sugar from dangerous spikes.

Glucomannan fiber also serves as a prebiotic, feeding the good gut bacteria in your intestines and supporting the optimal balance of your gut flora. When your good gut bacteria ferments this fiber, it produces short-chain fatty acids that support your immune system, reduce inflammation, and improve energy metabolism.

Glucomannan fiber has been found to burn calories as you digest it, making konjac noodles essentially calorie free thanks to their fiber content. 

2. Weight-Loss Aid

Konjac noodles contribute to weight loss by providing superior satiety and delaying stomach emptying. This is again due to their fiber content. Thanks to the the short-chain fatty acids produced during digestion, gut hormones signal increased feelings of fullness. 

Speaking of hormones, glucomannan fiber as a supplement has been shown to reduce ghrelin levels in the body. Ghrelin is commonly known as the “hunger hormone,” so lower levels encourage a lower calorie intake and greater weight loss. 

A review of studies published in 2005 found that those taking glucomannan for 1-2 months lost between 3-5.5 pounds. Another study from the same year showed that supplementing with glucomannan led to significant weight loss in comparison to the placebo group. And a study as far back as 1984 showed that even without dietary or exercise changes, obese participants lost 5.5 pounds over 8 weeks. While the supplements studied were not in noodle form, konjac noodles may likely have similar effects due to their predominant glucomannan content.

3. Constipation Relief

If you suffer from chronic constipation, any relief is welcome. Not only does fiber aid your digestion, but soluble fiber especially helps by drawing water and moisture to your stool. Larger, softer stools are the key to gentle passage through your intestines, and konjac noodles deliver in spades. 

In both children and adults, glucomannan fiber is a proven effective constipation treatment, successfully curing even severe constipation in 45% of children taking glucomannan compared to a mere 13% of children taking a placebo.

In adults, glucomannan fiber improves gut bacteria and increases the frequency of bowel movements, serving as a gentle, natural laxative.

4. Blood Sugar and Insulin Control

Glucomannan again comes to the rescue, this time for those who have diabetes or insulin resistance. Glucomannan helps lower blood sugar levels by slowing down the digestion process and stomach emptying. This allows your blood sugar and insulin levels to rise slowly and gradually, a safer way to absorb nutrients into your bloodstream.

A study published in Diabetes Care demonstrated that those with type 2 diabetes who ingested glucomannan over 3 weeks had significantly lower levels of fructosamine, a blood sugar marker. A 2007 study also found that participants with type 2 diabetes who took glucomannan before eating glucose (sugar) had lower blood sugar levels 2 hours later when compared to a placebo group.

5. Cholesterol-Lowering Potential

There are many studies suggesting that glucomannan may help reduce and balance your cholesterol levels. Glucomannan helps increase the amount of cholesterol that’s eliminated via your stool and lowers levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Potential Konjac Noodles Side Effects

Some report that consuming konjac noodles leads to too-loose stools, flatulence, and bloating. Nevertheless, glucomannan fiber is known to be safe for adults and children at all the dosages administered in the above-linked studies, so it’s merely recommended that you add glucomannan and konjac noodles to your diet slowly to make sure your body reacts comfortably.

How to Cook Konjac Noodles (With Recipes!)

Konjac noodles take a little extra care to prepare. They’ll arrived packaged in a liquid that often has a fishy smell, which is there to help absorb the smell of konjac root. You’ll want to rinse the noodles before cooking (a few minutes under running water) to remove the smell, and then you can cook them on medium heat in a skillet with no added fat necessary. Let the excess water burn off and then start adding your other ingredients. 

Check out three tasty recipes we’ve selected to see if any of them tempt your tastes.

• Potsticker Meatball Asian Noodle Soup: Low carb and gluten free, this recipe from the I Breathe, I’m Hungry blog is a spicy Asian-inspired broth with ground pork or turkey meatballs and only 4.5 net carbs for those keeping keto. If you substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos, you can even avoid the high sodium content.
• Konjac Noodles in Creamy Garlic Sauce: This recipe from Chrissy Benoit in Love is a rich, buttery delight made with almond milk, Parmesan cheese, and 1 clove of fresh garlic, with spinach to get in your daily greens.
• Suuuper Easy Pad Thai: Gluten free, keto, and paleo, this pad thai recipe from Paola van der Hulst at Gnom-Gnom includes fish sauce, garlic, cilantro, peanuts, and chicken or shrimp, all in one savory stir fry.

Konjac Noodles for the Win

Konjac noodles are an excellent healthy replacement for traditional wheat pastas for those seeking a low-carb way to get valuable dietary fiber. You can often find konjac noodles in grocery stores, or you can research and order them online. For a healthy weight, digestion aid, and blood sugar protection, look into trying konjac noodles today!