Is it true that eating Shirataki noodles for a diet is healthy?

Of the various types of noodles that are sold in the market, have you ever heard of or seen Shirataki noodles? This distinctive Shirataki noodle with a slightly translucent white color is said to help support a weight loss diet program. Is that right?

What are the nutritional content in Shirataki noodles?

Lately, the prestige of Shirataki noodles seems to be on the rise. The reason is, Shirataki noodles are reportedly good for those of you who are on a diet to lose weight. But before finding out more about this, it never hurts to explore the nutritional content in this one noodle.

Shirataki noodles are a type of noodle prepared from the roots of the konjac (konnyaku) plant, or what is often referred to as glucomannan fiber. That's why Shirataki noodles are also known as Konjac noodles.

Konjac or konnyaku itself, is a tuber plant that usually grows in Japan, China, and several regions in Southeast Asia. Besides being processed into noodles, the roots of the konjac plant are also often used as raw material in making tofu, snacks, or shaped to resemble rice.

However, before it is processed into Shirataki noodles and several other types of food, the roots of the Konjac plant will be processed into flour first. After that, the flour is made into a variety of foods, including Shirataki noodles, which are said to be suitable for dieting.

Overall, Shirataki noodles contain a fair amount of water and fiber, but very little fat, protein and calories in them. Interestingly, Shirataki noodles are also low in carbohydrates, so they are safe to prevent blood sugar from rising.

Seeing the various nutritional content, it might make you wonder about the truth of Shirataki noodles which are said to be suitable for dieting.

Is it true that Shirataki noodles can help on a diet?

Source: Keto Diet

Actually, Shirataki noodles can be a food choice to support the diet program in losing weight. This is because Shirataki has a fairly high fiber content, so it can help maintain a feeling of fullness for longer.

As a result, the portion and frequency of your meals may be smaller, according to research in the journal Obesity Review. Also adding that, a study published by the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, revealed similar results.

In fact, consuming food sources that contain glucomannan fiber can help lower levels of the hormone ghrelin. The hormone ghrelin is a hormone whose job is to send hunger signals to the brain, thereby making your appetite increase.

But on the other hand, research in the Journal of Obesity, found the opposite results. The study, which was conducted for 8 weeks, found no difference in weight loss even though they both drank glucomannan fiber.

Whether it's in people who are overweight, or people who are ideal weight. Where this glucomannan fiber is the basic ingredient of Shirataki noodles, it is often eaten for diet.

This is presumably because the glucomannan taken is in the form of a supplement tablet, and may have the same effect as eating Shirataki noodles. Broadly speaking, existing research only involves a similar content found in Shirataki noodles.

So far, there has been no specific research that really shows that Shirataki can be used for weight loss diets.

Be careful, eating too often low carb can also be bad

Apart from not being fully scientifically proven, there are other things that should also be considered before eating Shirataki noodles every day. As you already know, Shirataki noodles are often used for heavy diets with low carbohydrate content.

When the intake of carbohydrates received by the body is too little, especially taking place every day, the body's insulin levels can automatically decrease drastically. This condition then triggers the release of fat as a substitute for energy sources.

As a result, the body produces many fatty acids called ketones. In conditions of starvation or lack of carbohydrate intake, ketones can provide a number of energy to support the work of the brain.

Unfortunately, if it lasts long enough, these ketones are at risk of disrupting bodily functions. This is one of the things that discourages you from limiting the amount of carbohydrate intake for too long.

If you plan to lose weight by regularly eating Shirataki noodles, it's a good idea to consult your doctor or nutritionist first.