Kanten Seaweed Diet

The kanten seaweed diet, known as the "agar agar" diet in the Western world, may help you lose weight as well as provide several other health benefits. Kanten -- derived from red seaweed -- can be used as a gelatin substitute in some foods. This sea vegetable can set, or become solid, at room temperature in around one hour, and may even improve the taste of your food --- according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, Corporate Document Repository.

History

This centuries old seaweed extract has a long history of use in Southeast Asia. Kanten -- the Japanese word for agar -- is believed to have been discovered by accident in seventeenth century Japan. Kanten was the first phycocolloid, or algae on seaweed cell walls, used in the human food industry, according to the FAO Corporate Document Repository. Kanten powder, flakes and bars are produced by boiling and freeze-drying seaweed.

Dietary Uses

A kanten seaweed diet can be obtained by using kanten as a thickening agent in many foods that include fruit gels, whipping cream and cake icing. You can also add kanten powder to some soups and to teas. Nutritional expert Dr. Ray Sahelian suggests making a gel mold by diluting 2 tbsp. of kanten powder in one pint of water or fruit juice and boiling it for 5 minutes. You can then add fruit, pour it into a mold and refrigerate the mixture until it is hard.

Health

The kanten seaweed diet may provide nutritional benefits and improve your health in several ways. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, kanten, or agar, is a good source of nutrients, including fiber, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. In addition to its nutritional benefits, kanten may also help relieve constipation and lower your cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well as promote weight-loss. However, insufficient scientific research exists to prove the effectiveness of kanten as a treatment for any condition.

Weight-loss

The website Penn Herb, states that the kanten seaweed diet is "the dieter's dream." Kanten aquatic fiber reportedly expands inside your body to three times its original size and helps you eat less by creating a feeling of fullness. Kanten is also low in calories. In addition, drinking tea with added kanten powder 10 minutes before you eat may help decrease your weight. Although believed helpful, additional scientific evidence is needed to prove the effectiveness of a kanten seaweed diet as a treatment for weight-loss.

Scientific Evidence

A study published in the January 2005 edition of the journal "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism," by a team led by H. Maeda, observed the effects of a kanten diet on obese Japanese patients with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes. Over 12-weeks, 76 patients consumed either a traditional Japanese diet or a combination of a kanten diet with the traditional Japanese diet. Patients receiving the combination diet had a significant reduction in body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol levels and glucose levels when compared to those consuming the conventional diet only. Despite positive research, additional scientific studies are needed to conclusively support the use of the kanten diet for the treatment of any condition.