The Tropical Plant That Can Help You Lose Weight?
What is Konjac?
A tropical root vegetable that grows in parts of Asia, konjac is known for its starchy corm that is used to make a rich source of water-soluble dietary fibre, glucomannan.
Konjac has been used in traditional medicine and is commonly found in supermarkets in snacks and foods like pasta and noodles. Konjac root is also used as an additive to food and a dietary supplement, linked to helping improve carbohydrate metabolism and getting your bowels moving!
What are the benefits of Konjac?
Konjac for constipation
Yep – it’s meant to be good to get your bowels moving! This study published online in 2013 found that glucomannan (the dietary fibre found in konjac) might help prevent constipation! The study looked at adding glucomannan to people who had a low fibre diet, discovering it helped increase the amounts of probiotic bacteria in bowel movements, and increased the function by around 30 per cent.
Konjac for weight loss
Weight loss is where the potential benefits of adding konjac to your diet come into play! Because the product is high in fibre, it’s incredibly filling – helping you feel fuller for longer, making you less likely to overeat or snack between meals. Konjac also expands in the stomach, helping to keep you fuller for longer. Konjac noodles and pasta are a popular replacement for more carbohydrate dense, traditional pasta and noodles for people looking to watch their caloric intake.
A clinical trial in 2005 discovered that adding a glucomannan supplement to a balanced 1200 calorie diet led to more weight loss for healthy, overweight adults, compared to a 1200 calorie diet with a placebo. Varying dosages were tested, with all showing weight loss was greater when using glucomannan rather than a placebo supplement.
Several other studies have taken place since, agreeing with the results. Glucomannan was linked to weight loss in those who were either overweight or obese when regularly ingested before a meal.
Research has linked dietary fibres like glucomannan with a greater loss of body weight in overweight and obese people. It also helps to reduce the absorption of both fat and protein, something to be considered depending on your goals.
Konjac to lower cholesterol
There are also some links between konjac and lowering LDL/bad cholesterol levels in the body. The research concluded that glucomannan could assist people with diabetes and high cholesterol.
A research review looked into clinical trials using glucomannan, investigating its impact on blood glucose, body weight and blood pressure. It found that using glucomannan significantly lowered both total and bad cholesterol, alongside body weight and fasting blood glucose levels.
What’s the best way to add Konjac to your diet?
With konjac’s power as a filling, low calorie addition, konjac noodles or pasta are a great addition to recipes to help bulk them up and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Because the glucomannan fibre in konjac root can absorb up to 100 times its own weight and delay emptying the stomach, konjac root powder is a popular addition to weight loss powders and supplements or taken by itself.
Ebony is our resident wordsmith here at Bulk! A reforming journalist and a graduate of the University of Tasmania, she's our resident copywriter, cat mum, pilates princess and (self appointed) Chief Swiftie!
More about Ebony AbblittReferences:
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