Konjac: A Detailed Guide to Its Benefits and Effects, How to Eat It, and Who Should Avoid It
Konjac, commonly known as moyu, also written as moyu, and called demon taro in ancient China. In cultivation science it belongs to the tuber crops, and it mainly grows in the southern regions of our country. Since ancient times, konjac has been known as the “intestinal sand remover.” So what are the benefits and effects of konjac? How do you eat konjac? Who should not eat konjac?
I. Benefits and Effects of Konjac
1. Prevents arteriosclerosis and helps prevent and treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
The mucin contained in konjac can reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the body, prevent arteriosclerosis, and help prevent and treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
2. Lowers cholesterol
Konjac glucomannan can effectively inhibit the small intestine's absorption of cholesterol, bile acids, and other fat-decomposing substances, promote the excretion of fat from the body, and lower the total amount of triglycerides and cholesterol in the serum.
3. Improves immunity and helps prevent and treat cancer and tumors
Konjac can improve the body's immunity. The mannan anhydride it contains has an interfering effect on the metabolism of cancer cells, and the excellent dietary fiber it contains can stimulate the body to produce a substance that kills cancer cells. Drug sensitivity tests show sensitivity to cardia cancer and colon cancer cells; it can resolve phlegm and soften hardness, disperse swelling and remove toxins, and is mainly used for masses, phlegm nodules, scrofula, and other conditions, and can help prevent and treat cancer and tumors;
4. Lightens the burden on the pancreas and benefits people with diabetes
Konjac contains chromium, which can delay the absorption of glucose and effectively lower postprandial blood sugar, thereby lightening the burden on the pancreas, keeping glucose metabolism in diabetic patients in a virtuous cycle, and maintaining blood sugar levels within a certain range. It will not cause blood sugar to plummet and lead to hypoglycemia as some blood sugar-lowering drugs do.
5. Relieves pain and invigorates blood circulation to remove stasis
Konjac has a warming effect. In ancient folk remedies, konjac was made into material for warming cloths to treat stomach pain and shoulder aches. Wrapping steamed konjac in a towel and placing it on the affected area can relieve pain. Konjac is pungent and warm in nature and flavor, and has the effect of promoting blood circulation and preventing stasis and swelling.
6. Moistens the intestines and relieves constipation, and reduces fat absorption
The fiber in konjac can promote gastrointestinal motility, moisten the intestines and relieve constipation, prevent constipation and reduce the intestine's absorption of fat, is beneficial for the treatment of intestinal disorders, and can reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the body, which is of great significance for preventing and treating high blood pressure and coronary arteriosclerosis. The niacin, vitamin C, E, and other nutrients contained in konjac can reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the body, prevent arteriosclerosis, and help prevent and treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
7. Satisfies hunger and aids weight loss
Konjac is a low-calorie food. The glucomannan it contains absorbs water and expands, increasing to 30 to 100 times its original volume, so it creates a feeling of fullness after eating. It can be used to treat diabetes and is also an ideal weight-loss food.
8. Detoxifies and cleanses the stomach
For detoxification, its rich plant cellulose helps activate intestinal function, speeds up the excretion of harmful toxins from the body, and prevents and reduces the incidence of intestinal system diseases. A large amount of soluble plant fiber promotes gastrointestinal motility, can reduce the retention time of harmful substances in the gastrointestinal tract and gallbladder, effectively protects the gastric mucosa, and cleans the stomach wall.
9. Disease prevention and treatment, and balancing salt
Natural mannan has been fully demonstrated by the medical community to inhibit cholesterol, lower blood lipids, lower blood sugar, dilate blood vessels, and prevent arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system diseases, and it has considerable life-extending benefits. Konjac has the effect of regulating or balancing salt in the body. (Nutritional science proves that the human body's daily salt intake should be maintained below 10 g.)
10. Calcium supplementation
100 grams of natural konjac food contains about 43 milligrams of calcium. More importantly, the calcium it contains is very easily dissolved and absorbed by the human body, making this calcium-rich product a top choice for calcium supplementation.
II. How Do You Eat Konjac?
Konjac cannot be eaten directly!
The whole konjac plant is toxic, with the tuber being the most toxic, so it cannot be eaten directly. It must first undergo processing such as grinding into powder, steaming, and rinsing to remove the toxins. Its processed products can be purchased from supermarkets.
At the same time, konjac has very good effects on preventing and treating constipation, improving lipid metabolism, lowering blood cholesterol levels, improving glucose metabolism, and preventing and treating obesity. Many manufacturers now also use konjac to develop a number of health foods.
At present, in the treatment of diabetes, some nutritionists place great importance on konjac, because its main component is water-soluble dietary fiber, which is basically not absorbed by the human body.
Moreover, konjac's glycemic index is only 17, so it will not cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, making it unquestionably a good food for people with diabetes. Taro's glycemic index is 47.9, and its main component is starch, which is equivalent to the staple food we usually eat. Therefore, diabetic patients are not encouraged to eat more taro.
III. Who Should Not Eat Konjac?
1. People with poor digestive system function. Konjac is a food that is relatively difficult to digest. Therefore, for people with poor digestive function, they should eat as little konjac and other difficult-to-digest foods as possible, so as to avoid some adverse effects on the body.
2. People with skin diseases. In traditional Chinese medicine, konjac is regarded as a "trigger food." For people with skin diseases, excessive consumption of konjac may worsen the patient's condition. Therefore, patients with skin diseases are not advised to eat konjac.
3. People with a cold constitution. Konjac is cold in nature. Therefore, excessive consumption of konjac by people with a cold constitution has certain adverse effects on their own health. Especially for women with a cold constitution, it may also lead to uterine cold and the occurrence of painful menstruation.
4. Pregnant women. Pregnant women are nurturing a new life in their bodies. Although konjac contains relatively many nutrients, its nature is cold, and excessive consumption has certain adverse effects on the growth and development of the fetus in the pregnant woman's body, which should be noted.