Micah Stanley
Shirataki noodles are also called konjac noodles. They are made up of certain fibers that have many health benefits. In addition, the Shirataki noodles are free of carbohydrates, and fats, and of course free of calories. At the same time, they fill you up well and are therefore excellent for weight loss.
Shirataki noodles
Shirataki noodles consist of the special dietary fiber of the konjac root – the so-called glucomannan. Konjac grows in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. The root provides hardly usable carbohydrates. On the other hand, it consists almost entirely of the dietary fiber glucomannan.
“Shirataki” is Japanese and stands for “white waterfall”, which describes the translucent look of Shirataki noodles.
All you need to make Shirataki noodles is glucomannan and water. This mixture is boiled before being made into the desired noodle shape.
Overall, Shirataki noodles consist of a lot of water (95 percent) and 5 percent glucomannan. There is no longer any room for usable carbohydrates and calories.
There is also a variant of Tofu Shirataki Noodles. Here, tofu is also processed into the recipe, which of course increases the nutritional value and thus the calorie count of the noodles.
The top five health benefits of Shirataki noodles are as follows:
Shirataki noodles are rich in special fiber
Glucomannan is one of the soluble dietary fibers that can absorb a particularly large amount of water and thus form a kind of gel. Glucomannan can even absorb 50 times its own weight in water, which explains the high water content of the pasta.
Shirataki noodles pass through the digestive tract very slowly, which leads to sustained satiety. A small portion of 100 grams of pasta is enough to feel full and satisfied in the long term.
Glucomannan is also used as food by beneficial gut bacteria, so the Shirataki noodles also act as prebiotics, helping to protect and nourish the gut flora. The intestinal bacteria convert the roughage into short-chain fatty acids, which in turn serve as nutrients for the intestinal mucosa and also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
When intestinal bacteria metabolize the glucomannan into fatty acids, one kilocalorie (kcal) is produced per gram of glucomannan, which corresponds to 3 to 5 kcal for 100 grams of Shirataki noodles. Consequently, Shirataki noodles can be described as almost calorie-free.
Shirataki noodles can therefore promote intestinal health, which indirectly leads to a strengthening of the immune system and thus to overall health.
Shirataki noodles help you lose weight
The properties of the glucomannan described under point 1 already show that Shirataki noodles can help you lose weight very well.
They are almost calorie-free and, if eaten in small quantities, fill you up in the long term, which is partly due to the fact that they lower the level of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin. Ghrelin makes you hungry and increases your appetite. If the ghrelin level drops, you feel full.
This way you eat less of higher calorie foods and lose weight more easily.
For example, when glucomannan was ingested daily (about 3 to 5 grams), subjects lost 3 to 5 pounds over four to eight weeks.
In another study, the group that added glucomannan to a low-calorie diet lost more weight than those that just followed the diet. Shirataki noodles can therefore enhance the weight loss of a diet.
Of course, glucomannan can also be taken without Shirataki noodles – simply in the form of capsules (konjac capsules). These contain 3 to 5 grams of glucomannan per daily dose and are taken before meals. The effect is that you eat a lot less in the following meal and your appetite for sweets is also reduced.
Shirataki noodles reduce blood sugar and insulin levels
Like many other fibers, the glucomannans in shirataki noodles reduce blood sugar levels — which is especially helpful if you suffer from blood sugar fluctuations, diabetes, or insulin resistance.
Glucomannan slows gastric emptying and nutrient absorption in the gut. In this way, sugar from carbohydrate-containing foods also enters the bloodstream much more slowly. The blood sugar and insulin levels thus remain stable and blood sugar spikes are prevented.
In one study, people with type 2 diabetes took glucomannan for three weeks and experienced a significant reduction in fructosamine levels — a marker that provides an overview of blood sugar levels over the past two to three weeks.
Another study on type 2 diabetics showed that taking a dose of glucomannan before consuming carbohydrates resulted in significantly lower blood sugar levels after two hours than was the case without glucomannan.
Shirataki noodles lower cholesterol levels
The glucomannan in Shirataki noodles can have a positive effect on blood lipid levels, as various studies have shown.
The fiber increases the amount of cholesterol that is excreted in the stool, so less cholesterol enters the bloodstream.
A review of 14 studies also found that glucomannan could lower LDL cholesterol levels by an average of 16 mg/dL. Triglyceride levels were reduced by an average of 11 mg/dL.
Shirataki noodles help with constipation
Chronic constipation is common. They often appear in connection with obesity and other of the health conditions described above. With the Shirataki noodle, you can tackle all problems at the same time.
A number of studies have shown that glucomannan is good for relieving constipation in both children and adults. In a children’s study, 45 percent of children who took glucomannan were cured of their constipation. In the control group, it was just 13 percent.
In adult studies, glucomannan has been observed to promote intestinal peristalsis, increase the number of beneficial gut bacteria, and accelerate the production of short-chain fatty acids. All three of these properties ensure that constipation is cleared.
Can Shirataki Noodles Have Side Effects?
If you want to incorporate Shirataki noodles into your diet, you should proceed slowly and get your intestines used to the new fiber with small and then slowly increasing amounts. Otherwise, you could experience mild diarrhea or flatulence – which can happen with any type of fiber if the intestines are not used to it.
If you are taking medication, glucomannan can reduce its absorption and thus reduce its effectiveness. Therefore, take your medication at least one hour before eating Shirataki noodles or at least four hours after eating them.
Shirataki noodles: the preparation
Shirataki noodles can replace the usual pasta or normal rice in any noodle recipe. Only the preparation differs. Because Shirataki noodles are not – like normal noodles – packaged dry, but moist, i.e. already cooked. Shirataki noodles taste particularly good in Asian recipes with lots of vegetables and plenty of sauce.
When you first unwrap shirataki noodles, keep cool if you catch a glimpse of a fishy odor. It is the completely natural fragrance of the konjac root. This disappears completely during preparation.
Shirataki noodles are therefore first rinsed thoroughly under running water. They are then drained well and placed in boiling water for three minutes. Meanwhile, heat a clean, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. The cooked noodles are drained well again and then added to the hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until dry. If the Shirataki noodles are prepared in this way, they then absorb the sauce much better and get a consistency more typical of noodles.
Then add pre-cooked vegetables and a sauce of your choice over the noodles and stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Now the Shirataki noodles can be served.
