No/Low-carb dieters, this one’s for you!!

I’d always loved eating these small “noodley things” at hotpot, but had no idea how healthy and awesome they were until Eugene Kan from Hypebeast told me how they’re pretty much zero calories and pure fibre, not to mention that they look like a carb, taste like a carb, but have zero side effects like a carb (i.e. weight gain or bloating).

They look like small bundles of thin white noodles, and are sold in rectangular packets soaked in water for something like HK$8 a pack (super cheap!!) at Wellcome. They’re slightly crunchy like a stale noodle and take on the taste of whatever it’s served or cooked with, making them super versatile for salads, soups, and the like.

So what are they made of actually?

Konnyaku is a traditional Japanese health food made from a kind of potato, that’s called shirataki when converted into a noodle. Most of it is water (97 percent) and the rest of it is Glucomannan, a dietary fibre that’s extremely difficult for humans to digest.

As a result, Konnyaku is non-fat, rich in minerals and virtually calorie-free, making it an awesome addition to your diet (especially if you’re not allowed to eat pasta/carbs). I like to think of it as a form of water (something without calories that just passes through your system), except this one can be chewed.

Tofu soup with konnyaku noodles

So far, I’ve been adding into my tofu soups as a form of fibre. Love them!