In the current days, eating shirataki noodles is slowly becoming a  trend. Well if you feel curious, this noodle is not just any noodle. The shape is like noodles, soun, or vermicelli but the content is certainly different from others.

Well, many say that shirataki noodles are a lifesaving food to lose weight and maintain blood sugar levels. To learn more about this type of noodles, just check out the following explanation.

If you are not familiar with shirataki, it’s a white noodle that’s also known as konjac. Shirataki noodles are made from glucomannan, a type of fiber derived from the roots of konjac plants that commonly grow in Japan, China, and some regions of Southeast Asia.

Unlike noodles that usually contain a lot of carbohydrates, shirataki noodles contain fewer carbohydrates. The carbohydrates in shirataki noodles are dominated by fiber; not just starch or starch substances. Therefore, shirataki noodles are very low in calories, like hong dou tang noodles.

In addition to glucomannan fibers, usually these types of noodles are mixed with water and a little lime so that the noodles can be more delightful. These three mixtures of ingredients are then boiled, then formed thin elongated typical of noodles, or some are shaped like rice.

Shirataki noodles contain a lot of water. In fact 97 percent of shirataki noodles are water, about 3 percent glucomannan, and chalk is very small.

In the market, there are also shirataki noodles that have been created, called shirataki tofu noodles. This tofu shirataki noodle contains more carbohydrates than the original shirataki. We talked about how wonderful it is above, if you want to look closer, here’s the amazing benefit of simply wonderful Shirataki noodles.

Health Benefits of Eating Shirataki Noodles

1. Helping your Diet

Shirataki noodles are magical for losing some weight. Glucomannan fibers in shirataki actually help delay abdominal emptying resulting in your stomach feeling full for longer and end up eating less and slowing down the movement of the colon.

Actually there is no specific research on shirataki noodles, but research on glucomannan fiber content in shirataki has been done quite a lot.

Research has found that consuming glucomannan fiber for 4 weeks can help lower the hunger hormone in the body which is called ghrelin. With the decrease in hunger hormones, as a result the body is more able to refrain from eating.

Another study in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine also found that people who ate glucomannan fiber regularly for 4-8 weeks could lose as much as 1.4-2.5 kg of weight. However, you can find similar results in many noodles as well, like maggi noodles.

2. Helps Lower Cholesterol Level

Fiber basically has the effect of lowering the amount of cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream, including the glucomannan fibers that are contained within shirataki noodles.

Researchers in the journal American College of Nutrition report that glucomannan can increase the amount of cholesterol excreted through faeces.

That means, more cholesterol from the bloodstream can actually be lowered through the stool, thanks to this fiber. With the amount of fiber released, the lower the cholesterol levels in the blood.

Other research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that glucomannan can lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) to 16 mg/dL and triglycerides to 11 mg/dL. So the conclusion is, eating shirataki noodles can be considered to be one of the tasty solutions to reduce cholesterol level.

3. Prevents Constipation

Constipation is a common problem that’s marked with difficulty when defecating. The person will experience a hard, stressful time in the toilet. Stomach feels stiff, painful, and uncomfortable due to the accumulation of feces in the intestine. Although this condition is often underestimated, but if left unchecked it can bring greater health risks.

Generally, a person who has constipation usually has a weird routine of defecating. Usually, once every three days, or even a week. The condition is also caused by slowed bowel movements or problematic bowel function.

Basically, constipation is a condition that occurs due to lack of intake of fiber and fluids in the body and due to consuming too many high-fat foods. That’s why, consuming healthy meals that are rich in fiber like chow mein noodles, is always recommended.

The benefit of shirataki noodles this time is ineed unquestionable, because the fiber content is quite high. Polysaccharides that can be found on the fibers actually have miraculous benefits to make your intestines feel better.

It works in a special way by supporting the growth of good bacteria. That way, there is more activity of good bacteria in the gut, bowel movements also become smoother to the disposal of stools.

In fact, this special fiber is also known to help overcome severe constipation in children and adults. It works in a special way by supporting the growth of good bacteria

4. Relatively Safe for Diabetics

People with diabetes often find it difficult to find a food that is both delicious and safe to consume. The healthiness is often compromised with tasteless flavor, which most people found undesirable. They need to consume something that contains less sugar that could harm their blood sugar level.

Fortunately, some noodles like noodles and shirataki noodles may become tasteful dishes that are also healthy for them. Research shows that glucomannan fiber in shirataki noodles can help lower blood sugar levels and lower the risk of insulin resistance.

Because, glucomannan fibers can delay the emptying of the stomach so that blood sugar and insulin levels that enter the bloodstream will increase slowly, little by little. There was no sudden spike.

Even from a few years ago it was found in research that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed glucomannan fiber for 3 weeks experienced a significant decrease in fructose. Fructose is a marker or indicator of blood sugar for the last 2-3 weeks.