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Basic Konjac Powder: The Sensation Of Losing Weight

Konjac powder is made from konjac root. The Konjac root provides fewer calories than cucumbers. Pasta lovers can therefore feast on konjac noodles and lose weight at the same time. But konjac not only helps with weight loss because of its low-calorie content.

Konjac powder as a weight loss aid

Konjac powder from the Asian konjac root is a real sensation for people who want to lose weight. Sensationally easy to use, sensationally effective, and at the same time extremely healthy. Of course, konjac has long since been scientifically tested.

Studies have shown that taking konjac flour leads to greater weight loss than an appropriate diet or diet alone. The additional(!) weight loss thanks to konjac amounted to an average of 0.35 kilograms per week in a Norwegian study.

Taking konjac powder can lead to an average additional weight loss of 3.5 kilograms in 2.5 months for overweight people – in addition to the weight loss that is already taking place as a result of a 1200-kcal diet.

Konjac was also found by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to be so good as a weight loss aid that konjac powder and konjac capsules are officially allowed to bear the label:

“Reduction in body weight when at least 3 g of konjac glucomannan is taken daily in 3 servings of at least 1 g each with 1 to 2 glasses of water before a meal by an overweight person.”

Konjac glucomannan is the name given to the special dietary fibers in konjac powder.

Konjac powder: slimming with glucomannans

The Konjac root contains an incredible 40 percent fiber – a value that is hardly found in any other food. For example, whole grain oat flakes provide just under 6 percent fiber and almonds 15 percent.

A large part of the whole grain dietary fiber also belongs to the group of insoluble dietary fibers. In the konjac root, on the other hand, there is a soluble fiber that works much better than insoluble fiber.

And the very potent soluble konjac fiber — which can hold a lot more water than the insoluble fiber — is called glucomannan.

Konjac flour provides you with more glucomannan than any other food. And it is precisely glucomannan that leads to the great weight loss successes of overweight people when taking konjac powder.

Lose weight with konjac powder

Konjac powder helps you lose weight in three steps:

  • Konjac powder absorbs fat

Konjac powder not only binds and absorbs water, but also fat. In this way, the total fat intake from a meal is reduced and the first step towards losing weight is taken. Konjac powder simply absorbs some of the fats from other foods and ensures that they are excreted in the stool.

  • Konjac powder fills you up

The second step that helps with weight loss is to increase the feeling of satiety with konjac powder. The glucomannans in konjac powder expand in the digestive tract and therefore make you feel full and satisfied in a pleasant and sustainable way.

  • Konjac powder reduces appetite and prevents cravings

In the third step, the glucomannans in konjac powder affect appetite – as researchers at Mahidol University in Bangkok/Thailand found in a study in 2009 – in the following way:

Glucomannan lowers ghrelin levels. Ghrelin is a hormone. If the ghrelin level is high, you have a big appetite and hunger. On the other hand, the lower the ghrelin level, the less you eat. So the low ghrelin levels from the konjac powder reduce appetite. You automatically eat smaller portions and hardly have any appetite for dessert.

Since the konjac powder also works when you are sober, i.e. keeps the ghrelin level permanently low, it can prevent cravings all day long and thus minimize the calorie intake.

Konjac Powder – Seven Health Benefits

Konjac powder cannot be compared to other weight-loss products. Because while many diet supplements have serious side effects, konjac powder is an all-natural way to lose weight. At the same time, the konjac powder has at least seven other health benefits:

Konjac powder lowers cholesterol and blood fat

According to 14 studies, konjac powder significantly and reliably lowers cholesterol and blood fat levels.

Konjac powder to control blood sugar levels

The blood sugar level is also favorably influenced by the konjac powder. After just four weeks of taking konjac glucomannan (3 g daily), a study showed that the increase in blood sugar levels after meals can be reduced with konjac powder.

Konjac powder prevents insulin resistance

Likewise, scientists at the University of Toronto consider taking konjac glucomannans to be highly recommended to prevent insulin resistance (pre-diabetes).

Konjac powder regulates digestion

Konjac glucomannan is known to bind to large amounts of water. In the intestine, this property prevents diarrhea. But it also prevents constipation, as glucomannan stimulates bowel movement and helps facilitate bowel movements.

All of this, of course, without any negative side effects. Konjac powder can also be given to children (not infants!) for this purpose if they are kept hydrated.

Konjac powder cares for the intestinal flora and intestinal mucosa

Konjac powder has a prebiotic effect and ensures that the beneficial intestinal bacteria can multiply – as researchers from Taiwan found. Additionally, the researchers observed that the amount of short-chain fatty acids in stool increased.

Short-chain fatty acids serve as an energy source for the intestinal mucosa cells. Their presence indicates a healthier intestinal mucosa as well as a more favorably developed intestinal flora.

The presence of diverticula (protrusions of the intestinal mucosa) – whether inflammatory or not – does not appear to be an obstacle to the use of konjac powder.

On the contrary. Researchers found in one study that konjac glucomannan led to greater therapeutic success in diverticulitis than was the case without taking konjac.

Konjac powder prevents cancer

What is also fantastic is the fact that konjac powder can reduce the activity of what is known as β-glucuronidase. This enzyme has been linked to colon cancer, so konjac powder can even help prevent it.

Konjac powder strengthens the immune system

Glucomannan is great cell protection because they reduce malondialdehyde levels. This substance is higher, the more the organism is threatened by oxidative stress (free radicals).

At the same time, konjac powder strengthens the white blood cells (the body’s police force) and increases the body’s own antioxidant production, so konjac powder helps to strengthen the immune system overall.

Lose weight with konjac powder – the application

If you want to lose weight with konjac powder and enjoy the other properties of the konjac root, you have three options:

  • Slimming with konjac powder

Konjac powder is taken three times a day at least half an hour before meals. Take at least 1 gram of konjac powder and drink 1 to 2 glasses of water, each 250 milliliters.

  • Lose weight with konjac capsules

Konjac capsules are for all those who do not want to stir the powder into the water but prefer to swallow the capsules. However, sufficient water must also be drunk with the capsules. Konjac capsules are taken three times a day at least half an hour before meals.

  • Lose weight with konjac noodles

A portion of konjac noodles (100 to 125 g) already provides 5 g glucomannan and thus easily covers the daily requirement of this special dietary fiber, which is necessary for weight loss.

Since the noodle portion is usually eaten as part of a single meal, you could also take 1 g of konjac powder or the corresponding amount of konjac capsules before the other two meals.

Konjac Noodles: Zero carbs and 8 calories

Why do noodles help you lose weight? Of course, they only help you lose weight if it’s konjac noodles – also called shirataki noodles.

Konjac noodles have no nutritional value, so they contain neither fat nor proteins nor usable carbohydrates and therefore hardly any calories. They only provide fiber (glucomannan) and water – nothing more.

Konjac noodles, therefore, act like glucomannan and help with weight loss in the same way as konjac powder or konjac capsules. Konjac noodles look almost like noodles, only they make you full and satisfied, curb your appetite and help you lose body weight.

Konjac noodles are alkaline and gluten-free

By the way, konjac noodles are basic noodles. They are gluten-free, fat-free, low carb (nearly carbohydrate-free), have a zero glycemic load, contain fewer calories than cucumbers, and can be prepared in just one minute.

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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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