How To Use Konjac For Cooking?

Konjac flour is made from the dried roots of a perennial plant native to Southeast Asia. It is also known as elephant yam or voodoo lily. The root contains at least 45% glucomannan, a water-soluble fiber that helps with digestion. It is rich in protein and other essential minerals. However, be careful not to overdo it, as it can cause digestive problems.

konjac flour

Konjac Nutrition Facts

nutrition facts of Konjac flour

 

What Is Konjac ?

The plant konjac, also known as glucomannan, thrives throughout regions of Asia. Its starchy corm, a tuber-like portion of the stem that grows underground, is well-known. The corm is used to manufacture a soluble dietary fiber supplement.

Konjac is used to thicken or give texture to recipes as a gelatin alternative. It’s also utilized in Chinese traditional medicine. Konjac is well recognized as a nutritional supplement for weight loss and cholesterol control in the Western world. “Konjac flour is made by slicing and drying the corms of the Amorphophallus konjac plant, then milling the dried result.” The corm (underground plant stem) is high in fiber and works well as a thickening in recipes, similar to gelatin.

Uses Of Konjac

Konjac is often used to generate heat-stable and thermally reversible gelled meals in the following ways . Bread, cakes, meat products, ice cream, and beverages use konjac as a thickening and stabilizer.

Meat

Konjac is a meat binder having thickening, emulsification, water retention, and gelling qualities. Meanwhile, it’s commonly utilized as a fat alternative in sausage and ham. It improves meat texture and decreases fat content while increasing water-retaining capacity.

Starch Products

By crosslinking, accumulation, and other interactions with starch, konjac increases starch’s gelatinization, rheological, and textural qualities. These characteristics are linked to the food’s texture, flavor, and quality. The starch and konjac blends have superior thickening and stability, and meanwhile, the mixture’s gel has a lesser hardness and flexibility.

Health Benefits Of Konjac

Konjac’s high fiber content has numerous health benefits. Soluble fiber aids in the reduction of cholesterol and blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also aid in regulating bowel movements, the prevention of hemorrhoids, and the prevention of diverticular disease. The findings of the study are as follows:

Konjac And Constipation

According to a 2008 study, glucomannan may help avoid constipation. According to the study, the addition of glucomannan to a low-fiber diet boosted the number of probiotic bacteria in feces. It also improved the function of the bowels by 30%.

Konjac And weight loss

Fiber is a good filler, and it keeps you satiated for longer, so you’re less prone to overeat or snack between meals if you eat it regularly. Konjac expands in the stomach to keep you fuller for longer. A 2005 study found that adding a glucomannan fiber supplement to a balanced 1,200-calorie diet resulted in more weight loss than a 1,200-calorie diet plus a placebo. Adding a fiber supplement (guar gum or alginate) had no effect. Glucomannan is a konjac root dietary supplement that can help with weight loss, and it is more of a promotion for extended contentment after eating than a fat burner.

Konjac And Cholesterol

Konjac was reported to help lower total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides in a 2008 comprehensive review. Konjac also helped people lose weight and lower their fasting blood sugar levels. According to the findings, glucomannan could be used as adjuvant therapy for diabetes and high cholesterol. Konjac was found to lower LDL in a later study, and its consumption was recommended to lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s been proven that glucomannan can assist in lowering total and bad cholesterol levels. As a result, persons with high cholesterol can benefit greatly from taking the plant root as a supplement. As a result, konjac root has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Konjac And Skin Health

According to a 2013 study, konjac can help with acne and skin health, and it’s supposed to help with allergic reactions and wound healing. The glucomannan content of the konjac root is high, making it a natural moisturizer. This moisturizes the skin, improves suppleness, and reduces the signs of aging.

Increases Mineral Absorption

Improved mineral absorption, in addition to a healthy diet, can provide additional health benefits. The ability of the body to absorb minerals is naturally increased by konjac root. As a result of better absorption, a person can get more significant benefits from the healthy meals and beverages they consume.

Improves Oral Health

The antibacterial properties of konjac root aid to improve general health and oral health. This can aid in reducing or eliminating minor oral health issues such as inflammation, discomfort, and the fight against harmful germs.

Konjac Risks And Precautions

According to the FDA, some konjac sweets have been linked to choking deaths in the elderly and children. In 2011, the FDA issued an import alert for konjac candies due to this. Like other gelatin goods, konjac candies have a gelatinous structure that does not dissolve in the tongue.

Konjac supplements may produce a blockage in your esophagus or bowel if they expand in your esophagus or bowel. You’re at a higher risk if you:

  • take konjac tablets
  • take konjac in any form without water
  • are elderly
  • have problems swallowing

Konjac has been banned in certain nations because of the high prevalence of bowel or throat obstruction. Konjac supplements should not be taken by children or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you have any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction, stop taking konjac and seek medical attention:

  • difficulty breathing
  • hives or a rash
  • itchy skin
  • rapid heart rate
  • swelling

Blood sugar levels are lowered by konjac. Because it may reduce sugar absorption, patients with diabetes should closely watch their blood sugar levels. If you take insulin or other diabetes drugs, talk to your doctor before trying konjac.

Conclusion

Konjac is a plant that has been used as a food and medicine in Asia for ages. It has been demonstrated in studies to aid with constipation and cholesterol reduction. More research is needed. However, konjac may help with weight loss. A healthy diet and regular exercise are still the most effective ways to lose weight.